Rice-Planting Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Rice is the staple food in Japan, and the planting of rice seedlings has been a backbreaking, yet essential, job since ancient times. Now, a group of scientists is working on a project that would hand the delicate task of inserting rice seedlings into paddies over to robots.

Super Competition | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Even though the 2005 Word Exposition in Aichi, Japan, has shut its gates, many of its exhibits and structures will continue to live on, thanks to extensive recycling efforts in line with the event's goal of environmental sustainability.

Toyota Develops Eco-Friendly Shrub | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's largest car manufacturer, has developed a new type of cherry sage shrub that can absorb airborne pollutants much more effectively than existing varieties.

Battery Breakthrough | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
NEC recently announced the development of an ultra-thin, flexible, rechargeable battery. A mere 0.3 mm thick, this wafer-thin battery holds great promise for wearable computers and other applications.

Hybrid Goes Mainstream | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The age of the hybrid car has finally arrived. The latest models boast vastly improved engines and other features that leave their predecessors in the dust.

The Running Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese firms continue to set the pace in the development of multifunctional, interactive robots. The work to improve ASIMO, the world's most advanced autonomous bipedal humanoid robot, continues at Honda Motor Co.

A New Kind of “Dry” Cleaning | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Sanyo Electric Co. has developed a household washing machine like no other: It can use air to wash clothes.

Super-Powered Cable | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has developed a type of superconductive cable that can carry up to 200 times as much power as copper cable - and with electrical resistance of zero.

Talking Paper | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Electronic paper and other paper with innovative functions is now coming into use. Paper is finally entering the IT age through a fusion with digital technologies.

Going Green at Home | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Several Japanese companies have begun marketing home-use fuel cells that generate electricity from hydrogen and oxygen and help to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

Making the Kyoto Protocol Work | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Now that the Kyoto Protocol on the prevention of climate change has come into force, Japan is busy seeking out innovative ways to meet its obligations under the protocol.

"Place Your Hand on the Scanner" | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Some Japanese banks have already begun installing biometric ID systems at their ATMs in an effort to combat cash-card fraud. But biometric ID has many other uses, including keeping track of who enters and leaves offices, protecting computers from tampering, and preventing unauthorized entry to apartment buildings. Manufacturers of these hi-tech security systems report that demand is booming.

"Third Beer" | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Beer-like alcoholic beverages that have collectively been dubbed the "third beer" because they fall into neither the regular nor low-malt beer category, are a big hit in Japan right now.

Bathroom Innovation | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The role of the toilet has long been limited to flushing away waste, but that may be about to change with the recent introduction of a hi-tech bathroom system that can instantly gather, compile, and analyze data about a person's physical health.

Keeping Expo Visitors Cool | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
EXPO 2005 Aichi has now passed the midway point of its six-month duration. As the summer heat rises, organizers are focusing on measures to help visitors stay comfortable in the heat.

Air-Conditioned Clothes | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Cool Biz is the title of a government campaign to persuade office workers to dispense with their ties and jackets as an environmentally friendly way of staying cool. And now an innovation called kuchofuku (air-conditioned clothing) is taking the concept one step further.

Hokkaido Heritage | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Shiretoko is a peninsula of dense pristine forest that is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora and is ringed by dramatic, sheer cliffs. The area's spectacular scenery and state of preservation so impressed UNESCO that in July it put Shiretoko on its World Heritage list.

Building a Better Bicycle | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Trend in Japan Web Japan Science and Technology Select Archives -- 01-03 Feature Business Science Society Sports Fashion -- 99-01 Business Science Society Sports Fashion Arts -- 97-99 Business Scien

FLOATING HOTEL | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Trend in Japan Web Japan Science and Technology Select Archives -- 01-03 Feature Business Science Society Sports Fashion -- 99-01 Business Science Society Sports Fashion Arts -- 97-99 Business Scien

Keeping Sharp | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Recently, an increasing number of local governments and private-sector organizations have taken measures to encourage mental exercise as a means of preventing the onset of dementia.