▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁completed ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁solid - state ▁physics ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁both ▁at ▁T oh oku ▁University ▁in ▁Send ai . ▁ ▁Between ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁he ▁performed ▁research ▁with ▁cry st all ine ▁materials ▁and ▁high - resol ution ▁electron ▁micro sc opy ▁at ▁Arizona ▁State ▁University . ▁He ▁visited ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Cambridge ▁during ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁perform ▁studies ▁on ▁carbon ▁materials . ▁ ▁He ▁worked ▁for ▁the ▁Research ▁Development ▁Corporation ▁of ▁Japan ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁studying ▁ult ra - f ine ▁particles , ▁after ▁which ▁he ▁joined ▁N EC ▁Corporation ▁where ▁he ▁is ▁still ▁employed . ▁He ▁discovered ▁carbon ▁nan ot ub es ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁When ▁he ▁discovered ▁carbon ▁nan ot ub es , ▁he ▁not ▁only ▁took ▁pictures ▁of ▁them ▁but ▁he ▁put ▁two ▁together ▁and ▁explained ▁what ▁they ▁really ▁are . ▁ ▁After wards , ▁he ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁the ▁discovery . ▁ ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁University ▁Professor ▁at ▁Me ijo ▁University ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Furthermore , ▁he ▁is ▁the ▁Honor ary ▁A IST ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Institute ▁of ▁Advanced ▁Indust rial ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology , ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Inv ited ▁University ▁Professor ▁of ▁N ago ya ▁University . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Benjamin ▁Franklin ▁Medal ▁in ▁Physics