Two Employees of Mirai Kasei (Mitani Sangyo Group) Receive FY2026 MEXT Prize for Creativity
Two employees from Mirai Kasei, a subsidiary of Mitani Sangyo, received the FY2026 MEXT Prize for Creativity for their technological improvements in CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) recycling productivity and quality.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 8, 2026 at 11:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 16:56 (293h 25m after Collected)
Mirai Kasei Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chikuma City, Nagano Prefecture, President: Toshio Yamazaki, hereafter 'Mirai Kasei'), a group company of Mitani Sangyo Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, President: Tadateru Mitani, hereafter 'Mitani Sangyo'), which mainly sells chemical industrial products and food raw materials, announces that its employees Yasunari Kakehata and Masaaki Kudo have received the 'FY2026 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Prize for Creativity.'
This award recognizes their achievements at 'Aomori Lab,' established by Mirai Kasei in Aomori Prefecture, for implementing technological improvements that contribute to higher productivity and quality in CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) recycling. The presentation ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Aomori Prefectural Government Office on the morning of Wednesday, April 15.
About the Award
The 'MEXT Prize for Creativity' is a system* that honors individuals or groups who have achieved remarkable results in research and development or promotion of understanding related to science and technology, and who have contributed to the progress or improvement of science and technology in their workplaces through excellent ingenuity.
*Reference: 'Call for Candidates for the FY2026 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Commendations for Science and Technology'
This fiscal year, five people were selected from Aomori Prefecture, two of whom were from Mirai Kasei.
- Yasunari Kakehata, Circular CFRP Development and Manufacturing Section
Award Theme: 'Improvement of CFRP Recycling Line'
In the 'reaction layer' for extracting carbon fibers from CFRP, corrosive gas generated during processing caused the cylinder at the top of the equipment to repeatedly fail. Kakehata devised a structure to float the cylinder and flow outside air to release the gas sideways. This significantly suppressed corrosion and achieved stable equipment operation.
- Masaaki Kudo, Circular CFRP Development and Manufacturing Section
Award Theme: 'Improvement of CFRP Cutting Process'
In the process of cutting CFRP waste and scrap materials, aligning the cutting machine blades was difficult, leading to long replacement times, variations in cutting dimensions, and dust generation. Kudo established a method to align based on the center of the blade, standardizing the process and significantly reducing replacement time and setup work. Furthermore, he improved the cutting booth to create an environment where dust can be efficiently exhausted.
This award recognizes their achievements at 'Aomori Lab,' established by Mirai Kasei in Aomori Prefecture, for implementing technological improvements that contribute to higher productivity and quality in CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) recycling. The presentation ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Aomori Prefectural Government Office on the morning of Wednesday, April 15.
About the Award
The 'MEXT Prize for Creativity' is a system* that honors individuals or groups who have achieved remarkable results in research and development or promotion of understanding related to science and technology, and who have contributed to the progress or improvement of science and technology in their workplaces through excellent ingenuity.
*Reference: 'Call for Candidates for the FY2026 Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Commendations for Science and Technology'
This fiscal year, five people were selected from Aomori Prefecture, two of whom were from Mirai Kasei.
- Yasunari Kakehata, Circular CFRP Development and Manufacturing Section
Award Theme: 'Improvement of CFRP Recycling Line'
In the 'reaction layer' for extracting carbon fibers from CFRP, corrosive gas generated during processing caused the cylinder at the top of the equipment to repeatedly fail. Kakehata devised a structure to float the cylinder and flow outside air to release the gas sideways. This significantly suppressed corrosion and achieved stable equipment operation.
- Masaaki Kudo, Circular CFRP Development and Manufacturing Section
Award Theme: 'Improvement of CFRP Cutting Process'
In the process of cutting CFRP waste and scrap materials, aligning the cutting machine blades was difficult, leading to long replacement times, variations in cutting dimensions, and dust generation. Kudo established a method to align based on the center of the blade, standardizing the process and significantly reducing replacement time and setup work. Furthermore, he improved the cutting booth to create an environment where dust can be efficiently exhausted.