Meet the Robots of Tomorrow at Expo 2025

OSAKA, Feb 20 (News On Japan) - Visitors to the Osaka-Kansai Expo will get a glimpse of the future through an innovative pavilion featuring cutting-edge robots. The 'Future of Life' pavilion, designed with water flowing along its four walls, was unveiled on February 19th, showcasing three guiding robots named Panji, Petra, and Punica. These robots will assist visitors inside the pavilion.

Hiroshi Ishiguro, a leading robotics expert and professor at Osaka University, has developed the pavilion, where a total of 20 advanced robots will be on display at all times. The exhibition is divided into three sections, one of which offers an immersive experience of society 50 years from now, featuring highly realistic androids that closely resemble humans.

Ishiguro expressed his hopes for the exhibit, saying: "If visitors leave with the inspiration to create this kind of future, we can leave behind a significant legacy."

Source: MBS

Tokyo Quake Scenario Projects Up to 18,000 Deaths

The Japanese government is preparing to release a new damage projection for a major earthquake striking directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area by the end of the year, and interviews with officials familiar with the assessment indicate that in the worst-case scenario the death toll could reach 18,000, while economic losses are estimated at 83 trillion yen.

Toyota Launches First New Supercar in 17 Years

Toyota unveiled its new GR GT supercar on December 5th at Woven City, the next-generation technology testbed located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, marking the model’s world debut as the automaker targets a release around 2027, positioning the vehicle as the pinnacle of its GR sports-car lineup and its first true supercar since the Lexus LFA launched in 2010.

Eel Regulation Dropped After Japan Opposition

The proposal to strengthen regulations on international eel trade has been formally shelved, marking a result in line with the position pushed by Japan and several other countries.
EU member states and others had called for tighter controls on all eel transactions under the Washington Convention, citing global resource depletion and the need for stronger international oversight. However, Japan countered that the Japanese eel faces no imminent risk of extinction and opposed the measure.

Tsukiji Outer Market Urges Tourists to Stay Away in December

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Outer Market has taken the unusual step of asking tourists not to visit in December as operators move to prevent crowd-related accidents during the busy year-end shopping season, with local officials also confirming that Shibuya’s New Year’s Eve countdown will be canceled for the sixth consecutive year.

Abe Akie Makes First Court Appearance

Abe Akie appeared at the Nara District Court on December 3rd for the lay judge trial of the shooting that killed former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, marking the first time she has attended proceedings in person. Akie arrived in the courtroom shortly after 1 p.m. wearing a navy jacket and bowed toward the gallery as she entered, while the court continued a scheduled witness examination of Sakurai Yoshihide, a religious scholar and specially appointed professor at Hokkaido University.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sci-Tech NEWS

Osaka Tests Shinkansen Backup Hub

The three JR companies operating the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen demonstrated on December 6th how they would switch train control to a secondary command center in Osaka if a major earthquake or other large-scale disaster rendered the main command facility in Tokyo unusable.

Residents Reject Money Offered to Secure Support for Solar Project

A large-scale solar project planned near the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido is facing renewed backlash after the developer offered local residents what it described as a “beautification cooperation payment,” prompting accusations that the company is trying to buy consent for the construction.

Space Farming Startup Aims to Cut Carbon on Earth

A pair of brothers inspired by the manga ‘Space Brothers’ are advancing technologies for agriculture in space while also accelerating soil regeneration on Earth, achieving improvements in as little as one month through their company Toeing, led by CEO Nishida Kohei and CTO Nishida Ryoya, which is drawing attention for research that could support future space habitation and contribute to decarbonization efforts on the ground.

Japan’s Nuclear Policy Undergoes Major Shift

Japan’s nuclear policy, forced into a turning point by the catastrophic accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, has undergone a sweeping shift as the country moves from a nationwide shutdown of reactors to a steady resumption of operations.

Why Mesh is the Most Popular Material in Handmade Lingerie

The world of handmade lingerie is melting into the realms of art, comfort, and personal expression. Designers and hobbyist sewists have begun to prefer mesh over its competitors.

Japan to Begin RSV Vaccination for Pregnant Women in April 2026

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has decided to introduce routine vaccination for pregnant women as early as April 2026 to protect newborns from the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which can lead to severe symptoms in infants.

Toyota’s Woven City Evolves Two Months After Opening

Toyota’s experimental urban prototype Woven City, built in Shizuoka Prefecture as a large-scale test site, has entered its second month since opening in September, with the city’s early operations beginning to take visible shape as on-site demonstrations expand and new technologies are trialed across the community.

Will Red-Crowned Cranes Be Affected? Officials Inspect 6,600-Panel Solar Project Site

Officials inspected a planned mega-solar construction site around the Kushiro Wetland on November 17th as staff from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Hokkaido government visited the area together with Nippon Ecology President Matsui Masanori to confirm whether the project could affect the breeding and growth of red-crowned cranes.

< 2 3 4 5 >