Research Grant Program on Precious Metals in Japan

Deadline: 30-Nov-2026

The Tanaka Precious Metals Memorial Foundation Research Grants support innovative research and development involving precious metals and their applications for a sustainable future. The program is open to researchers affiliated with eligible Japanese educational or research institutions and supports projects involving platinum, gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium. Up to ¥20 million is available through several award categories, with individual grants ranging from ¥500,000 to ¥10 million. Eligible projects may involve new materials, processing technologies, product development, computational science, or new products using precious metals, but projects that have already been commercialized or are scheduled for commercialization are excluded.

About the Tanaka Precious Metals Memorial Foundation Research Grants

The Tanaka Precious Metals Memorial Foundation provides research funding for innovative projects that use or apply precious metals in ways that can contribute to a sustainable future. The program is intended to encourage research and development that can create new technologies, advance products and processes, and explore new applications of precious metals. The funding is particularly relevant to researchers developing innovative solutions involving materials science, processing technologies, product functions, computational science, and precious-metal-based products. Precious Metals Covered by the Grant Eligible research can utilize or apply the following precious metals: - Platinum - Gold - Silver - Palladium - Rhodium - Iridium - Ruthenium - Osmium Projects may focus on one precious metal or involve combinations of these materials, depending on the research objective. What Types of Research Are Supported? The program supports several categories of research and development. New Technology Development Researchers can propose projects aimed at developing new technologies involving precious metals.

Examples include:

- Novel materials - New processing methods - Process development - Innovative material applications The focus is on research that can generate new technological possibilities rather than simply continuing established commercial processes. Innovative Product Development Research The grant also supports research that creates innovative advances in product development.

This can include:

- Development of new functions - Process development - Computational science - Research supporting new product capabilities Projects should demonstrate an innovative research or development component involving precious metals. Development of New Precious-Metal Products Researchers can also propose the development of new products that use precious metals. The objective is to encourage new applications and technological possibilities that contribute to future sustainability. What Projects Are Not Eligible? Projects that have already reached commercialization are not eligible. Research projects that are scheduled for commercialization are also excluded. Therefore, applicants should distinguish clearly between: - Innovative research and development, which can be supported. - Products or technologies that have already been commercialized, which are not eligible. - Projects already scheduled for commercialization, which are also not eligible. The proposal should clearly establish the research and development nature of the project. Total Funding Available The program has total funding of up to ¥20,000,000. Funding is distributed across several award categories.

The available awards include:

- Umekichi Tanaka Award: ¥10,000,000

- Ichiro Tanaka Award: ¥3,000,000

- Junichiro Tanaka Award: ¥1,000,000

- HIRAMEKI Award: ¥500,000

- KIRAMEKI Award: ¥500,000

The KIRAMEKI Award is specifically intended for applicants who are 37 years old or younger as of April 1, 2026. KIRAMEKI Award for Early-Career Researchers The KIRAMEKI Award provides ¥500,000 to eligible younger applicants. To qualify for this award category, applicants must be 37 or younger as of April 1, 2026. This category provides a dedicated funding opportunity for researchers at an earlier stage of their careers. Eligible Applicants The research grants are intended for researchers affiliated with eligible institutions or academic research groups in Japan. Eligible applicants include researchers, including postdoctoral fellows, affiliated with: - Universities - Graduate schools - Technical colleges - National or equivalent research institutions - Research groups belonging to domestic academic societies The representative applicant must be affiliated with a Japanese institution. Research Location Requirements Although the representative applicant must have an affiliation with a Japanese institution, the actual research activity base may be located: - In Japan, or - Overseas This allows eligible researchers connected to Japanese institutions to conduct research activities outside Japan when appropriate to the proposed project. Funding Restrictions

The grant does not cover:

- Indirect costs - General administrative expenses Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposed budget focuses on eligible research and development expenses rather than general institutional overhead. How to Prepare a Strong Research Proposal A strong application should clearly explain the scientific and technological value of the proposed research.

Applicants should focus on:

- The precious metal or metals being used. - The research problem being addressed. - The innovative aspect of the project. - The proposed technology, material, process, or product. - How the research advances existing knowledge or capabilities. - The potential contribution to a sustainable future. - Why the project requires research and development funding. - The expected outcomes of the research. The proposal should make the connection between the precious metals and the proposed innovation easy to understand. Sustainability and Innovation The progr