Life Science & Medical Technology

Japanese chemical and materials maker AGC said Thursday it has teamed up with an Osaka University-affiliated biotechnology company to help produce a coronavirus vaccine that offers a great mass-manufacturing advantage.

Researchers here developed a face mask that can be washed repeatedly and is touted as being able to render viruses inactive.

The government will test around 10,000 people for coronavirus antibodies starting next month to gauge how far the contagion has spread and whether the nation is approaching “herd immunity,” the health minister said Friday.

Japanese social media platform Line will this summer launch a telemedicine business to cater to growing demand amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Takara Bio will release a coronavirus test in Japan as early as this month that uses saliva, enabling samples to be taken from home in what could be a major step toward increased testing and improved health care worker safety.

Zetta, a spinout from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, also known as Tokyo Tech, has developed a nonwoven nanofiber material that can be washed repeatedly without losing its ability to protect the wearer from viruses. The startup, based in the western Japanese city of Matsuyama, plans to get into the business of making masks from the high-tech fabric.

Researchers here developed a face mask that can be washed repeatedly and is touted as being able to render viruses inactive.

A life support machine developed by scientists here is being hailed as a major breakthrough for treating patients with serious pulmonary or heart problems, including those infected with the new coronavirus.

While dentists can easily remove tartar buildup these days, scientists are thankful that people in the Edo Period (1603-1867) had no such modern dental plan. A team of researchers has determined what people of that era consumed, based on the DNA analysis of food remains in tartar, a plaque layer formed on teeth. Not surprising, what they found is not too different from what Japanese of today include in their daily diets, such as rice and vegetables.

Japan took another step toward building technology-enabled "super cities," with legislation set to pass that will help advance local plans by lowering regulatory hurdles.