Not the iPS cells themselves, but the liquid they're grown in, injected into arthritic knees. A Japanese team's world-first study showed 71.4% improvement by international criteria with no serious adverse events. We look at what a seven-patient uncontrolled pilot can and cannot tell us, and where conditioned medium sits in Japan's regulations.
Japanese fusion startup Helical Fusion announces the construction site for its demonstration device 'Helix HARUKA' Phase 1, while completing critical coil case components with precision manufacturer Ryoki Tool. Explore how Japan's unique helical stellarator approach and the HTS superconductor boom are reshaping the global fusion race.
Japanese space startup Synspective successfully launched its 8th StriX SAR satellite via Rocket Lab's Electron rocket from New Zealand. The company is building a 30-satellite constellation and holds a role in a 283.1 billion yen Japanese defense program, competing with Finland's ICEYE and America's Capella Space in the global SAR market.
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son has announced a $500 billion AI data center campus at a former uranium enrichment site in Ohio—the largest single-site investment in history. With 21 Japanese and American companies involved and 9.2 GW of gas-fired power, this project reshapes the global AI infrastructure race. Here's what Japan thinks.
Osaka University's QIQB and Fixstars achieved the world's largest quantum chemistry circuit simulation using 1,024 NVIDIA H100 GPUs on Japan's ABCI-Q supercomputer. Breaking the previous 40-qubit barrier, they simulated H₂O with 42 spin orbitals and Fe₂S₂ with 41 qubits — accelerating quantum algorithm development before fault-tolerant quantum computers arrive.
Tohoku University spinoff Space Quarters has successfully demonstrated electron beam welding in simulated zero-gravity and lunar gravity environments aboard an aircraft. The company achieved a world-first by welding sintered lunar regolith — the sandy material covering the Moon's surface. With its ultra-compact 7 kg welding system and JAXA partnership, this breakthrough brings humanity one step closer to building infrastructure in space.
Japanese space laser startup Orbital Lasers has closed a $20 million Series A round backed by nine investors including Keio Innovation Initiative and JIC Venture Growth. Spun out from satellite operator SKY Perfect JSAT in 2024, the company develops compact, high-efficiency space lasers for debris removal via laser ablation and high-precision 3D terrain mapping via satellite LiDAR. We explore how it compares to Astroscale and SpaceX, and what it means for Japan's booming space startup ecosystem.
Rapidus's AI design agent 'Raads' is already in use by 3 companies — 2 domestic, 1 overseas. This LLM-based EDA suite enables natural language chip design, cutting design time by 50% and costs by 30%. We compare it with TSMC and Intel's AI tools and examine Rapidus's path to 2nm mass production.
Furukawa Electric's Lightera begins mass production of the world's highest-class 13,824-core ultra-high-density fiber optic cable. Learn how this Japanese innovation doubles transmission capacity for hyperscale AI data centers.
Toyota announces mass production of water electrolysis systems by 2029, developed with Chiyoda Corporation. With 5MW domestic and 20MW international units, Toyota bets on hydrogen alongside EVs and hybrids. How Japan's multi-pathway strategy compares to the global EV-first approach.
Japanese startup DOT P unveiled PONKEY, a solenoid-powered instrument robot, at SXSW 2026 in Austin, Texas. Featuring 16 custom-designed keys that light up, produce sound, and physically pop out, PONKEY functions as a drum machine, digital synthesizer, and AI communication device. Backed by Tokyo's TOKYO SUTEAM program, it's set for public release in 2027.
