CoeFont Co., Ltd.

 

 Font for your voice!
 We live in an age where you can listen to the voice of your choice, including your own. When writing text on a computer, for example, there is a process for setting the font of the text in the begining. CoeFont Inc. is a company that realises the idea that voices should also have fonts.　

 A function that allows you to type a sentence and have it read out loud is already possible on various websites, such as Google, but it cannot be your favourite voice. If it were possible to recognise text or sentences typed on a screen or captured by a camera and read them out loud in a voice of their choice, this would be a great help for people with visual or speech impairments. Furthermore, the day will soon come when it will be possible to promptly translate text into multiple languages and read out the translation in the voice of a celebrity.　
 We look forward to CoeFont's future development with great anticipation. （AS)
 English translation powered by DeepL.

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IntegriCulture Inc.

General-purpose large-scale cell culture technology applicable for a range of products from cell-based meat to cosmetics 
  IntegriCulture Inc. ,(hereinafter referred to as "the company") is making efforts to develop and widely promote a system that significantly reduces the cost of cell cultivation by creating an environment similar to the bodies of food animals.
 The system involves culturing cells in an external environment that mimics the growth process of animals such as cows and chickens, which are used for food. The fundamental system is called the CulNet System, and it is part of the company's vision for a basic infrastructure of cell cultivation called the Uni-CulNet System, aiming for the widespread adoption of cell cultivation both domestically and internationally.
 The resource efficiency of cell-cultured meat is approximately 35%, which is considerably higher compared to the current 3% efficiency of conventional beef production. It is also estimated that the system can reduce environmental impact by 98%. As the global population continues to grow, reducing environmental burdens while ensuring food supply has become an urgent issue.
 We hope for the early arrival of an era where the company's groundbreaking system and Japan's cell-cultured meat production technology are utilized worldwide.(AS)

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Fracta, Inc.

AI tech for diagnosing deterioration of water pipeline
　Fracta Japan Co., Ltd., with the motto "Social Benefit through Technology," is said to have developed and provided an online tool that utilizes AI to diagnose the deteriorating infrastructure of Japan's water supply and sewage systems. Fracta was founded by entrepreneur Takashi Kato in Silicon Valley, California in 2015, and the Japanese subsidiary was established in 2019 to commence its activities.
　It is evident that the extensive water supply and sewage network that has been meticulously established throughout Japan over many years will eventually deteriorate and decay without regular inspections, repairs, and updates.
　In Japan, which has entered a phase of population decline, it is predicted that the population in all age groups will decrease significantly compared to the present, as the population structure approaches an inverted pyramid shape. Consequently, the funding necessary to maintain and manage the extensive infrastructure network is expected to become insufficient. By utilizing AI tools developed by Fracta and already implemented in the United States, it is said that cost-effective diagnostic procedures can be conducted, replacing the need for human involvement.
　Regarding water supply systems, the tool has already been adopted and implemented by over 70 water utility entities in 28 states within the United States as of the end of July 2022.
　The emergence of Fracta's technology is truly good news in Japan, where the aging of infrastructure facilities is progressing. I sincerely hope for the continued development of the company. (AS)

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APB Corporation

  APB Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as "the company") is a manufacturer of the world's first next-generation all polymer battery, based in Fukui Prefecture, Japan.
  The all polymer battery replaces the current lithium-ion battery's main components such as the collector with polymer instead of metal. It has a higher energy density per module than conventional batteries, lower risk of ignition, and simplified manufacturing processes, resulting in significant cost reductions in large-scale production.
  As the development of solid batteries is receiving attention worldwide to address the weaknesses of conventional lithium-ion batteries, the all polymer battery seems to be steadily advancing towards large-scale production, albeit quietly.
  We have high expectations for the company's achievements and growth. (AS)

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Iwaki-Takahashi,Inc

Mr. Takahashi, the president of Iwaki Takahashi, Inc founded the company in 2010 with the strong belief that thinning cedar trees, which account for a large proportion of Japan's forests, must be encouraged in order to revive the country's decaying forestry industry, and that products made from thinned wood are essential to this. The company's disposable chopsticks are made using an integrated manufacturing process from the procurement of logs from thinned cedar forests to the finished product, and are made with a focus on quality. In addition to disposable chopsticks, the company has expanded its product line to include pillows made from thinned cedar and pencils made from thinned cypress. We wish the company's further development. （AS)

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TOKIWA PHYTOCHEMICAL CO.,LTD.

  Since its establishment in 1949, Tokiwa Institute of Botanical Chemistry, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "the company") has continued to take on the challenge of creating new value for plant ingredients (phytochemicals) that are useful to society by extracting useful ingredients contained in plants.
It can be surmised that all the data and thesis accumulated through the company's intensive efforts by its research works over70 years, must be absolutely scarcity values. And the efforts must be ranging from extracting effective ingredients from plants that seem to be endlessly available on the ground, verifying their efficacy, and commercializing them.
 In 2015, the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan established the Food with Functional Labeling System, which allows businesses to label foods with functional claims if they notify the Commissioner of the Consumer Affairs Agency of the necessary scientific evidence regarding the safety and functionality of the food prior to marketing. This will not only help the company's accumulated data and thesis to promote "Food with Functional Labeling" but also provide an impetus for the discovery and extraction of new phytochemicals with the know-how accumulated over the past 70 years or so.
 The company also seems to be very enthusiastic in its efforts to address the SDGs. We look forward to the company's further development in the future. (AS)

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CHOSHU INDUSTRY CO.,LTD

 　Choshu Industry Co., Ltd., which was established as a water heater manufacturer in 1980, has steadily accumulated high-quality product manufacturing capabilities while responding to the strict needs of customers. 
Entering the renewable energy field, the company has increased its presence as a comprehensive system manufacturer of residential solar power generation, power storage, and control equipment, and now it is launching a hydrogen energy business while also entering the biomass field.
　There would be great expectations for further development of the company. (AS)

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Karl Bengs & Associates, LTD

The revitalization of old private homes is often referred to as "old private home revitalization. The restoration of old private homes by Karl Bencks & Associates, Inc. is one such method, but the most important feature of the company's old private home restoration business seems to be in making use of excellent traditional Japanese techniques and quality building materials while breathing modern life into them to restore homes that can be lived in for the next 100 or 200 years, thereby contributing to the revitalization of the area. This is a project that will also lead to the revitalization of the local community. I strongly felt this when I looked at the examples of their past achievements posted on their website. I look forward to the company's continued success. (AS).
 

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Hayashi Trout Farm, Inc.

 Hayashi Fish Farm, Inc. (the company, herein after) is the oldest fish farm in Japan, founded in Fukushima in 1935, and currently has a total of eight fish farms in Fukushima, Miyagi, Aichi, and Tottori prefectures. Taking a look at the company's website, the company farms approximately 10 species of farmed fish with an annual production volume of 400 tons, while the company is one of the largest inland salmon and trout farms in Japan. The company is also equipped with technology to minimize water intake, purify and circulate water, advanced sterilization technology, and an AI-based optimal aquaculture and feeding environment, and it appears that the company is not neglecting the development of fish farming technology that is evolving every year.
 Currently, most of the farmed fishes sold in the Japan market are imported from overseas, but the company's presence is extremely valuable since we are facing to various challenges, such as the rapid increase in the world population and the damage to supply chains caused by intensifying regional conflicts around the world. The company's presence is going to be more and more valuable than before. （AS)

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Hibot

  We human-being have built a wide variety of social infrastructure facilities on the earth. While new facilities are expected to continue to be constructed in the future, the aging of infrastructure facilities requires accelerated maintenance and inspection work, as well as repair, or even reconstruction of these facilities.
   Although much of the maintenance and inspection work for these infrastructure facilities is extremely urgent requirements, the geographical spread of the inspection work, the difficulty of access to inspection sites/spots, and the difficulty of securing the number of workers are becoming apparent.　
   Under these circumstances, there are high expectations for the state-of-the-art robot technology and AI-based data collection and analysis technology developed by Hybot, Inc. The company was founded in 2004 by Professor Hirose, a world-renowned authority on robotics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Michele Guaranieri (current CEO) and Paulo DeBenedetto (current executive officer), who were studying under Professor Hirose. The company has received the Robot Award from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Technology Pioneer Award from the World Economic Forum, and in 2016 its products were used to survey the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 building.
   Again, modern society is built on a wide variety of infrastructural facilities, but it is difficult to imagine that the ease of inspecting these facilities was taken into account when they were built.　I believe that the functionality and convenience of infrastructure facilities must be inextricably linked with the ease of maintenance and inspection work, but the current situation is as described above, and I have high expectations that Hibot's technology and products will be a strong ally in ensuring the sustainability of infrastructure facilities in the 21st century. （AS)

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Looop Inc.

 

　Reading the vision of Looop Inc., (hereafter referred to as the company) on its Japanese website, I’ve immediately found words titled as, "Realization of an energy-free society" followed by "Energy that Looop considers is not only electricity." Mmmm? Piqued my curiosity about what kind of company it is, I’ve clicked on the "Top Message" and noticed that “Looop's philosophy is to support the infinite expansion of the future of mankind in all directions.'' 　
  Of course, now, "In Japan, which is prone to natural disasters, we need to coexist with nature. And it is we, the Japanese people who have suffered the Fukushima nuclear accident, who have the duty and the mission to promote innovation in renewable energy technology." 　Based on this philosophy, it seems that the company have developed a business that integrates power generation, control, transmission and distribution all over the country, and recorded sales of 66 billion yen last fiscal year, 2021. The first priority is said to coexist with nature, not overdevelopment such as deforestation. 　
  Reading the company's website, I’ve been felt a bright future through the company’s strong passion to achieve its big and bright vision.  I can't take our eyes off the company's efforts to achieve steady results in the modern natural energy field while seriously considering "supporting the infrastructure of mankind in space." (AS)

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SHIZEN ENERGY Inc.

  Shizen Energy Inc. (hereafter referred to as the company) was established by three young men in their 30s three months after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident that occurred in the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. The devastation of the accident was so strong and strong enough for them truly to reaffirm the potential and importance of the renewable energy. The company was launched just three months after the earthquake and their activities since starting the business have been remarkably speedy, and in 2012 they completed the first mega-solar power plant in Kumamoto. Soon after the first successful completion of the solar power generation system, they keep acting one after another, as if due course, launching a joint venture with a big German company, juwi, establishing the company’s subsidiaries in Japan and overseas. As of 2022, they have developed their business in eight countries around the world. The service area is also diverse, including solar power, small hydropower, wind power, and biomass power generation. One of the company's big milestones is to reach 10GW of total power generation in 2030. The value of 10 GW is equivalent to about 10 standard nuclear power plants. I believe that the figure of 10 GW includes the amount of power generated overseas, but it is a large figure anyway. I have high hopes for the company's future success. (AS)

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Water Weco

 

Water Weco (Waterwheel+Ecoloby+Economy) is a trademark for ultra-low power generation systems developed by Ellis Co. The company offers systems with outputs ranging from a few watts to 20 kW. In addition to being a hydroelectric power generation system with extremely low environmental impact, its iutput is a much smaller range than the conventional small hydroelectric power generation range of 1,000-10,000 kW, with a water flow drop of only 1-3 meters and a flow rate of 1 m³/sec. In a place where water resources are abundantly available, it would be a waste to throw away the energy of the water flow without using it. There are so many possible locations for installation, such as discharge water from hydropower plants, industrial water, and agricultural waterways, and it is an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and decentralized energy source. It would be highly expected for the future development and spread of this system around the world. (AS)

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Chalenagy Inc.

 

 　The "Vertical Magnus Wind Turbine" was developed by Mr. Shimizu, the founder of Chalenagy (hereinafter referred to as "Chalenagy"), after the devastation caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. 　Due to its structure, it can generate electricity even with winds of up to 40m/sec, regardless of the direction of the wind, It is also less likely to be struck by birds, less likely to make wind noise, more resistant to lightning, and more suitable as an emergency power source or as a distributed power generation system.

  The company is said to be the first in the world to put magnus power generation to practical use in a vertical shaft type machine. After 10 years of development, the small machine with a rated output of 10 kW has entered the practical application stage and is currently in operation in the Philippines and on Ishigaki Island.　 

  
The company reportedly plans to mass-produce this small machine and to develop a larger generator for the future. With the expansion of renewable energy sources being called for, we can expect great things from this company in the future. (AS)

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SUZUKI MORIHISA STUDIO Ltd

The history of Suzuki Morihisa Studio dates back to 1625. In the course of its long history, Suzuki Shigeyoshi Morihisa, the 13th generation, produced numerous masterpieces and was designated an Intangible Cultural Property by the Japanese government, becoming the only master craftsman in the history of Nambu iron. The current 15th generation of Suzuki Morihisa, Shiiko Suzuki Morihisa, is said to be the first female iron-potting master in the history of Nambu Tetsu and has received many awards. It can be said that ironware production, which has been refined by numerous master craftspeople over its long history, is now becoming more and more brilliant.　 The daily use of traditional crafts brings a rich sense of relaxation to our lives. The properties of Tetsubin ironware allow it to be handed down to the next generation if properly cared for, and the water boiled in an iron kettle is mellow and smooth, enhancing the flavor of tea and coffee.　 In these busy times, it is good to spend a relaxing time using tetsubin.　It seems that the quality of Nambu ironware is already spreading through the sales network of Suzuki Morihisa Kobo (hereinafter referred to as "Suzuki Morihisa") in Europe, the United States, and Asia.　We wish the company continued success. (AS)

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Taniguchi Aoya Washi Co., Ltd.

 In the past, Japanese paper, Washi, was used for Shoji screens and Fusuma sliding doors in Japanese houses, but as lifestyles have changed, the use of Washi has become less common. Under such circumstances, manufacturing methods for Washi and products that use Washi have evolved, and the texture created by this natural material has been reevaluated, resulting in the appearance of unique products.　 Taniguchi-Aotani Paper Mfg. is one of the leading companies in this field, offering a variety of paper products including letter paper, wallpaper, sliding door paper, and wrapping paper used in daily life, as well as highly distinctive products such as spherical, seamless, three-dimensional lampshades.　 The company's introduction on its website says, "Taniguchi Aoya Washi continue our challenges by focusing on the theme of 'Washi to fit a modern lifestyle'. Washi is the name of Japanese paper made by traditional methods. The versatile, natural eco-friendly material will soothe and enrich human lives."　 In today's world, where the shift from petroleum-derived products to products made from natural materials is being urged, as symbolized by the "de-plasticization" movement, the presence of Taniguchi & Aoya Washi is very encouraging. We wish them continued success in their endeavors. (AS)

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Elephantech Inc.

  New products and services are created around us every day, and electronic circuits are indispensable for many of them. In the field of electronic circuits, Elephant Tech (hereinafter referred to as "the company") manufactures and sells P-Flex® which is a unique FPC product made throught the company's innovative and proprietary manufacturing technology that prints metal only in the necessary areas using inkjet printing and further grows the metal using plating technology. The manufacturing technology developed by the company makes it possible to print electronic circuits on a thin film substrate material. Conventional manufacturing technology requires a six-step process of forming copper foil on the substrate, printing circuits on it, and then removing unnecessary copper foil to make the circuits stand out. The company's new P-Flex® product made by the new manufacturing technology allows the electronic circuit boards to be finished in just two steps by printing an ultra-thin layer of silver on a flexible film substrate and applying copper plating on top of it. This process does not involve the use of waste materials (such as copper) as in conventional methods, thus enabling significant material savings and simplification of the manufacturing process, resulting in lower cost and environmental impact compared to conventional methods.　 According to the company's website, it says,"Moving forward, we will work not only on Flex PCB manufacturing but also on printing a wide variety of functions such as 3D wiring formation or sensor production through a method in which digital data is used to layer various materials only on necessary parts. We will realize a sustainable future by spreading our environmentally friendly technology that has been optimized by digital technologies. "　 Founded in 2014, the company has recently been working with a number of major companies as its customers, and it seems that it will continue to take on the challenge of not only revolutionizing the ever-increasing electronic circuit manufacturing, but also in various other areas." We look forward to Elefantec's continued success and development as we move toward a "new era of electronics. (AS)

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