In the JAPAN PRIZE 2004, 234 entries were entered in total from 125 organizations in 48 countries & regions.

	The Grand Prix Japan Prize was awarded to an innovative program that showed the most effective response to educational demands and exploited the outstanding potential of educational programs.

There are four categories in the Program Division. The best program and two excellent programs were selected for each category. The producer of the best program was awarded a trophy at the Awards Ceremony.

The website which best demonstrated an educational effect in combination with a TV program was selected for the Best Web Prize after deliberate judgment on the content and presentations made by the producers of the entered websites. The producer of the Best Web Prize winning website was awarded a trophy at the Awards Ceremony.

The excellent proposal which displayed the potential of educational programs was selected after deliberate consideration on the quality of the proposal and circumstances in the submitting countries.

The following prizes were awarded to programs which were judged to excel in a particular area from among all programs entered regardless of category of entry.

A program that contributes to mutual understanding between nations and races, and cultural exchange. * The Japan Foundation is an independent administrative institution which aims at more comprehensive and effective development of international cultural exchange programs and which undertakes many cultural exchange projects.

A program that promotes understanding of the lives or circumstances of children in difficult situations.

A program that provides an appropriate and effective response to educational demands through a series. * The Maeda Prize was established on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the JAPAN PRIZE to commemorate Mr. Yoshinori Maeda, former president of NHK, who made great efforts to develop the JAPAN PRIZE.