Kyushu University economists have published new data on the economic, social, and environmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Japan's inbound tourism industry for the year 2020. The results showed a pandemic-induced loss of 33 million tourists, resulting in 3.44 trillion yen of value-added loses, and a decline in employment for 868,976 people. The data also revealed environmental benefits, with an emission reduction of 11.6 megatons of CO₂.

Researchers from Kyushu University, Japan have revealed how a special type of force within an atom’s nucleus, known as the three-nucleon force, impacts nuclear stability. The study, published in Physics Letters B, provides insight into why certain nuclei are more stable than others and may help explain astrophysical processes, such as the formation of heavy elements within stars.

In a step towards developing advanced materials for functional coatings, a research group from Japan, developed a technology that combines structural color coating with super water-repellent properties. The structural color coating does not fade away like the conventional paints and exhibits self-cleaning properties. This was achieved by using hydrophobic melanin particles which provide structural color and water-repellence. The discovery marks a breakthrough in advanced materials for paints and coatings.

Researchers have discovered that the gemstone spinel is capable of storing quantum information, making it a viable material in the field of quantum technology.

The latest findings on the interaction between cell death and cellular senescence in cancer and their pathophysiological significance have been reviewed by a team led by Osaka Metropolitan University researchers.

With rugged terrain and mobility centered on personal car ownership, bringing together the residents of Okinawa with convenient and eco-friendly transportation is no easy feat.

But sustainable transit is key to both decarbonization and inclusive regional mobility. And now, a new research project, dubbed SO-SMART (a proactive SOcial-based framework for SMART transportation), aims to find sustainable and accessible public transport means through an innovative approach built on citizen participation.

Ice nucleating particles as a kind of aerosols have a significant impact on the Arctic climate by promoting the formation of ice clouds at a temperature above ­–38˚C. Wildfires in mid-latitudinal areas are a major source of these aerosols. However, a direct observation of wildfire-emitted aerosols facilitating ice cloud formation has never been documented. Now, using field and climate data, scientists from Japan have linked aerosols emitted by Canadian wildfires in 2023 to the formation of ice clouds over the Arctic Ocean.

Dating key tectonic events in Japan's geological history has long been often challenging due to poor microfossil preservation from intense heat due to metamorphism. Researchers tackled this by using Re–Os isotope geochronology on Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (Makimine and Shimokawa deposits) associated with sediment-covered mid-ocean ridges. Their findings revealed the timing of ridge subduction—when one tectonic plate was forced beneath another—a process that shaped Japan's landscape and provided new insights into its geological evolution.

The structural analysis of redox enzymes in their reduced and oxidized states is crucial for advancing bioelectronic devices like biosensors and biofuel cells. In a recent study, researchers from Tokyo University of Science, Japan, developed a novel method, electrochemical small-angle X-ray scattering, to study these structural differences. Their work on bilirubin oxidase (BOD) revealed that BOD adopts an open or closed state depending on its redox state, providing valuable insights for improving bioelectronics.