Flowers On Demand | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A group of researchers led by Professor Shimamoto Ko of Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) has identified the hormone that makes rice plants flower. It has taken 70 years for scientists to track down the hormone.

World's Smallest Humanoid Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A new humanoid robot, certified as the world's smallest, will be released this autumn by Japanese toy manufacturer Tomy Company. Robotics fans look forward to i-SOBOT as a fun toy to add to their collections, but also as a leap forward in miniaturization of the advanced parts that go into these high-tech tools.

Surfing In The Rain | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Gray, rainy days may be about to get more colorful thanks to a new umbrella invented by Japanese researchers. The Internet Umbrella, conceived by a team at Keio University, acts as a photo browser by displaying images from the Internet as the user walks along.

Early Warning | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Recent technological advances mean that it may now be possible to warn people of an earthquake before the most destructive tremors strike.

Seeing Inside Cells | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Scientists observing the world of microscopic organisms will soon be able to obtain real-time images with exceptional levels of clarity and magnification, thanks to a Japanese invention. The breakthrough is a new type of laser microscope.

Help for the Heart | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A string of recent technological developments in Japan are holding out hope for patients awaiting heart transplants, particularly children. The goal of the researchers involved in these developments is to improve ventricular assist devices (VADs).

The Mind-Reading Robot | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Honda Motor and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) have jointly developed new technology that enables a robot to mimic the movements of a person by reading the patterns of activity in the person's brain.

Electricity from Seaweed | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese researchers have developed a biomass fermentation system that uses seaweed dredged from the shore to produce fuel for generating electricity.

Deeper Than Ever | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The deep-drilling vessel Chikyu began test drilling off the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori Prefecture in August 2006. Through this record-breaking deep drilling, researchers are hoping to achieve such results as clarifying the ecology of microorganisms that live deep underground.

Battery-Powered Plane | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A propeller aircraft took to the air while powered by nothing more than commercial dry-cell batteries this past July. The flight was the fruit of a joint project by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and undergraduates at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Math the Japanese Way | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japanese math textbooks are being translated into English and other languages and are gaining popularity in countries like the United States and Singapore.

Come See the Future | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Japan's science museums are attracting attention around Asia. The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, located in Tokyo's Koto City, has become a destination for school trips for students from China and other countries.

Hot New Hair Dryer | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.'s latest model in the Nanocare series of hair dryers has been making waves since its release in July 2006. Thanks to its "nanoe ion" generator, which reduces frizz and makes hair strong and lustrous, it has become a hot seller.

Music That Comes When You Call | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
There is now a robot that will come over to you and play music with just the push of a button on a remote control.

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.

Painless Injections | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Though injections are vital for preventing and treating diseases, they are almost universally disliked. The fear of injections, however, may soon be a thing of the past. In July 2005, a painless needle went on sale to hospitals and other medical facilities.

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.

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.