Material Science

From a young age, Dr. Yukiko Ogawa knew she wanted to become a scientist. Growing up in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, she would spend hours after school creating objects in her bedroom. It was this curiosity and early ingenuity when it came to designing novel things that led Ogawa to where she is today.

Fujifilm Corp. said Thursday it will invest a total of some ¥10 billion over the next three years in its bases in the United States for the development, production and sale of semiconductor materials.

The aluminum sector has undergone significant change as the U.S.-triggered trade war shakes global markets, easing Asia's supply-demand balance and sending prices for the metal lower in the region.

Sumitomo Metal Mining will spend over 200 billion yen ($1.77 billion) to set up a nickel smelter in Indonesia to meet strong demand for the metal used in electric car batteries.

Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo and AGC, formerly known as Asahi Glass, have jointly developed a glass mobile antenna that can be affixed to windows without blocking or ruining the view.

The Environment Ministry said Wednesday it plans to urge companies to reduce their use of microplastics, amid heightened global concern over marine pollution.

The government will announce an ambitious plan aimed at cutting disposable plastic waste by 25 percent over the next decade while promoting environmentally friendly bioplastics made from plants, sources said Saturday.

Sharp Corp. said Wednesday that it will release by the end of this year a new smartphone, Aquos Zero, with an organic light-emitting diode display, also manufactured by the electronics maker.