Japanese Photographer Kazutoshi Kawakami Wins First Gold Medal for Japan at International Photography Competition "World Photographic Cup (WPC) 2026"!

The World Photographic Cup (WPC) is the first country-versus-country photography contest in the professional photography industry, launched in 2013. Led by PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and FEP (Federation of European Professional Photographers), it is known as the "World Photography Competition" where national teams from around the world compete for overall photographic prowess.

Similar to sports, photographers selected from each country form national teams and compete for the perfection of their works in 10 categories. This year, held in Iceland, Kazutoshi Kawakami, a member of the Japanese national team, brilliantly won first place in the Commercial category, earning a gold medal. This is the first time a Japanese person has achieved a gold medal in this competition.

Visual work themed "Genes" that won a gold medal at the World Photographic Cup 2026.

Regarding his award-winning work, Mr. Kawakami explains, "Using the egg, a symbol of life, as a motif, and structuring the cracked shell itself to form the shape of a parent bird, I expressed 'inherited forms' and 'continuity of existence.' It visualizes life not merely as a moment of birth, but as 'a future already contained within.'"

He meticulously considered the size, arrangement, and balance of shapes of the eggs in the work, subtly expressing the order and connections found in nature. Based on real motifs, he used Photoshop techniques to depict a world where reality and unreality intersect.

Looking ahead, he expressed his hope to further refine his skills and expression and connect them to forms that benefit society, stating, "Through this award, I want to convey the possibilities of expression beyond the framework of photography, especially the value of new visual expressions utilizing digital technology, to as many people as possible. At the same time, I hope to be a presence that encourages creators working on works with Photoshop, serving as a guide for their steps toward challenges."

Work submitted to the Illustrative / Digital Arts category of the World Photographic Cup 2026.

In parallel with his creative work, Mr. Kawakami is also involved in premium photo art production as an exclusive retoucher for Micia Luxury Co., Ltd. With world-class techniques, he finishes customers' photos into art pieces, and his meticulous manual processing creates a unique charm not found in AI processing. The quality of his finished works is highly praised and has attracted attention, including being featured on television.

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Mr. Kawakami is scheduled to attend the World Photographic Cup award ceremony at "PHOTONEXT2026" to be held at Pacifico Yokohama in June, and his award-winning works will be displayed on panels at the venue.

*PHOTONEXT will be held from June 16-17, and the World Photographic Cup award ceremony will be on June 16.

■ What is the World Photographic Cup (WPC)?

The World Photographic Cup (WPC) is the first country-versus-country contest in the professional photography industry, founded in 2013 under the leadership of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) and the Federation of European Professional Photographers (FEP). It is now widely recognized as the "World Photography Competition" where national teams from around the world compete for overall photographic prowess, with the participation of the Union of Asian Professional Photographers (UAPP) and the Oceania Federation.

The biggest feature is that it is not limited to individual awards, but rather evaluates overall strength as a country-versus-country competition. Representative photographers selected from each country form teams and submit works to each category. Points are added based on the number of medals won and finalist rankings, and the national ranking is determined by the total score.

The competition consists of the following 10 categories, with each country submitting 3 works per category, for a total of 30 works.

- Illustrative Portrait
- Natural Portrait
- Wedding Open
- Wedding Documentary
- Commercial (Advertising, Architecture, Industrial, Fashion)
- Illustration / Digital Arts
- Reportage / Photojournalism
- Nature (Landscape)
- Nature (Wildlife)
- Sports

Judging is conducted by international judges selected from each country, and the top 10 works in each category are selected as "finalists." From these, gold, silver, and bronze medals are determined, competing for the pinnacle of photographic expression.

WPC is not just a contest; it also serves as a place for photographers from around the world to share their cultures and techniques, deepening international exchange and friendship. At the same time, it is said to be an extremely significant competition aimed at improving photographic technology and expressive power.

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