Kiyosu, Japan, June 27, 2017: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has received a UNESCO Medal for Contributions to the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The award ceremony was held on June 26 at UNESCO Headquarters and the Medal and the Diploma were awarded by Ms. Irina Georgieva Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

The UNESCO Medal for Contributions to the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies was established in 2010 and is awarded each year to individuals and organizations that have contributed to the field of nanoscience and nanotechnologies. The first medal was awarded to Zhores Alferov, laureate of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics, and since that time this medal has been awarded to more than 30 prominent scientists and universities.

Toyoda Gosei led the world in successfully developing a GaN blue LED in 1991 under the guidance of Professor Isamu Akasaki,* and achieved a real-world application in 1995. LEDs are characterized by low energy consumption and long life, and so they have spread rapidly in the lighting field and a wide range of other applications. The UNESCO Medal was awarded to Toyoda Gosei in recognition of its achievements in contributing to the spread of LEDs in society. Toyoda Gosei is the first company to receive this medal. 

Toyoda Gosei President Naoki Miyazaki expressed the company’s determination to continue advancing this technology: “We will continue making contributions to environmental conservation and products that improve people’s lives while further advancing leading-edge technical development using gallium nitride.”

* Professor of Meijo University (Lifetime), Distinguished Professor/Professor Emeritus of Nagoya University, Technical Advisor to Toyoda Gosei. Winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics together with Professors Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura for their work on the development of blue LEDs.

About Toyoda Gosei

Established in 1949 and headquartered in Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Toyoda Gosei is a leading specialty manufacturer of rubber and plastic automotive parts and LEDs. Today, the Toyoda Gosei Group provides a variety of high-quality products internationally, with a network of approximately 100 plants and offices in 18 countries and regions. Through its flexible, integrated global supply system and leading-edge technologies for automotive safety, comfort, and environmental preservation, Toyoda Gosei is a global supplier that aims to deliver the highest levels of quality, innovation, and satisfaction to customers worldwide.