Toyota Foundation Approves 222 Grants
Totaling ¥434 Million for Fiscal 1991

The breakdown of fiscal 1991 grants by program is as follows

Research Grant Program

59 grants (¥201.2 million)

Grant Program for Citizen Activities

13 grants (¥20 million)

International Grant Program

101 grants (¥120 million)

"Know Our Neighbors" Programs

27 grants (¥51.71 million)

Program in Japan

13 grants (¥27.41 million)

Program in Southeast and South Asia

6 grants (¥14.34 million)

Program Among Southeast and South Asian Countries

8 grants (¥9.96 million)

Other grant-making activities

22 grants (¥41.09 million)

Research grants awarded for projects under the theme
"In Search of a New Society"

Under the basic theme "In Search of a New Society," the Research Grant Program awards grants for research projects that try to identify and solve problems faced by contemporary society and that aim to foster a human-oriented society. Priority is given to projects that focus on two topics: coping with multicultural society and coping with technologically advanced society. Applications for research grants are publicly solicited, and no restrictions are placed on applicants' nationality, country of residence, or professional affiliation. Anyone who can complete the Japanese-language grant application may apply, though projects conducted by non-Japanese must be related to Japan in some way. Of the 762 applications received this year, 59 were selected for fiscal 1991 research grants totaling ¥201.2 million. A breakdown by grant category follows.

Category I (individual-incentive research) grants are designed to encourage individual research undertaken mainly by young researchers on their own initiative. A total of ¥45 million was approved for 27 such grants in fiscal 1991. Representative projects include "A Technical Study of the Establishment of Buffer Zones Between African Elephants and Humans in the National Parks of Kenya: A Nutritional Analysis," conducted by Chiaki Nakamura, University of Nairobi (¥2 million), and "A Study of the Formative Process of the 'Culture of Buckets and Barrels' in Japan: A Comparative Survey of the Traditional Techniques and Tools of Manufacture and Uses of Buckets and Barrels in Different Parts of Japan," conducted by Shin'ichi Ishimura, Koriyama Women's College (¥1.9 million).

Category II (trial and preliminary research) grants are awarded for projects conducted by teams undertaking trial or preliminary research aimed at developing long-term interdisciplinary, interoccupational, international research projects. A total of ¥65.1 million was approved for 20 such grants in fiscal 1991. Representative projects include "A Comprehensive Study of Developments in Private-Sector Farming in Postwar Japan: In Search of a New Way to Ensure Sustainable Agriculture," conducted by Kiichi Nakajima, University of Tsukuba, and 13 associates (¥3.5 million), and "A Study of the Changes in East European Regional Society Accompanying the Revolution of 1989-1990," conducted by Shingo Minamizuka, Chiba University, and 14 associates (¥4 million).

Category III (comprehensive research) grants are awarded for comprehensive research projects of an interdisciplinary, interoccupational, international nature. A total of ¥91.1 million was approved for 12 such grants in fiscal 1991. Representative projects include "Japanese Brazilian Temporary Workers in Japan: A Comprehensive Study from the Perspectives of Both Brazil and Japan," conducted by Masako Watanabe, Meiji Gakuin University, and 12 associates (¥11 million), and "Sino-Japanese Joint Research on the Preservation and Revival of the Historic Beiyuanmen District of Xi'an, China," conducted by Kunitaro Onishi, Kyoto Junior College of Art, and nine associates (¥11 million).

Citizen-activity grants awarded for documentation of activities
and for projects promoting exchange

The Grant Program for Citizen Activities awards grants for projects designed to promote exchange among groups engaged in citizen activities in order to encourage such groups to share their experiences and to promote the upgrading of citizen activities as a whole. Applications are accepted and grants approved twice each fiscal year. Of the 47 applications received in the first period of fiscal 1991,13 were selected for grants totaling ¥20 million. Applications for the second period of fiscal 1991 will be accepted from October 15 through December 15. (The Foundation will provide further information on applications upon request.)

Representative projects in the first period of fiscal 1991 include "Compilation of a Report on the Activities of the Chikuma Craft Institute: Meaning and Means of Community Life for the Disabled," conducted by Toshio Arai, Chikuma Craft Institute, and 12 associates (¥1.7 million), and "Operation of the Water Forum: Lessons of Lake Biwa for the Nation and the World," conducted by Ayako Fujii, Shiga Prefecture Environmental Cooperative, and a number of associates (¥1.5 million).

International grants awarded for projects aimed at preserving and encouraging indigenous cultures in Southeast Asia

International grants are awarded for research projects that respond to the needs of society in developing countries. At present the program concentrates on projects conducted in Southeast Asian countries by indigenous researchers and aimed at preserving and encouraging indigenous cultures. In fiscal 1991 a total of US$795,000 (¥110 million) was approved for 66 international grants: 14 in Indonesia, five in Malaysia, 15 in the Philippines, nine in Thailand, 18 in Vietnam, and five in other Southeast Asian countries. One distinctive feature of this year's grants is that more grants were approved for projects in Vietnam than for projects in any other country. In addition, a total of US$72,300 (¥10 million) was approved for 35 of the 528 applicants for incentive grants for young researchers in Indonesia, a type of grant inaugurated in fiscal 1987. This brought the total number of grants to 101 and the total amount approved to US$867,300 (¥120 million).

Representative international grant projects include "Compilation of an Encyclopedia of Sundanese Culture," conducted by Ajip Rosidi, a writer, Indonesia (US$17,900, or ¥2.48 million); "Isan Sim, Northeastern Buddhist Temples: Research and Publication of the Research Findings," conducted by Wiroj Srisuro, Khon Kaen University, Thailand (US$18,000, or ¥2.49 million); and "An Archaeological Study of the Dong Son Culture in Vietnam," conducted by Ha Van Tan, Institute of Archaeology, National Center for Social Sciences of Vietnam, Vietnam (US$12,000, or ¥1.66 million).

"Know Our Neighbors" Programs focus on Southeast and South Asia

The aim of the "Know Our Neighbors" Translation-Publication Programs is to increase understanding between Japan and Southeast and South Asian countries, as well as among Southeast and South Asian countries. (The scope of the programs was expanded to include South Asian countries in fiscal 1990.) In fiscal 1991 a total of ¥51.71 million was approved for 27 projects in the three "Know Our Neighbors" Programs.