Web Japan > Trends in Japan > Archives > Sci-tech 2001-2002
Reading for All
(December 9, 2002)
Japan is seeing a growing boom in "barrier-free"
picture books that can be enjoyed by all children - both those with disabilities
and those without.
Rising to the Challenge
(November 21, 2002)
For the first time in the world, a robot the size and shape of a human
has been built that can stand up and lie down on its own.
Double Honors
(October 31, 2002)
The 2002 Nobel Prize for physics will be shared by Masatoshi Koshiba,
professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, and two other scientists.
The Nobel Prize for chemistry, meanwhile, will go to Koichi Tanaka,
a researcher at Shimadzu Corp.
Farming Rice with Ducks
(October 22, 2002)
A method of rice farming that relies on ducks to eliminate insects and weeds has been in the news recently.
Space Noodles
(September 24, 2002)
Instant-ramen maker Nissin Food Products Co. has teamed up with
the National Space Development Agency (NASDA) to develop a type of instant
ramen, called "Space Ram," suitable for use in a zero-gravity
environment.
Too Hot in the City
(September 2, 2002)
Efforts to alleviate the "heat island"
effect are gathering momentum in Japan.
Japan's Academic Ability
(August 26, 2002)
Public schools have all gone
to a five-day school week, and the curriculum has been reduced by 30%.
Some fear that the
new style of education will result in a collapse in students' academic
abilities, but academic performance in Japan remains at a very high level
Brushing Up
(August 15, 2002)
Go to any bookstore in Japan these days and you are likely to see a number
of different books aimed at demonstrating the beauty and charm of Japanese.
Majoring in Manga
(August 14, 2002)
Kyoto Seika University offers courses on creating manga
(comics), and it has recently been garnering attention for some of its
unique undertakings in the area of manga education.
Robocup
(July 30, 2002)
Homemade robots got the chance to try out their techniques
in a competition known as RoboCup-2002 Fukuoka/Busan, which was held at
the Fukuoka Dome on June 19-25.
What to Do on a Saturday?
(July 18, 2002)
As part of measures aimed at
giving students more room to grow, public schools are closed every Saturday
now, whereas students previously had only two Saturdays off each month.
Life-Saving Robot
(July 5, 2002)
With the aim of increasing the safety and efficiency of landmine removal,
Japanese universities and research institutes have been actively looking
into robotics as a solution to this deadly problem.
Getting Connected
(May 24, 2002)
Recently there has been a sharp increase in the number
of middle-aged and older people who are using e-mail.
Homemade Robots
(May 13, 2002)
The production of homemade robots among amateur enthusiasts - including
elementary school children - has been enjoying a boom. Amateur robot
contests are being held in various places and are proving to be immensely
popular.
Honeymoon on the Moon?
(April 17, 2002)
A special group of private citizens has been born that aims to make space travel
a reality for ordinary people. The newly formed group hopes to bring
the price tag down and is confident about sending people into space through
the private sector by the year 2015.
The House of the Future
(April 11, 2002)
The Japan
Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
showed off the level of development of networked appliances in Japan when it set up a model IT house in Tama City.
New Talents on the Literary Scene
(April 4, 2002)
Changes are rocking the literary scene. A high school girl has won a literary prize for emerging
authors, and a man has written in the persona of a young girl.
Say Yes to Yeast!
(March 5, 2002)
Replete with balanced amounts of all the amino acids, the vitamin B complex,
and more than 30 other nutrients, brewer's yeast has been called "a gold
mine of nutrition," and sales of health foods containing brewer's yeast have
skyrocketed recently.
Child Entrepreneurs
(March 4, 2002)
To encourage the development of future business leaders and invigorate Japan's
economy, schools and local governments have recently added entrepreneurial
education to the curriculum and have been holding events to help kids
develop their business skills.
Toward a Ticketless Station
(January 8, 2002)
A new kind of train pass that includes an IC chip functions as a kind of electronic money. It is believed that
this new technology may lead to ticketless, cashless stations in the future.
Mobile Phones to the Rescue
(December 18, 2001)
Mobile telephones are used a lot by the young and by businesspeople as a
means of communication. Research is now being carried out on using them
to provide support for the elderly and the disabled in their daily lives.
Digital Literature
(December 14, 2001)
The availability of literary works in digital form is revolutionizing the study
of literary classics and is even leading to discoveries that are overturning
established literary theories.
Megabytes of Mickey
(December 3, 2001)
Tokyo DisneySea, a new theme park, opened adjacent to Tokyo
Disneyland on September 4, and it has been attracting overflowing crowds
almost daily, even on weekdays.
It's Only Natural
(November 27, 2001)
"Nature schools" give children an opportunity to commune with
nature by taking part in various outdoor activities. The aim is for children
to learn about personal relations through communal life and enhance their
capacity to adapt to the environment.
Sushi Goes Hi-Tech
(November 26, 2001)
Sushi is known throughout the world as the quintessential Japanese food.
Some pioneering
restaurants in Japan have turned to technological innovation as a means
of pleasing customers and producing profits.
Japan's Tenth Nobel Laureate
(October 29, 2001)
Nagoya University professor Ryoji Noyori, 63, and
two Americans were named joint winners of the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
for their work on asymmetric synthesis of organic compounds.
Shiny Mud Balls
(October 5, 2001)
All across Japan, kids are making hikaru dorodango,
or balls of mud that shine. Behind this boom is Professor Fumio Kayo of
the Kyoto University of Education. Kayo sees in this phenomenon the essence
of children's play. The mud balls could also offer fresh insights into
how play aids children's growth.
Detergent-Free Washing Machine
(October 5, 2001)
Sanyo Electric Co. has developed the first washing
machine in the world that can clean clothes without using detergent. The appliance has been a
focus of consumers' attention since it went on the market in August, and
Sanyo appears almost certain to achieve its annual sales target of 300,000
units.
Open Sesame
(September 14, 2001)
Voice-recognition technology allows machines to
understand the words spoken by humans. There are already personal computers
and car navigation systems that can be operated by voice, and work continues
on the development of a system that will enable the user to control various
appliances around the home from one location.
H-IIA Ready for Space
(August 20, 2001)
The first of Japan's next-generation H-IIA rockets
is scheduled to be launched from the National Space Development Agency's
Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu, on August 25,
2001. The large satellite-launch vehicle is mostly Japanese-made and will
be the flagship of the country's rocket development program.
Lifelong Learning
(July 25, 2001)
A thirst for new knowledge and skills is spreading
among middle-aged and older people. Community computer classes everywhere
are full to capacity, and there are waiting lists for some of the public
lectures universities are putting on for adult learners. PC classes and
public lectures are among the first businesses to exploit this trend.
More and more new products and services linked to the mass generation's
desire to learn look set to appear.
100 Years Older Than Supposed?
(March 29, 2001)
World Heritage Pagoda
Japan's Space Hopes for the Twenty-First Century
(March 1, 2001)
Series of Student Satellites to Be Launched
Sharing Goes over Big
(February 1, 2001)
Metropolitan Rent-a-Car System Being Tested
