On March 20, at the Knowledge Theater in Grand Front Osaka, Takuma Daito, a third-year junior high school student, received the Excellence Award in the Junior High School Idea Division of the 13th Knowledge Innovation Award. Out of a total of 1,668 submissions, his work was selected as one of the top entries, earning an honor just below the Grand Prize and Runner-up Prize.

The theme of this year’s competition was “Thinking about Jobs of the Future.” Daito proposed a new profession called “Time-Circulating Architectural Designer.” This concept involves designing houses with a long-term perspective, considering not only construction but also how materials can be recycled and reused in the future. His idea was inspired by his own experience during a skeleton renovation of his home, where he questioned why usable materials were being discarded.

In addition, his proposal incorporated perspectives on supporting developing countries, drawing from his experiences such as studying in Cebu, participating in the Philippines GCP program, and learning through Tagalog WOW sessions. After his presentation, he greeted the audience using phrases he learned in the WOW program, creating a warm and engaging atmosphere in the venue.