Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology

The Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology (公益財団法人飯島藤十郎記念食品科学振興財団) is a Japanese public-interest incorporated foundation dedicated to advancing food science and technology. It was established in July 1984 with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, funded primarily by Tojuro Iijima, the founder of Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd., and jointly with the company. The foundation's creation coincided with Yamazaki Baking's 35th anniversary and was realized by Iijima's son, Nobuhiro Iijima, then president of the company. The foundation operates three main pillars: research grants and awards, scholarships, and international exchange assistance. Its research grant program supports studies on the production, processing, and distribution of foods made from rice, wheat, and other staple grains, as well as broader food science, food and health, food processing, and food distribution. It also provides the Tojuro Iijima Award (飯島藤十郎賞) to recognize outstanding achievements in food science and technology. The scholarship program supports graduate students in food science and related fields with a monthly stipend of 230,000 yen, which does not need to be repaid. International activities include overseas dispatch assistance for researchers, aid for hosting international academic conferences, and research grants for foreign students. Since its founding, the foundation has steadily expanded its activities. By fiscal year 2025, it had provided over 3,100 grants and awards totaling approximately 5.924 billion yen. The foundation was originally named the Food Science Promotion Foundation (財団法人食品科学振興財団), renamed to the Iijima Memorial Food Science Promotion Foundation (財団法人飯島記念食品科学振興財団) in June 1990, and adopted its current name on April 1, 2013, when it transitioned to public-interest incorporated foundation status. It is headquartered in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan, and continues to support the advancement of food science and the improvement of dietary life and food culture.

The Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology was established on July 31, 1984, with the approval of the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. It was founded by Tojuro Iijima, the founder of Yamazaki Baking Co., Ltd., who contributed the main endowment, and was jointly established with Yamazaki Baking. The foundation's creation was timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of Yamazaki Baking's founding and was realized by Iijima's son, Nobuhiro Iijima, who was then president of the company. Tojuro Iijima had long held a vision of contributing to society through corporate management, and the foundation was a concrete expression of that vision. At the time of its establishment, the foundation was named the Food Science Promotion Foundation (財団法人食品科学振興財団). Its purpose was to promote research on food science, food and health, food processing, and food distribution, with the aim of contributing to the development of Japan's food industry and the improvement of dietary life. The foundation began its grant activities in the same year and has since conducted annual programs focused on academic research grants in food science related to staple foods such as rice and wheat. In June 1990, the foundation changed its name to the Iijima Memorial Food Science Promotion Foundation (財団法人飯島記念食品科学振興財団). On April 1, 2013, it transitioned to public-interest incorporated foundation status and, in conjunction with this, expanded some of its activities and adopted its current name, the Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology (公益財団法人飯島藤十郎記念食品科学振興財団), which incorporates the name of its founder. Over the years, the foundation has steadily expanded its grant and award programs. By fiscal year 2025, more than 42 years after its first grants, the total number of grants and awards exceeded 3,100, with total grant amounts reaching approximately 5.924 billion yen. The foundation continues to operate scholarship programs for graduate students, research grants for domestic and international researchers, and awards recognizing outstanding contributions to food science and technology. It also organizes annual academic lectures where grant recipients present their research results and award winners give lectures. The foundation is headquartered in Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan.

• 2025

  Cumulative grants and awards exceeded 3,100, totaling approximately 5.924 billion yen.

• 2013

  Transitioned to public-interest incorporated foundation status and adopted the current name, Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology.

• 1990

  Renamed to the Iijima Memorial Food Science Promotion Foundation.

• 1984

  Foundation established as the Food Science Promotion Foundation with approval from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

A public-interest foundation supporting food science research and education in Japan through grants, scholarships, and awards.

• Scholarship program

  Provides a monthly stipend of 230,000 yen (non-repayable) to graduate students in food science and related fields.

• Academic research grants

  Grants for research on the production, processing, and distribution of foods made from rice, wheat, and other staple grains, as well as food science.

• Tojuro Iijima Food Science Award

  Award recognizing outstanding research in food science.

• Tojuro Iijima Food Technology Award

  Award recognizing outstanding achievements in food technology.

• International exchange assistance

  Includes overseas dispatch assistance for researchers, aid for hosting international academic conferences, and research grants for foreign students.

1. 1公益財団法人 飯島藤十郎記念食品科学振興財団iijima-kinenzaidan.or.jp
2. 2設立の経過・趣旨iijima-kinenzaidan.or.jp
3. 3Wikidata entrywikidata.org