Graduating from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Tokyo in 1982, Shunji Yamanaka worked for Nissan Motor Design Center prior to beginning freelance work in 1987. After working as an associate professor of the University of Tokyo through 1991 to 1994, he established his own design company "Leading Edge Design" in 1994.
Since April 2008 he has been appointed professor of Keio University.
While designing a number of industrial products such as cameras, watches, automobiles, and furniture, Yamanaka has been pursuing research and development in today's hottest scientific fields.
Through his extensive research into psychological responses to various ticket-gate shapes, he has become a key figure in putting the Suica automatic ticket-gate system of the JR East train company into practical use.
OXO daikon grator: Awarded the Good Design Award 2006 "Gold Prize" in Japan
Aimulet: Awarded the Good Design Award for Ecology Design in the New Territory Design category in Japan
http://www.lleedd.com

Message from Shunji Yamanaka, jury chair

Born in Yamanashi Prefecture. After working for Design Center Toshiba Co., she established a Tokyo-based design office, Design Studio S.
Here, she developed a base of specialty clients who have retained her firm for design projects ranging from communications to furniture, infant products and home appliances.
Recent Work has been "Baby Label" series by Combi, "Body Fitting Sofa" by Muji, "ZUTTO Series" by Zojirushi, thermometer "Ken on-kun" series by Omron, and mobile phone"SWEETS" and "SWEETS pure" by KDDI by AU.
*Japan Industrial Designers' Association Regular member.
*The judging comittee of the Good Design Award.(2003-)
*Part-time lecturer at  Tama University of Arts.
http://www.design-ss.com

Born in Tokyo, 1972 and raised in Chigasaki, he studied design in Tama Art University. After graduating in 1996, he joined the advertising company Pablo Production and then went on to join Draft Corporation where he worked in advertising and design. In 1999 he established "good design company," which operates extensively in creative planning and advertising, from communication design to graphic, brand, and retail design.
He has been involved in numerous projects, including NTT Docomo's "iD" and "DCMX" services, Metropolitan Expressway's accident reduction project "TOKYO SMART DRIVER," fashion brand Onward "23-ku," shopping center "Lumine," Mori Art Museum's Lu Corbusier Exhibition, Mitsui Fodosan's "Shibaura Island" mansions, ANA "travelsmap," "Tokyo Curry Lab," "KIRIN 903," singer "Shiina Ringo," comedians "Ramens," cosmetics brand "MAMEW," hair salon "salon," ryokan "Kameya," japanese restaurant "Abe," among others.
Major awards to date are: JAGDA New Designer Awards, The One Show Gold, London International Awards silver winner, Asahi Advertising Award Runner-Up, Mainichi Design Awards, NY ADC Awards, etc.
http://www.gooddesigncompany.com