Academic Awards

The Toshihiko Izutsu Academic Award and the Junzaburo Nishiwaki Academic Award are research encouragement awards established to mark the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Faculty of Letters at Keio University. These two towering figures made transformative contributions to research and education in the Faculty of Letters, leaving a distinguished legacy in the academic world both in Japan and internationally.

Their earnest pursuit of scholarship and passion for education remain a source of pride for the Faculty of Letters and continue to inspire generations of scholars. On the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the Faculty of Letters in 2015, the Faculty established these two research encouragement awards to reaffirm its commitment to upholding tradition and embracing new challenges, and to support the continued achievements of promising researchers affiliated with the Faculty.

Research in the fields of philosophy, ethics, history, ethnology and archaeology, library and information science, sociology, psychology, education, and human sciences.

Research in the fields of literature, philology, aesthetics and art history, languages, and the arts.

Each award is open to works published in single-authored or co-authored form within the designated period. For co-authored works, the publication must have a clearly defined research theme, and the candidate must be the primary author. Unpublished doctoral dissertations and similar works are not eligible. Works must, in principle, be written in Japanese.

Researchers who are full-time members of Keio University, or graduates of the Faculty of Letters, the Graduate School of Letters, or the Graduate School of Human Relations, and who are, in principle, under 50 years of age.

The Faculty of Letters selection committee deliberates and awards a certificate of commendation and a supplementary prize of ¥100,000 for outstanding scholarly achievement. In principle, each award recognizes a single work, though multiple awards are not precluded.

The Faculty of Letters selection committee deliberates and awards a certificate of commendation and a supplementary prize of ¥100,000 for outstanding scholarly achievement. In principle, each award recognizes a single work, though multiple awards are not precluded.

The two awards are conferred in alternating years: the Toshihiko Izutsu Academic Award in odd-numbered years and the Junzaburō Nishiwaki Academic Award in even-numbered years. Eligible works must have been published within the two-year period immediately preceding the award year. The application deadline is January 31 of the award year.