--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Innovation for Health, Wealth and Wisdom image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Innovation for Health, Wealth and Wisdom Japan’s reputation for world-leading innovation may have been born in powerhouse industries such as vehicles and electronics. However, the country’s work in the health and well-being sectors is just as impressive, with leading medical technology vital to the nation’s economy and exports. Alongside its strong academic tradition, this success is helping Japan play a crucial role in R&D across these fields. Hideki Kawakubo, president and CEO of Hogy Medical Co., Ltd., said his firm is utilizing AI to help streamline hospital scheduling plans. “A challenge we are addressing is the manual and time-consuming process of assigning surgical teams. To ease this burden, we are developing an AI-based system that can instantly draft optimal team assignments based on individual characteristics, experience, availability and interpersonal compatibility,” said Kawakubo. “This tool is designed to support, not replace, the judgment of medical professionals, and to help reduce unnecessary stress in team coordination,” he added. Kiyotaka Horita, president and CEO of Yamada Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., admitted that the beauty industry has been relatively slow in adopting the latest connected technologies compared to other sectors. “This is mainly because we deal with high-mix, low-volume production, which makes it quite challenging to achieve operational efficiency at the factory level. We cannot achieve full automation, but we are able to integrate some machinery with automated operations alongside manual labor,” said Horita. “Of course, the IoT (Internet of Things) will help us streamline operations, especially in areas like R&D and partnerships within our group. We’re using digital tools to streamline backend operations that go beyond the boundaries of our individual companies, particularly in research. This includes connecting research departments with production teams or linking factories across different countries,” he added. Also in the beauty sector, Protex Japan Inc. is investing in R&D to drive sales and customer service forward. President Yoshiaki Sakai said, “We provide salon-oriented products to retailers, ensuring that we can align professional-level quality with consumers. Because of this, we conduct deep R&D using a range of different technologies. Japanese makers are very conscious of beauty regarding hair care. As such, we see ourselves as a company that needs to innovate in this space, often developing something entirely from scratch.” Hiroyuki Sasaki, president of Pro Labo Holdings Co., Ltd., agreed on the importance of such innovation. “Japanese makers are particularly skilled at developing precise, delicate formulations. They’re able to combine ingredients in ways that result in exceptionally high-quality beauty products,” Sasaki said. “At our company, we focus on supporting inner beauty. We’ve developed technologies that allow us to create refined, effective products that promote beauty from the inside out,” he added. Innovation that drives health and well-being research is a hallmark of the work at Kagawa Nutrition University. “From a nutrition perspective, we’re introducing DX by looking at the entire food cycle. Through AI and ICT, we can now visualize nutrition more clearly,” said Professor Akio Kagawa, president of the university. “People can now see whether their diet is truly balanced or needs improvement. On top of that, data allows us to visualize other important factors, including the carbon footprint of a person’s diet or the amount of food waste they generate,” he added. Masato Kurabayashi, president of Josai International University, said using new digital tools helps support a whole new level of student learning. “With AI, it’s becoming much easier for students to access knowledge across a wide range of disciplines. This kind of overlapping approach to education would help them develop new concepts and theories much more easily,” said Kurabayashi. “We want to create an environment that provides opportunities and incentives for students to pursue this kind of higher-level learning,” he said. At Tenri University Corporation, students are given data lessons and training in how to use new digital tools ethically and effectively. “We do encourage students to use Al as a tool in their coursework if deemed necessary, but by stating so in all fairness, and we offer data science introductory classes as a prerequisite for all incoming students,” said President Rev. Hinao Nagao. “Our faculties are also using generative Al as well in the preliminary, preparatory stages of their research projects. AI and data science cannot be done away with in whatever we do in academia and society at large. With this understanding, we are making rules and policies that traffic and foster fair and acceptable usage of AI,” he added. 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