Selection Committee Chair Prof. Masashi Haneda

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding, the foundation launched a grant program with the theme “Envisioning Human Society 50 Years Ahead.” While the question of how human society should exist in 50 years and what actions we should take today toward it is very challenging, it's a question that everyone needs to think about seriously. That's why we thought it would be highly significant to ask this question to young people today, as they will still be active in the world in 50 years, and to hear their views and proposals.

Responding to our shared vision, and notwithstanding the constrained application window of approximately two months from September 10 through November 6, a significant number of applications for grant funding were submitted. A selection committee consisting of five members, four external experts and the chairperson Haneda, was organized to evaluate the 231 applications received, which included 102 joint research applications and 129 individual research applications. Program officers and external reviewers conducted initial screening, and narrowed down the number of applications to a predetermined number for the secondary review. The five members of the selection committee reviewed all applications for the second screening, assigning scores and comments to each. After that, they gathered to deliberate carefully and selected a total of 11 applications (totaling 51.61 million yen) as the final candidates, including four joint research projects and seven individual research projects.

A key consideration in our evaluation was whether applicants provided a clear and compelling vision of human society in 50 years, or the steps to achieve it. It goes without saying that research into past and present events for understanding the present, and exploring solutions for current problems, are essential. However, projects that seemed to prioritize these as their main goals were not considered for this grant. Naturally, in making our selection decisions, we considered the novelty, creativity, and feasibility of the plans, as well as the suitability of the team composition and budget plan.

 

The honest impression I got from reading the applications was that, contrary to my expectations, there were few unconventional or extreme ideas; instead, the proposals were generally practical and sound. Nevertheless, the 11 research projects selected varied in subject matter and methodology, and covered a wide range of themes. If we were to attempt to group them, we could likely divide them into projects that explore the essence of humanity and the new possibilities of the human body, capabilities, and life (Droz, Takatsu, Matsunaga, Hanai, Oishi, and Takeshita), and projects related to human life and health (Michielsen, Mukaigawara, Tatsuoka, Hamaya, and Yazawa). These are both undeniably important aspects when thinking about humans 50 years from now, so it's only natural that excellent and engaging proposals concentrated on these two points. It was interesting to observe that most projects naturally incorporated the use of cutting-edge digital technologies, such as AI, which accurately reflects the current state of research.

On the other hand, as a researcher, I also had some concerns. What struck me was that, despite many projects focusing on humans within human society, there were notably fewer projects that sought to depict the future of society built on individual human connections, such as its systems, structures, and functions. Many of the social components that were once taken for granted, such as neighborhood associations, unions, PTAs, as well as companies, families, and even nations, are changing, and some are becoming dysfunctional. It is evident that the concept of society and its reality, which emerged in modern times, are now at a turning point. In that case, I think it would have been good to have a few more strong research proposals focusing on the society aspect of human society in 50 years.

Fortunately, the Toyota Foundation's current grant programs (for domestic projects, research projects, and international projects) are structured around the keyword “connections.” These programs will allow for a multifaceted approach to society – the totality of human connections. Going forward, we hope to see more proactive research proposals aimed at designing the future society or creating new societies through action, even if not explicitly focused on the 50-year timeframe, submitted to these grant programs.

Even those proposals that were not ultimately selected demonstrated sincerity and the potential for valuable outcomes. I would like to express my deepest respect to all applicants who created and submitted high-quality applications within the limited timeframe.