Congratulatory Statement on the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Note: Originally issued in Japanese on November 26, 2025. English version published in February 2026.

This page presents the official English version of the congratulatory statement issued by the Carbon Recycling Fund (CRF) on Professor Kitagawa’s 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Through this message, we highlight the global significance of MOF science and its connection to carbon recycling and real-world implementation.

Message from the Carbon Recycling Fund (CRF)

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Susumu Kitagawa, Vice President of Kyoto University, on receiving the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering work on Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs).

Our Chairperson, Tsugio Mitsuoka, originally issued this statement in November 2025.
We publish this English version to share our message with international audiences and to place this historic achievement within a broader global context.

Download the Full Statement (PDF | 2 pages | Originally issued in Japan)

Why MOFs Matter for Carbon Recycling

MOFs are advanced porous materials that enable highly efficient CO₂ separation, capture, and storage—making them a foundational technology for carbon recycling and carbon neutrality.
Professor Kitagawa’s work represents a culmination of decades of global scientific advancement.
The field of MOF science has been shaped by international leaders, including:

Professor Omar M. Yaghi (University of California, Berkeley), a founding figure of MOF chemistry
Professor Richard Robson (University of Melbourne), whose early contributions established key structural principles

Together, these scientific advances form the backbone of many next‑generation carbon‑recycling technologies.

From Scientific Discovery to Social Implementation

At CRF, we view MOFs not only as a scientific breakthrough, but as a pathway to early social implementation.
In 2022, we selected our first startup‑track research grant for a project led by Atomis Inc., where Professor Kitagawa serves as a scientific advisor.
This project focused on MOF‑based CO₂ separation and recovery technologies.
Since then, these efforts have progressed into national initiatives supported by Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), including:

next‑generation CO₂ separation systems
high‑pressure gas containers utilizing MOF adsorbents

This trajectory—from academic research to startup innovation and national deployment—demonstrates how carbon‑recycling technologies can move from laboratories into society.

International Collaboration and the Australia Connection

Carbon recycling is inherently a global challenge.
As a cross-industry platform, we actively promote international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Through our membership relationship with Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA), we engage with Australian partners on low‑emission technologies. These collaborations build upon long‑standing academic and industrial ties between Japan and Australia, including in MOF research.
Our international engagement also extends to partnerships across ASEAN and participation in global discussions on standards, evaluation methods, and carbon‑credit systems.

Looking Ahead

We view Professor Kitagawa’s Nobel Prize not only as a celebration of scientific excellence, but also as a powerful reminder of the importance of connecting science, policy, and early social implementation.
By supporting research, startups, regional demonstration projects, and international partnerships, we aim to contribute to:

carbon neutrality
regional revitalization
the development of globally applicable carbon‑recycling solutions

Together with our broader policy initiatives, this statement reflects our commitment to advancing carbon recycling from scientific discovery to societal transformation.