100 Stories1941 The Noguchi Institute was Established by Shitagau Noguchi with his Own Assets

The Noguchi Institute was established by the founder, Shitagau Noguchi, with 25 million yen (25 billion yen in today's money) out of his private fortune of 30 million yen. The purpose of the institute was to conduct various studies and surveys to promote the progress of the chemical industry, as well as to provide assistance for important research in a wide range of fields, and to train researchers and devote itself to the development of inventions and industrial innovations.

In 1941, the Noguchi Institute was established by Shitagau Noguchi, then president of Nippon Chisso Hiryo, with laboratories opened in Yokohama, Nobeoka, and Konan. Five years later, all of the laboratories were relocated to Itabashi, Tokyo, and in 2021, the 80th anniversary of the foundation, the institute continues to operate in the same location. The Research Department was newly established in Kanda, Tokyo, and conducts research mainly on the utilization of hydraulic and forest resources.

In addition, the Noguchi Research Grant was launched in 2009 to support original research by young university researchers. In 2014, the Noguchi Research Grant was brushed up and a new Noguchi Award was established, with one recipient selected each year from among the past recipients of the Noguchi Research Grant and a supplementary prize of 5 million yen provided as a scholarship endowment to the university or other research institution to which the recipient belongs.

While keeping true to the purpose of its establishment, the Noguchi Research Institute has promoted basic research, research grants, and human resource development projects to meet the social needs of the times, and has made significant contributions to research on acetylene, ion exchange resins, wood chemistry, forest resource development, and other areas. As of 2021, the year of its 80th anniversary, the institute has set its research area as ‘carbohydrates and sugar chains’ to address biological phenomena, and is still developing cutting-edge research on the creation of useful substances and their synthesis technologies.

In 1940, when Mr. Noguchi fell ill in Seoul, he called his aides to his bedside and asked them to examine his fortune. Then he said this: “This may be old-fashioned thinking, but rewarding virtue and gratitude is my ultimate goal. Since I have made my fortune in the chemical industry, so I would like to donate my wealth to the chemical field. I would also like to use it for something like a scholarship fund for South Korea.” Thus, out of his private fortune of 30 billion yen in today's value, he donated 25 billion yen to the Noguchi Research Institute and 5 billion yen to the Office of the Governor-General of Chōsen to fund the “Korean Scholarship Association.”

His unselfish will to improve people's lives and the world, and to develop the chemical industry for that purpose, continues to attract people even after 80 years.