The Frontiers of Science
Reporting from the Frontlines of Scientific Research
Japan’s cutting-edge technology is the result of healthy competition and cooperation between researchers in the government, industrial, and academic sectors. We visit some of the country’s leading research laboratories to bring you a first glimpse of Japan’s latest technological innovations.
- Fujifilm Finds New Life in Cosmetics
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Fujifilm has launched a new line of cosmetics developed using the company’s film-related technologies. Cosmetics and film may seem like unrelated industries, but Fujifilm found a way to tap into a surprising synergy between them.
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- Using Genetically Modified Silkworms to Develop Cheaper Drugs
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A new page is about to turn in the age-old history of sericulture. Cuting-edge research using transgenic silkworms is making it possible to create new types of silk and pharmaceutical products. The National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, is one of the leading centers of this new research.
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- National Institute for Environmental Studies: Using Genetic Time Capsules to Preserve Species for the Future
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The National Institute for Environmental Studies (located in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture) is building “time capsules” containing specially frozen samples of tissues and cells taken from endangered species. These samples hold vital information for scientists studying the causes of extinction and may lead to key breakthroughs in the fight against infectious disease.
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- Composite Materials: Building the Next Generation of Passenger Aircraft
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JAXA is Japan’s leading research institute in the fields of space and aviation technology. The cutting-edge technology developed for use in aircraft application promises to unlock new potential in a wide variety of fields.
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- Leading the Fight Against Radioactive Pollution
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At the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, scientists are developing new applications with the potential to bring safe drinking water to millions and resolve the nightmare of radiation contamination that has plagued Japan since last year’s disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.
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- Kyoto University CiRA: Japan’s Leading Stem Cell Research Center
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Induced pluripotent stem cells known as iPS cells have two crucial abilities: they can differentiate into the cells that build many of the body’s tissues and organs, and they can proliferate almost indefinitely. Established in April 2010, the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University has been studying these cells and conducting cutting-edge research into their potential use in regenerative medicine.
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- Hokkaidō’s Space-Age Strawberry Factory
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The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Hokkaidō, has developed a state-of-the-art plant factory that is the first in the world equipped to cultivate transgenic plants and convert them into drugs, all on the same premises.
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- Nursing Care Robot Lends a Helping Hand
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The research institute RIKEN has developed the world’s first nursing care robot. This cute, cutting-edge robot, named RIBA, is capable of gently lifting up and moving care recipients, adjusting its posture to suit each person’s physique. RIBA will help Japan cope with its nursing care crisis stemming from a rapidly graying population.
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- SACLA X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility
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Ground-breaking scientific work is underway at the SACLA facility at the RIKEN Harima Institute. The facility has produced an X-ray free electron laser with the world’s shortest wavelength, making it possible to observe matter at the atomic and electronic level. The practical applications of XFEL-based research are enormous.
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