Japan

Mouse

Japanese scientists reverse Alzheimer’s synapse damage in mice

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Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology say they have reversed the signs of Alzheimer’s disease in lab mice by restoring the healthy function of synapses, critical parts of neurons that shoot chemical messages to other neurons. If the treatment successfully survives the gauntlet of clinical studies with human participants, it could potentially lead to a groundbreaking new treatment for humans suffering from the deadly disease.

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Wooden satellite

Japanese scientists build world’s first wooden satellite

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The satellite dubbed LignoSat, a collaboration between Kyoto University and the company Sumitomo Forestry, is reportedly slated for launch in September onboard a SpaceX rocket. If successful, the tiny device — just four inches on each side — could represent a major breakthrough in space sustainability efforts. The idea is that it’ll burn up entirely upon reentry, vastly reducing its environmental impact compared to traditional metal spacecraft.

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Coal pollution

G7 agree to close all coal-fired generating stations by 2035

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Energy ministers from the G7 countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union — agreed at a meeting in Turin, Italy, to close all coal-fired generating stations in their countries by 2035 if not sooner. Putting an end date on coal — the most polluting of all fossil fuels — has been highly controversial at international climate talks. Until this point, Japan, which derived 32% of its electricity from coal in 2023 according to the climate advocate Ember, has blocked progress on the issue at past G7 meetings.

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Solar panels reflect sparkling light from the Sun

Japan “fossil fuel dinosaur” launches massive 20GW global renewables platform

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Jera, Japan’s largest power company and one of the largest thermal power producers in the world, has announced the launch of a major new global renewables business, becoming the latest fossil giant to act on the existential threat of net zero to its business model. Based out of the U.K., the new company – called Jera Nex – will be tasked with delivering on Jera’s stated ambition to develop a massive 20GW of renewable capacity by 2035, enough to power millions of homes.

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Nagoya, Japan City Skyline

Aichi becomes Japan’s first prefecture to consider same-sex couples with children as family

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Aichi – which is home to Japan’s fourth largest city Nagoya – will become the country’s first prefecture to recognize non-heterosexual and common-law couples and their children as families under a “family ship” oath system that will come into effect on April 1. Those who take the oath will have the right to public housing provided by the prefecture and will have the right to give consent when a loved one needs surgery at a hospital managed by the prefecture.

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Good news for LGBTQ rights, pride flags

Japanese high court rules same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional

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Japan’s march toward marriage equality took a giant leap when a high court ruled the country’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Civil code rules limiting marriage to couples of the opposite sex, the high court in Sapporo ruled, are “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory.” Existing law, the justices wrote, should be revised or rewritten to include other types of unions in addition to those between a man and a woman.

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Laughing Baby

Japan expands free day care centers to all children

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The Japanese government announced that it will now offer free daycare to all children aged 6 months to 2 years old, regardless of parents’ employment status. The “Childcare Access for All” program, set to begin in April 2024 with a trial run in 150 municipalities, will see nationwide implementation by 2026. All children within the age range will be eligible, with initial access capped at 10 hours per month, though an increase is planned for 2026.

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Kyoto Pagoda

Japan’s Supreme Court strikes down sterilization requirement for trans people

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In its decision, the court said that the requirement forces trans people to make the “cruel choice between accepting the sterilization surgery that causes intense bodily invasion and giving up important legal benefits of being treated according to their gender identity.”

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