The rapid evolution of AI demands dramatic gains in the computing performance of GPUs used in data centers. Meanwhile, power consumption and heat density are rising sharply, and a "thermal wall," in which cooling capacity limits performance, is emerging. Efficiently dissipating the generated heat has become an urgent challenge. Its solution requires not only higher thermal conductivity of the materials, but also lower thermal resistance at the device-material interface to optimize the entire heat path. In this talk, we first introduce the measurement technologies Resonac is developing to accurately characterize interfacial thermal resistance. We then present the development status of thermal interface materials (TIMs) balancing heat dissipation with package reliability, including carbon-based and metal-based materials such as low-temperature sintered bonding, along with our efforts to enhance heat dissipation by focusing on the thermal transport properties of the bulk resin.

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) is driving a dramatic increase in data center power consumption, making both power delivery capacity and energy efficiency critical societal challenges. To overcome this “power supply barrier,” power conversion systems must achieve higher efficiency, greater power density, and improved reliability. Wide-bandgap semiconductor power devices based on SiC and GaN are attracting significant attention as key enabling technologies, offering performance beyond the limitations of conventional silicon power devices. This presentation provides an overview of the roles that SiC and GaN power devices play in realizing next-generation power infrastructure for AI data centers. It also introduces the latest research and development trends in SiC/GaN power device technologies and discusses future directions for next-generation power electronics enabled by these advances.

With AI and machine-learning services spreading, data centers need higher bandwidth between and within servers. Photonic-electronic integration, which places optical transceivers near electrical signal processors, is attracting attention. It includes Near-packaged Optics (NPO), with optical components near the package, and Co-packaged Optics (CPO), with electrical processors and optical components densely integrated in one package. Shorter wiring and lower loss enable high-capacity, high-speed communication. However, laser sources essential to optical communication are hard to integrate in photonic-electronic packages
because high temperatures make it difficult to maintain performance and reliability. Thus, external laser sources are commonly kept in stable thermal environments and supplied through optical fibers. This presentation reviews their required performance and
introduces recent technologies and trends in semiconductor laser sources for high-density integration.

Fusion energy—hailed as the "sun on Earth"—holds tremendous promise for decarbonization and energy security. Designated as one of Japan's 17 strategic focus areas, development is rapidly accelerating toward the national target of demonstrating power generation by the 2030s.

As Japan’s first fusion industry association, J-Fusion was launched in response to the first Japanese Fusion Energy Innovation Strategy. The council promotes industrial growth, safety regulations, standards, academic partnerships, talent development, and crucially, supply chain development aligned with global trends. This session provides an overview of the current development landscape, strategic initiatives, and key expectations for building a robust fusion supply chain.

We are a copper alloy materials manufacturer now in our 85th year of operation, and with 180 employees, we are a typical small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). This presentation will explain what inspired such an SME to become involved in fusion energy, the challenges we have faced over the past 20 years, and where we are headed in the future. Currently, through QST, we are participating in projects for JT-60SA and ITER, as well as ITER-related work through F4E.
Our core technology is the ability to control grain size and optimize manufacturing processes and conditions to achieve superior mechanical properties. We have utilized our accumulated know-how to supply CuCrZr alloys used in divertors, upper launchers, and first walls. Recently, we have been actively collaborating with startups rising up around the world. Going forward, we want to contribute widely to society by discovering new materials and supplying them to the fusion industry.

To achieve carbon neutrality and a circular economy, there is a need to shift toward adhesive and joining technologies that take into account the entire lifecycle—from product design to reuse and recycling. While adhesive technologies support weight reduction and the joining of dissimilar materials, they also present the challenge of making disassembly, sorting, and recycling difficult. In this presentation, we will introduce the activities of the “Adhesive and Joining Technology Consortium (T-CAB),” a collaborative initiative led by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) involving industry, academia, and government. We will also provide an overview of cutting-edge technologies that support circular manufacturing, including multi-material joining, surface and interface analysis, and material design utilizing quantum and AI technologies.

Solid-state quantum sensors based on diamond, silicon carbide, and two-dimensional materials have attracted increasing attention, with various sensing techniques being demonstrated. These sensors offer great potential for miniaturization and integration, and the development of practical sensor devices is being accelerated by advances in nanotechnology. In this talk, I will introduce the basic principles of solid-state quantum sensors and discuss how nanotechnology can contribute to their performance enhancement, integration, and future practical applications.

The trend of space development and utilization has drastically been changing in Japan. Especially, Space Strategic Fund plays an important role in encouraging new players in this field. In Space development and utilization always needs hardware of spacecraft, that is, materials are a key factor to build spacecraft. Materials for spacecraft such as artificial satellites flying around the earth, explorers in other celestial bodies and deep space must has tolerance in harsh space environments. In this session, the requirements of tolerance in space environments on materials for spacecraft and future prospects in this field are introduced.

This session explores the evolution of AI, the outlook for semiconductors driven by material technologies, and how the manufacturing industry is being transformed.

Surface technologies, which modify the surface state of materials to enhance their inherent properties and impart new functionalities, have become vital across a wide range of industrial sectors. A variety of methods and functional materials have been developed within this field, and there is now a growing demand for further advancements regarding resource and energy conservation, recyclability, extended service life, and safety. Surface technologies are broadly categorized into "wet processes" which treat material surfaces using a liquid phase (such as an aqueous solution), and "dry processes" which utilize a gas phase; both approaches continue to evolve by leveraging their respective advantages. This presentation outlines the development of these surface technologies and discusses their future prospects.

This presentation aims to provide an overview of the corrosion principles of steel-based metals within the marine environment and to explain the corrosion of various marine structures and facilities where this environment is applied, as well as the methods and approaches used. In particular, here will explain not only the overall aspects of cathodic protection methods and surface coating techniques applied to metals used in marine environments, but also high corrosion resistance Zn-Al-Mg ternary plated steel, which has recently attracted attention for its application in marine environmental design.. In addition, this study presents basic application guidelines for designing highly corrosion-resistant metal surface control in marine environments, sharing the correlation that differences in the coating method and its conditions lead to significant variations in the characteristics of corrosion control, such as film metal composition, phase and morphology, and crystal orientation etc..

Sliding is the same act, but what has to be measured differs between a hard
coating and a soft material. For hard coatings, the measures are the
friction coefficient and the strength that holds the interface until
repeated sliding delaminates it. For soft matter, the deformation itself
governs the response, so the rate and amplitude of deformation matter as
well; the range runs from adhesive sheets and gels to resin films and cell
layers. The OST3000 sliding peel strength tester observes delamination
automatically and records the residual groove depth. The FPR2200 friction
player runs dead-weight friction and wear tests under controlled temperature
and humidity, in liquid, under heating, and with four-terminal resistance
measurement. The RTT1000 rheo-tribo tester shears a soft material in plane,
as used and without a stacked specimen, and measures its viscoelasticity and
the strain at which slip sets in. The talk shows measured examples from all
three and how to choose among them.

With the rapid progress of AI agents, digital transformation in materials R&D is entering a new stage beyond conventional data analysis and property prediction. In addition to literature surveys, candidate material exploration, first-principles calculations, machine-learning potentials, experimental condition planning, hypothesis generation, and decision-making support, Physical AI linked with robotic experiments is also becoming increasingly realistic. In this talk, I will introduce our recent efforts toward AI agents and autonomous materials exploration, and discuss the potential of human?AI collaboration in materials research and development.

This session covers virtual twins and Scientific AI in R&D.
In early-stage material discovery, centrally managing materials data and experimental data on a digital platform improves reproducibility and traceability. We'll also cover how tightly linking simulation with experiments, quickly applying virtual results to real trials, boosts efficiency.
Dassault Systèmes' BIOVIA offers a next-gen platform where Scientific AI acts as an agent supporting researchers and engineers, covering everything from experiments to modeling and tool-building for the future of material discovery.

Materials R&D involves extensive trial and error across compositions, structures, experimental conditions, and characterization data. This session introduces practical applications of AI and materials informatics through real-world examples. We will also introduce Multi-Sigma Alchemy, an integrated AI platform supporting AI model development from experimental data, featurization of molecular, crystal, spectral, and image data, property prediction using pretrained AI models, materials exploration, and optimization of experimental conditions.

Prior to the panel discussion scheduled for the next session, this presentation outlines the knowledge required to follow it: what bioplastics are, and why they should be used. This session alone is designed to provide a compact yet essential understanding of the fundamentals of bioplastics. The field experience of companies actually putting these materials into practical use is left to the panel discussion that follows.

A few years ago, the bioplastics boom was doused with cold water by three factors: COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and exchange rates. In truth, Japan is the only market where this field has cooled; across the rest of the world, neighboring countries included, substitution with bioplastics has continued to advance steadily. By contrast, Japan alone has been left behind — the little-known reality, stated here without exaggeration. Since the Strait of Hormuz crisis flared up, moves to reconsider these materials have become visible in Japan as well, yet actual cases of substitution remain few. By contrast, neighboring countries are moving to switch over all at once. The circumstances behind this will be discussed in the main session. This session will present the voices of the companies and their practitioners who have been striving with unwavering dedication to put bioplastics into practical use, and aims to point to the path that businesses and consumers in this country should take.

Decoration technology is a technique for decorating the surface of an object to increase its value (product appeal), and various methods have been developed to suit different purposes and are applied in many fields. The more decorative expression with high design value is applied, the higher the product value will be. Future decoration technology will be required to add high added value such as functionality, environmental friendliness, and small-lot high-mix production, rather than simply for the purpose of appearance, and various development studies are currently underway. In this lecture, we will explain the latest decoration technology and provide an outlook for future trends.

Introduction of "Andromeda Blue," a new Xirallic® interference blue product that offers a sophisticated, deep, and intensely brilliant luster.
Its deep blue chroma infuses objects with a rich luminous blue presence. Its highly saturated blue combines blue coolness with a subtle hint of red warmth. Its dark flop defines edges through a distinct blue to dark-blue gradient. Its subtle neutral-blue sparkle effect adds elegance without excess.
Xirallic® Andromeda Blue lends every surface a character that is unmistakably premium.

It utilizes the proven "SW" surface treatment for weather resistance, enabling the successful realization of reddish-blue styling—a look that previously raised concerns regarding durability against the elements.

In an era where rational values like performance and technology are no longer enough to differentiate, what is truly needed is the power to translate "sensibility"—that which deeply moves people—into business value.
Throughout my career, from my experience at Sony to architectural design, new business development, and the launch of the high-end brand "NODEA" at LIXIL, I have consistently practiced business design that synthesizes "sensibility, humanity, and business."
In this session, I will fully share the practical, real-world insights I have gained on the front lines of connecting humanity and sensibility directly to business growth.

The automotive industry is undergoing a major transformation driven by electrification, the emergence of new EV manufacturers, and rapidly changing market demands. To remain competitive, automakers must shorten development cycles and introduce products more quickly and flexibly.

In this context, Additive Manufacturing (AM), particularly metal 3D printing, has gained attention as a production technology that enables complex geometries while reducing lead times. In the automotive sector, its application has expanded beyond prototyping to product development and service parts production, with increasing examples of low-volume manufacturing, especially in Europe and North America.

This presentation reviews the current status of metal AM adoption in the automotive industry, presents key insights gained from practical implementation efforts, and discusses future challenges and opportunities for wider industrial application.

Why are companies investing in their offices now? Drawing on nearly 40 years in the office business, this talk traces the lineage through which the office shifted from a "fixed cost" to an "investment" under human capital management—by way of West Coast tech offices, Activity Based Working, Japan's work-style reform, well-being, and the pandemic. It then introduces today's approach of continuously operating the office with data and AI, and, as the "world line" for the next decade envisioned by CENTRAL Laboratory, looks at a future in which offices and office furniture change in ever smaller, more frequent increments alongside technology.

Hirosaki University, a government-designated COI-NEXT hub, has established an industry-academia-government-public partnership based on 22 years of accumulated health big data comprising more than 3,000 items. Working with 80 organizations, including leading corporations, universities, national research institutes, and local governments, we have generated significant research outcomes and social implementations such as QOL health checkups, digital twin initiatives, and Pay-for-Success programs to promote a co-creative Well-being society.
We, as a J-PEAKS hub, have launched large-scale international collaborations with world-leading institutions, including Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University. Through partnerships with top research universities in Japan and abroad, we aim to establish a global center for Well-being research, demonstration, and innovation, driving the worldwide advancement of Well-being science and the creation of new interdisciplinary research fields.

With the implementation of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European packaging industry is undergoing significant change. Recyclable design, mono-material packaging, recycled content utilization, and enhanced traceability are becoming key requirements across the value chain.

This presentation provides an overview of the latest European packaging trends, including insights from Interpack 2026, and discusses the current status and future outlook of PPWR compliance. It also examines the role of Electron Beam (EB) curing printing technology from the perspectives of sustainability, packaging design, and manufacturing efficiency. Through comparisons with conventional printing technologies such as gravure and flexographic printing, the session explores how printing technologies may contribute to the next generation of sustainable packaging solutions.

GREEN SPRINGS is a district in Tachikawa, Tokyo, built on a site that allowed a floor area ratio of 500% but uses only about 150%. Sky, water and lawn were kept instead; there are no fences or gates, and the grounds stay open around the clock. The hall and the hotel are run in-house, and the events are planned by the same team. The concept came first - a well-being town where the sky, the land and people connect - and the buildings, the tenant mix and the way the place is operated all followed from it. This talk traces the decisions from 2015, when the land was acquired without a concrete plan, through the opening in 2020 to the present: what the client considered, what was chosen, and what was given up. Well-being is not created by installing equipment, but there is ample room for technology that supports it, measures it and keeps it going. The panel that follows explores what that could look like, using GREEN SPRINGS as the material.

GREEN SPRINGS in Tachikawa was developed around the concept of a "well-being town". Built around sky, water and greenery, it is now a place many people love. What would it take to carry that comfort into future well-being developments? In this panel, four people involved since the planning stage - the developer-operator who led it from concept to operation, the architectural project manager, the concert hall planner and operator, and the brand director - look back candidly at what they aimed for, what they could not fully define as requirements, and where technology was never connected. One lesson, for example, is that water and greenery are harder to maintain than to create. How can technology change the effort and cost of keeping them? Can physical AI and other new technologies be built in from the start of planning, rather than added later? Rather than offering answers, the panel shares open problems and hints for technology development, to spark new cross-industry collaboration.

PEEK offers excellent heat resistance, chemical resistance and mechanical strength, yet stable FFF printing is difficult, and getting from a printed shape to a part that can actually be used has been the real barrier. Working with Otsuka Chemical, Gutenberg has taken an approach that optimizes hardware and material together, combining the Japanese-made PEEK-capable printer G-ZERO MP1 with POTICON filament. This session reviews the techniques this required, from how to think about process conditions to suppressing warpage in thin plate geometries, and introduces the applications now opening up, including jigs and holders, sensor housings and electronic component trays. We also introduce a development grade with antistatic (ESD) performance and, as one example, the areas we aim to serve next, such as semiconductor cleaning, drying and reflow processes where static control is required.

Topology optimization is an analysis method that determines the best material distribution within a given design space to create an optimal structure. It balances competing trade-offs—such as maximizing heat transfer while minimizing pressure drop—yielding innovative designs that often go beyond traditional human intuition.

In this seminar, we’ll outline the key features of ToffeeX, a cloud-based generative design software that builds geometries directly from thermal and fluid physics. We will showcase practical case studies that leverage the design freedom of Additive Manufacturing (AM), including water jackets for EV motors, heat exchanger manifolds for hydrogen-electric aircraft, cooling channels for die-casting tools, and natural convection heat sinks.

Beyond just simulation, we’ll share key insights into the workflow from conceptual design to manufacturing, backed by results from real-world hardware testing.

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) is driving demand for higher performance, greater memory capacity, and lower power consumption in semiconductor systems. Advanced packaging technologies, including chiplet integration and 2.5D/3D integration, are becoming increasingly important. However, these technologies face challenges in fine-pitch interconnections, signal and power integrity, thermal management, mechanical stress caused by thermal expansion mismatch, and long-term reliability. This presentation reviews recent trends and key challenges in advanced semiconductor packaging, including RDL-based and glass interposers. It also discusses the requirements for insulating resins, adhesive and encapsulation materials, thermal management materials, and other advanced materials essential for next-generation semiconductor packaging.

Lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable for smartphones and notebook PCs and are also used in EVs. LIB electrodes have traditionally been manufactured using wet coating processes. In recent years, however, solvent-free “dry processes,” led by Tesla, have attracted increasing attention.
The speaker has a research background in foreign-affiliated companies and has participated in and presented at international conferences on roll-to-roll (RTR) technology, including the International Society of Coating Science and Technology (ISCST), European Coating Symposium (ECS), and Asian Coating Workshop (ACW). Through these activities, the speaker has built a unique network and is conducting research on flow analysis.
This presentation will introduce the latest trends in dry processes and research on intermittent coating, including modeling and flow simulations using the particle method.

From April 2026, PFOS and PFOA were established as water quality standards for tap water. This article explains the background of their establishment and provides the latest related information.

Microorganisms in water can form biofilms on equipment surfaces, reducing performance and causing operational problems. Control of microbial contamination is important in water systems such as RO membranes, cooling towers, heat exchangers, and drinking water pipelines.

While indicators such as TOC and BOD are widely used, direct microbial monitoring is important for quality assurance and preventive maintenance. However, heterotrophic plate count (HPC) methods typically require 5–21 days to obtain results.

This presentation introduces a rapid ATP-based method using a high-sensitivity luminometer and membrane filtration. Microbial ATP can be measured in approximately 5 minutes with sensitivity equivalent to 100 CFU/mL using 10 mL filtration. Results show good correlation with culture-based methods. The potential of this approach for early contamination detection and proactive water management will be discussed.

This lecture explains practical approaches to reducing operation and maintenance (O&M) costs and mitigating fouling in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems for wastewater treatment. Wastewater reuse applications balance energy, chemical, and membrane replacement costs.

Key topics include:

Biofouling Control: Techniques using appropriate biocides and intermittent dosing to suppress differential pressure increases while minimizing oxidative membrane degradation and negative impacts on boron and silica rejection rates.

Organic Fouling Control: Adopting a new cleaning philosophy that tolerates initial performance decline and initiates clean-in-place (CIP) promptly when normalized permeate flow drops after stabilization.

Energy Savings via Low-Flux Design: Combining low-flux operation and proper array configurations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and extend membrane life.

Through actual plant implementation examples, this session demonstrates reliable operation even under severe conditions.

In this seminar, we introduce “Bellefomer®,” a biological sludge volume reduction agent that can reduce excess sludge by up to 100%. Excess sludge generated during wastewater treatment requires processes such as dewatering and incineration, resulting in treatment costs and environmental impact. Bellefomer® combines a microbial agent containing microorganisms that decompose activated sludge with technical support. An optimal microbial consortium is customized to each facility’s activated sludge, with operational strategies proposed based on microscopic observations and operational data to maximize sludge reduction. Actual cases have achieved zero excess sludge removal while maintaining treated water quality, reducing treatment costs and CO₂ emissions. The seminar covers the mechanisms of sludge volume reduction, ways to maximize its effectiveness, and specific implementation cases, highlighting its potential to reduce maintenance costs and environmental impact.

As the world faces the dual challenges of carbon neutrality and energy security, electric power systems are evolving from infrastructure providers into platforms for social value creation. This keynote introduces the concept of Utility 3.0 and discusses the implementation of the Earth's metabolic system through the integration of energy, information, and heat. By combining renewable energy, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and distributed energy resources, a new societal architecture can emerge in which energy and information circulate seamlessly. Drawing on the perspectives of MESH and Watts & Bits, the presentation explores pathways toward a sustainable, resilient, and prosperity-oriented society and outlines a vision for the next stage of socio-technical evolution.