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The Kick-off Symposium of the JST-Mirai Program—A Full-scale Research of “Fragrances” Begins!

August 7, 2019

JST-Mirai Program

https://www.jst.go.jp/mirai/jp/

The JST-Mirai Program held a kick-off symposium entitled “Harmony of smell—Realization of a humane society that colors the future life with ‘fragrance’” at Nihonbashi Hall in Tokyo on July 23, 2019.

The symposium was held as a kick-off event in response to the JST-Mirai Program’s selection of the first full-scale research project—“Providing humane services by expanding the function of flavor and fragrance”—led by the Research Director Kazushige Touhara, Professor of the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the University of Tokyo, in relation to the research area of “Realization of the Most Safe and Secure Society in the World.”

The symposium saw the participation of over 200 participants from nearly 90 companies in various fields. It was a good opportunity to discuss the potential and effectiveness of odors with the attendants from sectors interested in expanding new values and services related to smell and fragrance in the future.

JST President Hamaguchi delivered an opening remark, followed by the guest speeches delivered by Yoshihiko Kakuta, Deputy Director General for the Science and Technology Policy Bureau of MEXT, and Teruo Fujii, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo. Program Director Katsuaki Watanabe talked about his high expectations of the project on fragrance. All the project members were encouraged by their ales and supportive attitudes.

Professor Touhara, project director, delivered a lecture on “Humanely effective utilization of ‘fragrance’.” He introduced contents of the full-scale research and its proof of concept, considering what is known and unknown in the field of olfactory research thus far. He also mentioned that the results obtained from this full-scale research project will be developed into various industries in the future and that new fragrance services will have a great potential to spread through our society.

Following Professor Touhara’s lecture, Takashi Iwahashi, former professor of Daido University, and Yuri Aono, an editorial committee member of the Mainichi Newspaper, talked about rising expectations in society and industries with regard to fragrance and provided valuable tips for further development of the project.

Finally, Ken-ichi Tanaka, R&D Supervisor in this area, mentioned that workshops within the project will be planned with an aim of penetration of fragrance services in society, and he thus concluded the symposium.

https://www.jst.go.jp/mirai/jp/event/2019/190723-sympo.html