• Program Objectives
• Comments by Selection Committee Chair
• List of Grant Projects
• Grant Framework
• Program Guidelines and Application Form
• Briefing Sessions
• Outline of the Grant Selection Schedule
• Recommended Documents

The Toyota Foundation and the University of Tokyo Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) has established a new partnership programme under the theme of “Interlinkages and Innovation for Future Societies” and wish to recruits researchers who will conduct research to transform social systems since FY2021.

For details, please visit URL

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The ongoing impact from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has triggered widespread moves to reevaluate the existing form of society and take steps toward a “new normal.” Online lessons and teleworking utilizing digital technology are familiar examples of this, and new forms of “connections” between people are beginning to emerge for such new lifestyles.

Confronting COVID-19 was also a stark reminder that we are surrounded by nature, objects and technology above and beyond the connections between people. Likewise, there is much debate questioning the relationship between the existing social system and the natural environment based on new perceptions, such as the concept of the “Anthropocene.” Dealing with the issues highlighted by COVID-19 and creating a new society will require innovation that transforms the perceptions, lifestyles, and social systems of the past rather than superficial reforms. It is necessary to transcend existing ideas and perspectives and take on the challenge of issues focused on diverse connections (interlinkages), including those of people with people, people with nature, and people with things/technology to design a new future. Furthermore, in order to create a future society which promotes such innovation and fulfills these aspirations, it is important that the young researchers who will lead the next generation engage actively in research activities based on flexible and highly novel ideas, taking up the challenges of diverse issues to achieve a wealth of results.

Based on this awareness of the issues involved, since last year (2021) the Toyota Foundation Research Grant Program has supported research projects led by young researchers based on the theme “Interlinkages and Innovation for Future Societies: Reevaluating Social Issues and Forging New Solidarity in the New Normal Era.” The program invites proposals for projects that will ambitiously address the transformation of social systems based on free-thinking perspectives unconstrained by conventional frameworks. It is our hope that the results of this research will be enthusiastically disseminated to society beyond the boundaries of academia.

* “Researchers” in the grant program are defined as various individuals engaged in research activities, without being limited to researchers affiliated with a university or research institution. In addition, although our Research Grant Program encourages research projects that incorporate practice going beyond the academic framework, it asks them to raise issues, propose solutions, develop theories on phenomena with an eye on the future, rather than being for the purpose of practice itself. Please consider applying to the Grant Program for Community Activities in Japan for projects that are aimed at practice or implementation. For more details, please contact the Toyota Foundation staff.

The chairperson of the selection committee provides comments on the content submitted in the previous year's application and on projects that received funding. Please take a moment to read these comments as they may be helpful for this year's application. For information on submissions made before this period, please refer to the annual reports.

• Comments by the Selection Committee Chair on the Research Grant Program 2022
• Annual Report.

Please review the "Grant Overview," "Post-Selection Committee Chairman Evaluation," "List of Grant Recipients," "Reference Materials," etc. mentioned above. Once you have done so, please download the application guidelines, sample proposal, etc., and apply via the application entry.
※The application closed on June 10, 2022. Thank you for your interest.

Online Briefing Sessions (not compulsory)

• Apply for participation

• The maximum participants is 100 for each session.
• The online briefing sessions will be held in Japanese only.
• Application deadlines for each briefing settion is set at noon of the preceding day. Therefore, the Zoom information will be sent to the registered emails on the preceding day.

Aside from the briefing session, applicants can make an appointment of consultation with the program officers of the Toyota Foundation. Please refer to the program guidelines for the details.  (consultation ended)

Outline of the Grant Selection Schedule in 2023

We held a grantee's workshop on August 21, 2022. You can watch the whole program of the workshop on YouTube Toyota Foundation Channel. * The workshop is in Japanese.