Press releases

In Nature China this week: Researchers in Hong Kong have discovered an unexpected feature of the cystic fibrosis ion channel

Recently whaling has received renewed attention, as has tuna fishing—attention which stems from the relative sensitivity of nations to these global environmental issues.

There is a difference between sumo and student baseball—the former is professional and the latter amateur. It would be safe to say, then, that these sports are completely different.

In his policy speech in October, a month after the inauguration of the new government, Prime Minister Hatoyama announced a shift from post-war politics to a politics which “protects human life and the welfare of the people”.

It is often said that the value shared in the age of globalization is competitiveness, which is the value of the strong. In order for Japan to be a winner in a cutthroat capitalist world, Japanese society must be made truly competitive, eliminating such inefficient factors as life-time employment.

Bob Dylan is coming to Japan. This will be the fourth time I have seen him perform in Japan, following his performances in 1994, 1997, and 2001.

A series of affairs related to Ichiro Ozawa, the secretary general of the Democratic Party of Japan, and his secretaries has highlighted again how difficult it is to establish rules about politics and money.

As a university teacher, I am occasionally invited to alumni weddings, and I have the opportunity to give speeches on those occasions. I am usually on the bride’s side, because the groom has ordinarily invited a senior at his company to give a speech.

There was a report in February of this year about a plan for a five-story condominium in Ashiya city, Hyogo prefecture that did not get the required construction clearance on the grounds that the condominium would not fit in with the landscape.

Panicked by the sharp decline in exports due to the Lehman shock, major exporters and other companies in Japan rashly made extreme reductions in production.

Currently, media coverage of the Toyota Motor Corporation recall (recalling and repairing vehicles free of charge) is pervasive. Some of the reports are emotional, and there are shades of Toyota bashing combined with the movements to politicize the issue.

The new iPad data terminal was announced on January 27 (local time) by Apple, Inc. With its large scale liquid crystal touch panel, you might think of it as a large version of the iPod touch.

A mouse model of OCD; Microbes modify soil carbon emissions; Nitrogen cuts soil carbon release; Microenvironment regulates colon cancer stem cells; Redistributing Ras; Variants influence smoking behaviors; Vigorous ocean bottom current discovered

The RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC) has partnered with American company Complete Genomics to develop next-generation technology for the rapid analysis of individual-level human gene expression.

Theoretical simulations of protein structures using better computational methods provide important information on the biological functions that make life possible.

Photoemission experiments shed light on the origin of an enigmatic type of magnetism in iron

Therapeutic strategies that block inflammatory response to islet cell transplantation may accelerate treatment of diabetic patients

Eight representatives from the Forestry Research and Development Agency (FORDA) of Indonesia attended the 5th FRIM-FORDA Bilateral Closed Door Meeting at FRIM on 8 April 2010.

Tokyo, 22 April - A research team at RIKEN has experimentally determined the mechanism underlying the formation of electron pairs in iron-based high-temperature superconductors. The landmark finding, reported in the April 23rd issue of Science, establishes a key role for magnetism in superconductivity.

TWAS and ISTIC are collaborating on a project aimed at identifying, rewarding and disseminating best practices in the innovative use of science and technology in the development of new products, processes or services that have had impacts on economic development in the South.

Summaries of newsworthy papers include: Climate pledges fall short and Combating hepatitis C

In Nature China this week: Results from the latest national survey indicate that diabetes has reached alarming levels in China

Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC) launched a website for the GIGA Program (Global Information and Communication Technology and Governance Academic Program), which is scheduled to start in the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies in September 2011.

The 2010 Keio University Entrance Ceremony was held on Friday, 2 April at the Hiyoshi Commemorative Hall. This year, 6,728 freshmen for 10 faculties enrolled.

Universiti Sains Malaysia’s (USM) efforts in maintaining the heritage of the Straits-born community (Peranakan) in Southeast Asia has been described as a good move to ensure that students in institutions of higher learning are given greater exposure to issues of diversity.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) created history for the university and the nation when it was selected to organize the 24th Wireless World Research Forum (WWRF) which began yesterday.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) joined several other universities in the country to develop sports among undergraduates when it was selected as a Sports Excellence Centre (Swimming) by the Ministry of Higher Education.

A delegation of seven from the International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR), the People’s Republic of China visited FRIM on 1 April 2010.

FRIM received the APECP Excellent Child Contributor Award 2009/2010 for Child-Friendly Eco-Education Destination from the Association of Professional Early Childhood Providers Malaysia (APECP) on 31 March 2010.

Tokyo, 19 April - A research team at RIKEN has succeeded for the first time in selectively controlling for reaction products in the dissociation of a single water molecule on an ultrathin film. The reaction opens the door to the creation of novel functional catalysts and applications in clean energy production.