Waseda University established the Waseda Research Award in 2014 to promote innovative research at the university and disseminate its results around the world. The award honors scholars spearheading Large Research Projects, as well as emerging researchers whose work has had significant impact abroad. The award has three categories: Large-Scale Research Project and Leading Research and High-Impact Publication. Recipients of the award receive a certificate and a prize of 500,000 yen for the Leading Research category, Large Research Project catgory, and 300,000 yen for the High-Impact Publication category.
Below, we proudly present the recipients of the 2025 Waseda Research Award.
Recipients of the 2025 Waseda Research Award
Leading Research Category
*in alphabetical order
Tadashi OTSUKA
Dr. Tadashi Otsuka is the foremost figure in the field of Japan’s environmental law, and his academic reputation is unsurpassed. His research is outstanding for its advanced nature, originality and importance. In addition, Dr. Otsuka possesses deep insight and perception into Civil Law, particularly tort law, and so he embarked on the research of environmental law as a field for developing practical applications for tort law. He also boasts particularly prominent research achievements in areas such as joint tort theory, determination of negligence and the precautionary principle, and the classification of torts into patterns through balancing based on the principle of proportionality in determining illegality. In addition, Dr. Otsuka is pursuing cross-sectional research into the fields of administrative law and international law, and is widening his research to cover all areas of environmental law, including climate change, nature conservation and pollution, and even global challenges such as the issue of who is liable for AI-related accidents. He maintains high research standards in all such instances. He can also be described as an academic society leader in terms of his output, for the sheer volume of research results he releases. Dr. Otsuka holds key positions in organizations, including serving as Chair of the Central Environment Council (Ministry of the Environment), and as such is proactively contributing to the process of legislation enactment and policy formation in the environmental law field. His research has ramifications for society both inside and outside Japan, and his influence in environmental law as an academic field is also enormous, making him a worthy recipient for a WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD (Leading Research).
Jun KATAOKA
Dr. Jun Kataoka is advancing high-energy astrophysics by developing X-ray and gamma-ray detectors, beginning with a Compton camera, and thus contributing to clarifying various space phenomena. Together with that, he is promoting a new space science strategy through an innovative approach that utilizes small satellites. Furthermore, he is accomplishing diverse and advanced research results, such as contributing to the medical care field by pioneering, through the practical application of satellite technology, an entirely new method for tracing the in vivo movement of anticancer agents. Dr. Kataoka has an overwhelming research track record, including having published over 100 international academic papers in the last five years alone, and having his research cited almost 450 times already. His activities are also highly regarded both internationally and domestically, including having twice received a Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Up to now Dr. Kataoka has been promoting a new format for interdisciplinary research, one that bridges science, engineering and medicine. Through his research results, which are helping to clarify the origins of element synthesis in space and develop innovative therapeutic visualization technologies in the field of medical care, it is anticipated he will open up new horizons in both fields.
Kenji TAKIZAWA
Using mathematics, Dr. Kenji Takizawa conducts broad-ranging research on fluid analysis applied to a wide variety of real-world problems, spanning both biomedical fields and mechanical engineering. In particular, his development of a novel fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis method based on space–time computational analysis,
which integrates temporal and spatial dimensions, clearly demonstrates the advanced and original nature of his research. Building on this methodology, he has developed a fluid–structure–biochemical coupled analysis and has continuously produced significant research outcomes that make major contributions to both medical and industrial fields.
The fact that Dr. Takizawa has received the Waseda Research Award (High-Impact Publication), which emphasizes the international dissemination and impact of research, as well as awards from Clarivate Analytics and Thomson Reuters, demonstrates the strong international visibility and impact of his research publications.
The novel FSI analysis method that he developed has been highly evaluated within the academic community, leading to major research achievements, such as the JSPS Prize, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Commendation, and the acquisition of large-scale Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI). Furthermore, applications of this methodology have expanded beyond academia into medical fields, including support for artificial
heart valve design, as well as into industry, such as parachute dynamics analysis, tire aerodynamics analysis, and FSI analysis of wind turbines. As a result, the societal impact of his research achievements is extremely significant.
Hiromi NAKAI
Dr. Hiromi Nakai has pioneered fundamental advances in quantum chemistry and has dramatically expanded its range of applications. In particular, through the systematic development of the Divide-and-Conquer (DC) methodology, he established a novel theoretical framework in which large molecular systems are treated by partitioning them into multiple subsystems, thereby enabling quantum chemical calculations to be performed with computational cost that scales effectively linearly with the number of atoms. This achievement has transformed the electronic structure analysis of large-scale systems from an intractable problem into a realistic research target, making a decisive contribution to the advancement of theoretical chemistry.
In addition, Dr. Nakai has continuously pursued original and cutting-edge research, including the enhancement of high-precision relativistic quantum chemical methods and the creation of new theoretical frameworks that integrate machine learning with electron correlation theory. His accomplishments have been highly recognized internationally. Through leadership roles in major academic societies, international committees, and large-scale research projects, he has also made significant contributions to the development of the academic community.
The computational methods and software developed by Dr. Nakai are widely used by researchers around the world and have had a broad impact across diverse fields, including materials science, life science, and data science. His research represents a pioneering integration of theoretical chemistry and computational science and is of exceptional academic and societal significance.
Haruko NOGUCHI
In the specialized field of health economics, Dr. Haruko Noguchi has been vigorously conducting wide-ranging empirical research using microeconometrics. Moreover, all of her research is of extremely high quality and addresses important and timely themes.
Regarding international dissemination, she has made substantial contributions by publishing numerous papers in top-level international journals. While her research focus on analyzing Japanese institutional and policy contexts entails certain inherent limitations specific to this domain, she deserves high recognition for conducting outstanding research that transcends these limitations.
Dr. Noguchi’s research carries important policy implications, and its social impact has been significant, as she has influenced social security and healthcare policy through her participation in government deliberative councils and research committees, among other activities.
In light of the above, Dr. Noguchi has published numerous original and impactful academic papers and is engaged in research of considerable policy significance. For these reasons, we deem her a worthy recipient of the WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD (Leading Research).
Naoto HIGUCHI
Dr. Naoto Higuchi is a sociologist who has been endeavoring for many years to examine the state of the art of hate crimes in Japan, and the awareness, social background and other aspects of the individuals that give rise to them, based on empirical research. His specialty is migration studies focusing on institutional aspects that determine the fate of immigrants. In his representative work, Japan’s Ultra-right (2016), he conducted life-history interviews to criticize previous studies, and revealed that individuals who adopt xenophobic attitudes to Zainichi Koreans are a familiar and normal presence within Japanese society. In addition, after reconsidering the relationship between Japan, Zainichi Koreans and their homeland on temporal and spatial axes with reference to Brubaker’s triadic model, he presented the concept of the “Japanese-style xenophobia”, wherein the geopolitical structure of East Asia exerts a major influence. Dr. Higuchi examined three sources of the xenophobic activity in Japan that deepened from the 1990s to the 2000s: the existing right wing, historical revisionism by hate groups, and online right-wing sentiment. He explored the background to the expanded influence of the Zaitokukai in the online space specifically, and built a framework for analyzing Japan’s xenophobic movement. In this regard his research is highly original and advanced and presents the possibility of a comparative framework for broader international research into the rise of nationalism and xenophobia in the US and Europe.
In recent years, Dr. Naoto Higuchi has come to perform a pivotal role in the group of researchers working in this sphere, and consistently secures large-scale Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI). In addition to authoring a large number of papers every year, he is also remarkable for the activities and other undertakings he pursues through academic societies. He is one of Japan’s representative researchers in the field of Japan’s xenophobia and immigration policy, and currently is also proactively engaged in building an international network in this field of research. Even greater things are expected from his international activities in the future.
Large Research Project Category
*in alphabetical order
- Tetsuya KAWANISHI
R&D on THz Wireless Communications for Massive Mobile and Long-Haul Applications
High-Impact Publication Category
*in alphabetical order
Yuichi SUZUKI
Dr. Yuichi Suzuki is an internationally acclaimed scholar whose prolific and high-impact publications have reshaped the field of second language acquisition. Within just a decade since earning his PhD, he has produced an extraordinary body of work in leading international journals such as Studies in Second Language Acquisition and Applied Linguistics—that has advanced both theoretical and methodological frontiers. His research on skill acquisition, automatization, and the neuroscience of language learning, including groundbreaking fMRI studies validating implicit knowledge measures, represents rare and original contributions that have been widely cited and internationally recognized with multiple awards. Equally noteworthy are his monographs and edited volumes that integrate insights from linguistics, cognitive psychology, and education, offering a coherent and innovative theoretical framework for understanding language learning. Dr. Suzuki’s achievements exemplify the purpose of the WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD （High-Impact Publication） he has consistently produced world-class scholarship that not only influences academic debates globally but also enriches pedagogical practice and strengthens Japan’s international research presence.
Makoto SETA
Dr. Makoto Seta not only advances original research on the law of the sea by addressing highly contemporary issues in international law and employing an inter-disciplinary approach that integrates his expertise from related fields, but he also actively disseminates his findings in journals that hold significant influence in the field of international law. His research is recognized for its high academic merit and international reach, both in terms of quantity and quality. Dr. Seta’s knowledge, supported by his strong reasoning skills, is anticipated to have a substantial impact on the academic world of international law, particularly the law of the sea, in the future. Furthermore, as some governments start to apply this knowledge, it is anticipated to pave the way for the development of the law of the sea regulatory framework he envisions, with significant impacts both academically and socially. In addition to these accomplishments, Dr. Seta deserves special recognition for his efforts in establishing an international academic exchange network in the fields of international law. This includes organizing workshops in collaboration with international researchers, being invited to international conferences to present research outcomes, and inviting overseas researchers to deliver lectures at Waseda University.
Kumpei TANISAWA
Dr. Kumpei Tanisawa is leading research into advanced health and sport science with regard to the impact of lifestyle factors such as physical activity and diet on health and the mechanisms underpinning them, while taking an integrated approach from the standpoint of physiology, biochemistry, epidemiology, and genetics. For example, his research on the association between biological aging, aerobic capacity, and lifestyle factors using a DNA methylation clock is highly advanced. As a result of adding a fresh perspective to conventional lifestyle-related disease risk assessment, it is both original and meaningful. Given that Dr. Tanisawa constantly publishes a large number of original, peer-reviewed international papers as first author and as corresponding author, and has expanded the research network through international joint research and the invitation of foreign researchers, he can be assessed as having extremely high international research reach. In terms of social ripple effects, his research is expected to be capable of contributing to advancing the promotion of sports for health across society as a whole by connecting the WHO’s Health for All as a cycle of “evidence → policy → on-site implementation → evaluation.” For the above-mentioned reasons, he is worthy of receiving a WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD (High-Impact Publication).
Kenji HASHIMOTO
As a robotics researcher, Dr. Kenji Hashimoto focuses on leg-wheel hybrid robots and conducts pioneering research that integrates practical and original mechatronics design with advanced control technologies, bridging AI and robotics. Through these efforts, he has achieved strong international visibility, played a significant role in building global research networks, and demonstrated notable international leadership. His research is distinguished by its outstanding originality in integrating hardware mechatronics design based on parallel-link mechanisms with advanced software control. These achievements are evidenced by a substantial body of publications, high citation impact, and numerous academic awards, which collectively reflect his strong international recognition. Dr. Hashimoto’s research outcomes are directly aligned with pressing societal needs, including disaster response and outdoor logistics, and make a significant contribution to advancing robotics by fostering research at the intersection of mechanical design and intelligent systems. In addition, he has demonstrated notable leadership within the global research community through activities such as co-editing international journals and serving in organizational and advisory roles for major international conferences. For the above-mentioned reasons, he is considered an extremely worthy recipient of a WASEDA RESEARCH AWARD (High-Impact Publication).
Naosuke HOSHINA
Dr. Naosuke Hoshina is achieving advanced and original results in the field of neuroscience. In particular, he has comprehensively demonstrated the roles that the protocadherin gene family plays in regulating neuronal adhesion and synapse formation during brain development. His first-authored papers in world-leading journals, such as Science, are highly regarded internationally, and his research is distinguished by its cutting-edge approach, creativity, and unique perspective. Of particular note is Dr. Hoshina’s advocacy of an original model for “female-heterozygous-specific onset” in PCDH19-related epilepsy/intellectual disability syndrome—a phenomenon that has been difficult to explain using conventional theories. His “mismatch hypothesis,” which focuses on the expression mismatch between PCDH19 positive and negative neurons, offers a breakthrough perspective. Dr. Hoshina verified this hypothesis using a sophisticated approach combining molecular biology, electrophysiology, and behavioral analysis, clarifying that synaptic dysfunction in the hippocampus is directly linked to cognitive impairment. Furthermore, this research is highly acclaimed for identifying potential therapeutic targets, successfully bridging the gap between fundamental research and clinical application. As a breakthrough in neuroscience and developmental disorder research, his achievements carry immense academic and social significance.
Shao-Min HUNG
Dr. Shao-Min Hung is an accomplished cognitive neuroscientist whose pioneering publications have advanced our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness and unconscious processing. His recent series of studies in Nature Communications, NeuroImage: Reports, and GeroScience represent a coherent and original research trajectory that bridges fundamental neuroscience and societal applications—from revealing how attention shapes unconscious processing, to mapping mind-wandering experiences in the brain, to identifying behavioral biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease risk. Between 2020 and 2024, Dr. Hung has published over a dozen peer-reviewed articles, many as first or corresponding author, in the most respected international journals in his field.
These high-impact works are noted not only for their methodological rigor and theoretical originality but also for their breadth of collaboration across leading global institutions such as Caltech, UC Irvine, and NTU. His research elegantly combines experimental precision with social relevance, demonstrating how basic science can inform clinical practice and educational applications. In both scholarly influence and international visibility, Dr. Hung exemplifies the ideals of the Waseda Research Award for High-Impact Publication, having produced a sustained record of innovative, globally recognized, and field-shaping research.
Teppei YAMAMOTO
Dr. Teppei Yamamoto has racked up outstanding research achievements in the field of political science methodology and is one of Japan’s most highly regarded researchers internationally. Dr. Yamamoto’s research has led the world in the development of fundamental methods and theoretical elaboration for supporting empirical research in modern political science, including conjoint analysis and causal mediation analysis. In particular, his application of experimental methods in researching voting behavior and policy evaluation, and his achievements in clarifying the causal interpretation of that, are groundbreaking advances that are encouraging methodological shifts in political science. Research such as this is highly regarded for opening up new horizons not just in the field of political science but also in causal inference research across the social sciences as a whole.
Dr. Yamamoto’s research results are published in world-leading academic journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, the American Political Science Review, the American Journal of Political Science, and Political Analysis, and many of his results have been cited several hundred or several thousand times, reflecting his unsurpassed international reach. Additionally, he is constantly pursuing joint research with researchers overseas, beginning with the US, and so is also remarkable for his activities as a nexus of the international network. Furthermore, Dr. Yamamoto’s research is not limited to the deepening of academic theory, but also extends to empirical policy research and corporate data analysis that ties data analysis technology to social implementation. Given the advanced and international nature of Dr. Yamamoto’s research as well as its social significance, he is a researcher who is worthy of this award.
