FAQ

General

About registration (Sign up)

Q.
When we sign up for registration as a group, is it necessary for each member of the group to obtain a registration number?
Should registration be made by company, by entry, or by applicant? What happens in the case of a company group and its branches?
A.
Please register by applicant. Even in the same company or group of companies, if the section or the person in charge is different, each applicant should register.
Q.
When the registration was made under an organizationfs name, can I submit an entry form using a gname of applicanth different from the gnameh used in registration?
A.
Please use the same name for registration and contest entry. If your organization signed up for the registration, and you want to make an entry with your name for the contest, then you should register anew and obtain a registration number under your own name.
Q.
Can the same registration number be used to apply for multiple categories?
A.
Yes. Please use the same registration number to make entries for multiple categories.
Even if you are going to enter two or more contests in the Business, Culture, or Lifestyle categories, you only need to register (and obtain registration number) once. Please use the same registration number on each entry form.
Q.
Will the submitted works and supplementary materials be returned?
A.
In principle, they will NOT be returned. Please make sure to make a copy of the works before submitting. Entries (data, etc.) will be kept under strict control and will not be used for purposes other than the contest screening.

About the Entrants

Q.
Can students enter the contests?
A.
Yes. Students are welcomed to enter any category. The "Genki Grand Awards," however, is limited to group entry only. Please apply as a student group to enter the contest for the "Genki Grand Awards".
Q.
Can people living overseas enter the contests?
A.
Contests are open to everyone in terms of country of residence and nationality. Entry forms in Japanese or English are accepted.
However, because the second screening will require a presentation and interview at a venue in Japan, the entrant must be able to attend the screening, paying for his/her own transportation and lodging. With this understanding, people from every part of the world are welcomed to enter.

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Business Category

About the Environmental Business Awards

Q.
Can I enter the Environmental Business Awards?
A.
Candidates for the Environmental Business Awards are nominated by the Organizing Committee members. Entry is not open to the public. The Awards target environmental businesses with relatively high recognition in the society.

About the Environmental Business Venture Awards

Q.
I canft attend the secondary screening (presentation and interview to be held at venues in Japan). Can I still enter the contest?
A.
To be eligible to enter the contest, you must be able to attend the secondary screening.
The presentation and interview shall be done in Japanese.
Q.
Can a business model that has already been put to use enter the contest?
A.
Business models that have already been put to use will be qualified, depending on the nature of the model. Those that are not widely known, or which are being partly modified for future implementation, for example, can be qualified.
Q.
In what level of detail do I need to fill in the form, particularly in the section for financial plans?
A.
As explained in the Entry Notes, entry forms will be reviewed by advisers who have been approved by the judges and the "eco japan cup 2008" Secretariat and who have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) to ensure that information will be used for review and advice purposes only and that it will not be used for other purposes without approval. However, please do not submit any high-level corporate secrets that you do not want to be seen by the Organizing Committee or advisers. Please submit only contents that can be disclosed to the public in case the entry wins an award.
Q.
We cannot provide detailed financial plans because the business plan is still in a planning stage. Is it sufficient to provide only information we have to date?
A.
Please provide as much information as possible, including specific numbers that pertain to the planfs contents. When the information is an estimated or planned one, please indicate so.
Q.
The contest targets sole proprietors, NPOs, small and mid-sized companies, and venture businesses. Is an affiliated company or an in-house venture of a big corporation not qualified for the contest?
A.
A company, even if it is an affiliate of a big corporation, can submit their business plan if it is considered to be a small and mid-sized company. Also, in-house ventures that are not within the scope of the big corporationfs main business area are eligible for the contest as well.
Q.
I have a business idea which has not yet started as an actual business. Can I enter the contest?
A.
Yes. However, the idea must be in the form of a business plan with specific details in order to become eligible for screening.
Q.
We are a group of friends from different organizations and we would like to enter as an individual. In such a case, what should we do about the financial plan and organization name, etc.?
A.
Please enter as an individual using the name of the groupfs representative. If the group would like to take this opportunity to launch the business, the group can enter using the name of the future business. Regarding the financial plan, please provide detailed information for the business being planned.
Q.
gBusiness Model Plan and Financial Plan (Form 2)h has a section regarding legal issues. Does the legal issues refer to gwhether there are legal issues that the entrant must resolve on his/her own,h or to gwhether there are legal issues on the part of legal systems that may deter the launch or operation of the businessh (e.g. the need to enact/amend laws, the business does not fit into the current legal environment, etc.)?
A.
gLegal Issuesh here refer to gwhether there are legal issues that the entrant as a business proprietor must resolve on his/her own.h Please explain if there are legal issues that may pose an obstacle to the launch or operation of the proposed business and recommend solutions, if available.

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Culture Category

About Eco Design/Eco Communication

Q.
Must the entry be an original work newly created for this contest? Can I submit a work created in the past?
A.
The entry can be new or past works. However, the entry must be unpublished works and created by the creator himself/herself.
Q.
The contest targets creators who produce commercial/utility designs. Does the screening also take into consideration past achievements of the creator?
A.
Both professional and amateur designers are welcomed to participate. Past achievements of the creator will not be considered in the screening. Newcomers to the field of commercial design are also encouraged to participate. The screening will only evaluate the sensibility expressed in the creatorfs works.
Q.
The Entry Information requires you to be a gcreatorh to be eligible for the contest. Can an advertiser participate in the contest?
A.
In principle, the contest is not open to advertisers, only to creators who produce the works. Joint entry with the advertiser being the author and the creator as the entrant is possible; however, it is imperative that the entry be unpublished works.
Q.
Can a project group enter the contest?
A.
In principle, the contest is for individual creators. However, joint entry by a group is acceptable. Please fill in the name of the groupfs representative in the applicantfs space and attach a document listing the groupfs name and its members. (The attached list can be in any format.)
Q.
I would like to submit a graphic work. What is the requirement for image resolution?
A.
Resolution between 150 to 300 dpi will not pose any problem for printing. The maximum size is A1.
Q.
Instead of making the product, is it possible to just draw the design on the entry form and fill in the necessary information?
A.
Yes. In the product design area for example, you donft have to actually make the product. It is sufficient to submit computer graphic images or scanned images of a hand-drawn illustration of the design.
Q.
I am thinking of submitting an entry for a kitchen product. Is this acceptable?
A.
Yes. As long as it is an eco design, it does not matter for what purpose the product is used.
Q.
I am thinking of entering the eco design contest. Is it okay to submit an architectural design (eco-house)?
A.
Yes. We look forward to seeing your idea of an eco-house.

About Eco Art/Music

Q.
The eco-music contest targets amateurs. How do you define an amateur?
A.
An amateur basically refers to someone who does not create music as a profession.
An amateur can be someone who used to work as a professional but currently does not belong to any music agency or does not have a contract with a recording company.
An amateur can also be someone who performs professionally but has not made or sold any original works with copyrights.
Q.
Eco-music gives the impression of healing music or folk music that uses, for example, African musical instruments. Do you have any genre requirements? Will rock music using electric musical instruments be considered eco-music?
A.
There is no limitation on the genre or instruments that produce the music. It does not matter whether it is rock, techno, folk, or rap music. Please use your creative freedom and talent as an artist to create eco-music, which appeals to the public to be environment-conscious.
Q.
You require entries to be works that have not been published in Japan and overseas. What do you mean by gunpublishedh?
A.
gUnpublishedh refers to the following conditions:
1.the work is not for sale, and
2.the copyright of the work has not been registered with the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC).

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Lifestyle Category

About Eco Challenge

Q.
Can a child apply to this category?
A.
A child can submit his/her idea. However, a primary or middle school student must obtain the permission of his/her guardian before submitting the entry form.
Q.
My idea is not about eco-life but ideas to conserve energy at the office. Can I submit them?
A.
Your idea can be an eco challenge at the company! We welcome any ideas that will be useful to everyone. Please share your ideas with us.
Q.
I have an idea but it is not so much of an eco design but an idea of eco goods for everyday use. Can I submit it to Eco Challenge?
A.
Definitely. If it is a good idea, perhaps you can collaborate with a designer to commercialize the product.
However, if your idea is patentable, please make sure to apply for the patent first. Please note that if the product wins an award, it will enter the public domain.
Q.
Can I submit to the "eco japan cup 2008" an idea that has been submitted to another contest or that has won another contest?
A.
An idea that has been submitted to another contest and won the contest cannot be submitted to the "eco japan cup 2008".
However, if the idea has been submitted to another contest but has not won, and has not been publicized or published, it can be submitted to the "eco japan cup 2008".

About Eco-Conscious Community "Genki Grand Awards"

Q.
We are working on several projects at the same time. Can we submit multiple entries?
A.
Yes. Please submit an entry form for each project.
An organization can submit multiple entries but it would be a good idea to enter using different team names.
Q.
Instead of community activities, these are environmental activities implemented within a company. Can we enter the contest?
A.
No problem. The entry form can be submitted by the company as an organization, by the section carrying out the environmental activities, or by the group of interested individuals.
Q.
Our group is a sports club team but we would like to enter the environmental activities the club is carrying out at schools. The objective of the group is not environment-related. Are we qualified to enter?
A.
Yes. The activities or measures implemented by the group/organization will be evaluated, not the purpose of the group/organization.
Q.
Can we mail the entry form?
A.
Yes, please mail the entry form and related documents.
Q.
Can I apply without a registration number?
A.
Yes. You can apply without a registration number.
Q.
Where should I send my entry form?
A.
Please send the entry form to:
Eco-Conscious Community "Genki Grand Awards 2008 "
NPO Genki Net for Creating a Sustainable Society
6-12-7-807 Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0023 Japan
Q.
I have entered your contest in the past. Can I apply again?
A.
As long as the project is different, you can enter again.
Even if it is a previously submitted project, if the project has new developments or activities, you can reapply.
Q.
Can an individual apply?
A.
The gGenki Grand Awardsh only accepts entries from groups/organizations, not from individuals.