Satoshi Yoneda won the grand prix at the Besancon International Competition for Young Conductors in eastern France on Saturday, becoming the 11th Japanese to win the top prize at the prestigious contest.
Yoneda, 29, was the first performer of three finalists who were selected from the top 20 candidates out of 271 entries.
"I'm very happy," Yoneda said after the award ceremony. "I want to express my gratitude because many people have supported me."
He added, "I want to be a conductor who plays music with wonderful orchestras around the world."
Yoneda graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2020. His diverse work includes conducting an orchestra for concerts featuring Japanese singer Gackt.
The previous Japanese winners of the Besancon competition grand prix include the late Seiji Ozawa, Yutaka Sado and Kazuki Yamada.
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