TOKYO, Mar 5, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), a company engaged in the industrial precious metals business of TANAKA, today announced the successful development of “HPM-L111”, the world’s first metal^*1 palladium (Pd) hydrogen permeable membrane capable of delivering high hydrogen permeation performance at low temperature range around 100°C. The breakthrough enables high-purity and fast hydrogen purification at significantly lower temperatures than previously possible, reducing energy consumption and supporting next-generation hydrogen ecosystem development across global markets.

Sample shipments of HPM-L111 is scheduled to begin on or after March 5, 2026, with production capacity of approximately 100 samples per month.

An academic presentation regarding this product will be made at The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials’ “2026 Spring Meeting,” which will be held at Chiba Institute of Technology from March 11 to 13, 2026. The product and a panel display will also be showcased at “H2 & FC EXPO Int’l Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo” being held at Tokyo Big Sight from March 17 to 19, 2026.

A palladium hydrogen permeable membrane is a thin membrane product made from palladium alloy, which has the properties of hydrogen absorption and permeation. It is widely used for the separation and purification of high-purity hydrogen. Traditionally, metal membranes require high temperatures (at least 300°C) to achieve effective hydrogen permeation. By applying special treatment to the membrane’s surface, TANAKA succeeded in developing a metal membrane that can demonstrate high hydrogen permeation performance even at a low temperature range at or below 100°C.

Issues in hydrogen purification using metal membranes and background to the development of HPM-L111

Among PdCu alloy membranes, the existing product PdCu40 (an alloy with 60% palladium content and 40% copper content) has the highest level of hydrogen permeation performance. However, operation at a high temperature range of around 400°C is required to achieve its true performance, and higher costs from the addition of heating facilities and such were an issue for many years. Furthermore, with the advancement of hydrogen-related technologies in recent years, there are increasing need for hydrogen permeation using metal membranes in the low temperature range of 100°C or lower. Meanwhile, the speed of hydrogen penetration from the surface into metal membranes generally decreases when the temperature is 200°C or lower, significantly reducing the hydrogen permeation performance of conventional metal membranes and making practical application an issue.

To solve these issues, for HPM-L111, TANAKA adopted its proprietary surface treatment technology nurtured through many years of precious metal materials research. Minute jagged structures were formed on the membrane’s surface to increase the specific surface area, resulting in a higher hydrogen penetration speed and achieving significant improvement in hydrogen permeation performance in the low temperature range of 100°C or lower.

Features of HPM-L111

• High hydrogen permeation performance in the low temperature range around 100°C
• World’s first metal membrane allowing high-purity hydrogen purification in the low temperature range around 100°C
• Expected contributions to higher accuracy of hydrogen sensors
• Allows high-speed removal of hydrogen generated within devices

Expected applications of high-purity hydrogen permeation in the low temperature range, or 100°C or lower, include hydrogen sensors, fuel cells, and removal of hydrogen in vacuum equipment. In hydrogen sensors, it can help to improve detection accuracy by isolating interfering gases, while in vacuum equipment and such, it allows hydrogen to be removed from inside the equipment while maintaining an operating environment close to room temperature or a low temperature range. Furthermore, it can contribute toward the realization of carbon neutrality by reducing the energy for heating, as the heating process to at least 300°C—which was previously required—is no longer necessary. TANAKA will support the realization of a clean and efficient hydrogen society through the provision of this product.

^*1 As of March 5, 2026, based on internal research (according to a survey of patents and papers on hydrogen permeable membranes)

About TANAKA

Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volume of precious metals it handles. Over many years, TANAKA has manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry and provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and worldwide collaborate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,591 employees, the group’s consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ended December 2024 were 846.9 billion yen.

TANAKA Industrial Precious Metal Materials Portal
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

Product inquiries
TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-on-industrial-products/

Press inquiries
TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/

Press Release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/2026305_EN.pdf 

TOKYO, Mar 3, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director & CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), a company engaged in the industrial precious metals business of TANAKA, today announced a gold bump^*1 transfer technology for the sintered gold (Au) bonding technology, AuRoFUSE™ Preforms. This technology allows AuRoFUSE™ Preforms (gold bumps) to be formed even on semiconductor chips and substrates^*2 with complex structures.

Advantages of being able to transfer gold bumps

In this technology, at first, gold bumps are formed on a substrate (transfer substrate). Then, the gold bumps are transferred to the target semiconductor chip or substrate. Openings are created on the silicon substrate used as the transfer substrate, and gold bumps are formed in them. By filling the entire opening, the gold bump is held by the substrate, eliminating the risk of dropping during the process. Meanwhile, during transfer, the gold bump shrinks under heat-treatment, forming a tiny gap between the opening and the gold bump. This allows easy extraction of gold bumps by the application of a force in the vertical direction.

As the traditional gold bump formation process is a method that directly forms bumps on the target semiconductor chip or substrate, it is difficult to handle target chips and substrates with complex shapes, such as protrusions, dents, or open holes due to issues such as inconsistent resist heights.

In this current transfer technology, gold bumps are manufactured separately and can be transferred only to the target locations. This allows the technology to also be applied to complex shapes. It can also be used with semiconductor chips and substrates that are difficult to process using photolithography^*3 due to concerns about damage from stripping solutions and others.

Manufacturing of transfer substrate and transfer and bonding process

(1) Preparation of silicon substrate as transfer substrate
(2) Application of photoresist to silicon substrate
(3) Exposure and development of target pattern
(4) Etching of silicon substrate to create holes
(5) Application of AuRoFUSE™ using a squeegee, etc.
(6) Vacuum drying of AuRoFUSE™ at room temperature and scraping off excess gold particles on the resist
(7) Removal of resist to complete transfer substrate
(8) Placement of transfer substrate on target (semiconductor chip or substrate) for gold bump formation, thermocompression at 10 MPa and 150℃ for one minute, followed by vertical lifting of substrate to transfer gold bumps
(9) Bonding of post-transfer target through thermocompression at 20 MPa and 200℃ for 10 seconds

An illustration of the traditional gold bump formation process is available in the “Manufacturing of AuRoFUSE™ Preforms” section for reference on TANAKA’s website.

About the sintered gold bonding technology “AuRoFUSE™ Preforms”

Developed by TANAKA, “AuRoFUSE™ Preforms” is a bonding technology that forms bumps of all kinds of shapes using a paste comprising gold particles and an organic solvent. Through a thermocompression bonding process (20 MPa at 200℃ for 10 seconds), AuRoFUSE™ Preforms exhibits compression of approximately 10% in the compressive direction while showing minimal deformation in the horizontal direction. This gives them sufficient bonding strength^*4 for practical applications. With the main component being gold, which has a high level of chemical stability, AuRoFUSE™ Preforms also provides excellent reliability after mounting.

This technology enables miniaturization of semiconductor wiring and greater integration (higher density) for various types of chips. It is expected to contribute to the needs for miniaturization and better performance of semiconductors, which have been rising in recent years, including optical devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and semiconductor lasers (LDs), use in digital devices such as personal computers, smartphones, as well as in-vehicle components, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and such.

Traditionally, the main methods used in bump formation technology are soldering and plating. However, as solder tends to spread outward in molten state, there was the risk of short-circuiting through contact between electrodes as the bump pitch becomes finer. Meanwhile, plating can achieve a fine pitch, but because comparatively higher pressures are required during bonding, there is the possibility of causing chip damage. For reference, an illustration outlining the advantages of this technology compared with soldering and plating materials is provided in the “Comparison of AuRoFUSE™ Preforms with Other Materials” section on TANAKA’s website. This technology was developed to address these issues for use in next-generation high-density mounting and photonics-electronics integration devices.

AuRoFUSE™ and TANAKA’s gold materials

AuRoFUSE™ is a paste-type bonding material containing a mixture of gold particles, with the particle diameter controlled to be submicron sized, and an organic solvent. Compared to the melting point of gold (approximately 1,064℃), bonding is possible at a low temperature of approximately 200℃.

Gold is a material with low electrical resistance and extremely high thermal conductivity. Therefore, in power semiconductors that handle large currents and high-density chips that dissipate a lot of heat, it can efficiently dissipate heat and limit energy loss. Among precious metals, it is also particularly resistant to oxidation and has stable properties, making it less susceptible to corrosion after mounting and ion migration (a phenomenon in which metals move and cause short circuits). This allows it to maintain high reliability over long periods of time.

TANAKA is highly skilled in precious metal material development technologies, developed since its establishment. It has used these technologies to undertake development of precious metal materials, such as gold, which plays a key role in the semiconductor field. With a system that integrates the entire chain of processes, from raw material procurement to material development, manufacturing, and recycling, TANAKA will contribute to the development of semiconductor technologies and the realization of a sustainable society while effectively using limited precious metal resources.

^*1 Bumps: Protruding electrodes
^*2 Substrate: Board that electrically and mechanically supports semiconductor chips mounted on it
^*3 Photolithography: Technology for forming fine circuit patterns on substrates
^*4 Bonding: Refers to shear strength (strength determined through application of a lateral load during testing)

About TANAKA

Since its foundation in 1885, TANAKA has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volume of precious metals it handles. Over many years, TANAKA has manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry and provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and worldwide collaborate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,591 employees, the group’s consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ended December 2024 were 846.9 billion yen.

TANAKA Industrial Precious Metal Materials Portal
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com

Product inquiries
TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-on-industrial-products/

Press inquiries
TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL GROUP Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/

Press Release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20260303_EN.pdf 

TOKYO, Feb 6, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Sony Corporation (Sony), Mitsubishi Corporation, ADEKA CORPORATION , CHIMEI Corporation, ENEOS Corporation, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation, Hanwha Impact Corporation, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., Mitsui Chemicals, Inc., Neste Corporation, Qingdao Haier New Material Development Co., Ltd., SK Geo Centric Co., Ltd., Toray Industries, Inc., and Toray Advanced Materials Korea Inc. have jointly established the world’s first global supply chain consisting of fourteen companies across five countries and regions for the production of renewable plastics*2 that can be used in Sony’s high-performance audio-visual products. The various plastic materials manufactured through this supply chain are slated for use in Sony’s products that will be launched worldwide.

＜Overview of the Entire Supply Chain＞
(1) Production of renewable naphtha — Neste Corporation / (2) Production of renewable styrene monomer — Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. / (3) Production of renewable polystyrene resin — Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation / (4) Production of renewable para-xylene — SK Geo Centric Co., Ltd. / (5) Production of renewable para-xylene — ENEOS Corporation / (6) Production of renewable terephthalic acid — Hanwha Impact Corporation / (7) Production of renewable PET resin — Toray Advanced Materials Korea Inc. / (8) Production of renewable bisphenol-A — Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. / (9) Production of renewable polycarbonate (PC) resin — CHIMEI Corporation / (10) Production of renewable flame retardants — ADEKA CORPORATION / (11) Production of renewable PC/ABS resin — Qingdao Haier New Material Development Co., Ltd./ (12) Molding manufacturers / (13) Design and manufacturing of finished products — Sony Corporation

High-performance products such as audio-visual equipment involve a wide variety of plastics, resulting in a complex supply chain that makes it difficult to visualize and manage the entire flow from raw materials. Additionally, plastic components that require high performance in terms of flame resistance and optical properties cannot be fully replaced with plastics produced through material recycling*3, hindering the further reduction of virgin fossil-based plastics in such products.

To address these challenges, the fourteen companies collaborated to visualize the existing supply chain for Sony’s products, and created a new supply chain that enables the production of multiple types of renewable plastics from biomass resources with a mass balance approach*4. This allows Sony to proactively source raw materials for its products with the quality and properties equivalent to virgin fossil-based plastics. Defining the supply chain helps the companies track and document GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions data over the supply chain in a verifiable way, allowing participating companies to leverage the data to advance efforts to reduce their carbon footprint going forward.

This initiative involving wide-ranging partners is part of the ‘Creating NEW from reNEWable materials' project, jointly launched by Sony, which aims to achieve zero usage of virgin fossil-based plastics through the introduction of renewable plastics, and Mitsubishi Corporation.

Sony, Mitsubishi Corporation, and the supply chain partners will continue to actively promote the introduction of renewable plastics for high-performance products such as audio-visual products.

About Project

Project Introduction Video：https://youtu.be/3ba3t356sHI

[About Sony Corporation]

Sony Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the mission to "create the future of entertainment through the power of technology together with creators", we aim to continue to deliver Kando* to people around the world. Sony is actively promoting initiatives to reduce environmental impact as part of the Sony Group’s "Road to Zero" environmental plan, which aims for zero environmental impact by 2050. In this project, Sony will oversee the entire supply chain and promote the utilization of renewable plastics in our products. https://www.sony.co.jp/en/

[About Mitsubishi Corporation]

Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) is an integrated trading and investment company that develops and operates businesses across multiple industries together with its global network. MC has eight Business Groups that operate across virtually every industry: Environmental Energy, Materials Solution, Mineral Resources, Urban Development & Infrastructure, Mobility, Food Industry, Smart-Life Creation, and Power Solution. Through these eight Business Groups, MC’s activities have expanded far beyond its traditional trading operations to include project development, production, and manufacturing operations, working in collaboration with our trusted partners around the world. In this project, MC plays a comprehensive role in overseeing the supply chain, including credit delivery management, and promoting the introduction of renewable plastics into Sony products. https://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/

[About ADEKA CORPORATION]

ADEKA CORPORATION is a manufacturer of valuable materials with over 100 years of history. ADEKA aims to realize a sustainable society by globally expanding valuable materials that enrich people's lives, such as polymer additives that enhance plastic functionality, advanced semiconductor materials, environmental materials, food products, and agrochemicals. In this project, we manufacture flame retardants with biomass characteristics assigned using a mass balance approach. https://www.adeka.co.jp/en/

[About CHIMEI Corporation]

CHIMEI is a leading high-performance materials company that designs and manufactures advanced polymer materials, synthetic rubbers, and specialty chemicals, delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for industries worldwide. With a commitment to circularity, environmental responsibility, and close client collaboration, CHIMEI supports and partners with global companies to elevate product performance while jointly minimizing environmental impact. In this project, CHIMEI produces polycarbonate resin (PC) with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.chimeicorp.com/en-US

[About ENEOS Corporation]

At ENEOS Corporation, our network has grown to about 12,000 ENEOS branded service stations across Japan. ENEOS is expanding business to accommodate energy transitions into sources like hydrogen and Synthetic Fuels in addition to petroleum and petrochemical products produced and manufactured at refineries and factories at various locations in Japan. The ENEOS Group aims to achieve both a stable supply of energy and materials and the realization of a carbon-neutral society, based on its commitment of “Supporting ‘today’s normal,’ taking the lead for ‘tomorrow’s normal.’” In this project, ENEOS manufactures paraxylene (PX) with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.hd.eneos.co.jp/english/

[About Formosa Chemicals & Fibre Corporation (FCFC)]

FCFC is a comprehensive chemical company that manufactures petrochemical products, synthetic fibers, and plastics. FCFC implements a circular economy to achieve both environmental protection and industrial development, working on the development of green chemicals and the expansion of reusable materials. In this project, FCFC manufactures polystyrene (PS) with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.fcfc.com.tw/

[About Hanwha Impact Corporation]

Hanwha Impact is a leading petrochemical and investment company, engaged in chemical products and next-generation energy solutions. Hanwha Impact aims to achieve a sustainable society through developing eco-friendly energy solutions and fostering future innovative technologies. In this project, Hanwha Impact produces high-purity terephthalic acid (PTA) with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.hanwhaimpact.com/

[About Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.]

The Idemitsu Group is engaged in the development, manufacture, and sales of a wide variety areas of Petroleum, Basic Chemicals, High-Performance Materials, Power/Renewable Energy, and in a variety of fields. Idemitsu Kosan is taking on the challenge of an energy transition to help realize a carbon-neutral and circular society by 2050. In the Basic Chemicals business, we are promoting the use of biomass feedstocks and advancing chemical recycling initiatives. In this project, Idemitsu Kosan produces styrene monomer (SM) using a mass balance approach. https://www.idemitsu.com/en/index.html

[About Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.]

Mitsui Chemicals is a chemical manufacturer that provides solutions for achieving a sustainable society, offering a wide range of products and services from basic chemicals to high-performance materials. Aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, the company is working to reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) and to maximize its contribution to GHG reductions throughout the entire product life cycle. In this project, Mitsui Chemicals produce biomass-derived bisphenol A (BPA) using the mass balance approach. https://jp.mitsuichemicals.com/en/index.htm

[About Neste Corporation]

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for mitigating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. The company is the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel, and renewable and circular solutions for the chemical and plastics industries. In this project, NESTE supplies renewable naphtha made from waste cooking oil and other renewable raw materials. https://www.neste.com/

[About Qingdao Haier New Material Development Co., Ltd.]

Haier is a global home appliance manufacturer originating, offering a wide range of products including refrigerators and washing machines. Haier New Materials, a subsidiary of the Haier Group, reduces carbon emissions and promotes the construction of a sustainable society by recycling regenerated plastic materials from disassembled home appliances. In this project, Haier produces recycled PC/ABS blended with a flame retardant with assigned biomass characteristics. https://www.haierdawn-plastics.com/

[About SK Geo Centric Co., Ltd.]

SKGC is a leading chemical company, offering petrochemical products such as olefins, aromatics and polymers. SKGC is upgrading our portfolio to provide more sustainable products in consumer’s daily lives. In this project, SKGC manufactures paraxylene (PX) with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.skgeocentric.com/

[About Toray Industries, Inc.]

Toray Industries, Inc., is a global leader in advanced materials innovation, comprising more than 300 affiliated companies and approximately 48,000 employees worldwide. Since 1926, Toray Industries have continuously expanded our business portfolio—from Fibers & Textiles, to Resins & Chemicals, Films, Electronics & Information Materials, Carbon Fiber Composite Materials, Pharmaceuticals & Medical Products, as well as Water Treatment & Environment. April 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Toray’s founding. In line with our Corporate Philosophy, “Contributing to society through the creation of new value with innovative ideas, technologies and products,” we will commit to delivering fundamental solutions to global-scale challenges. https://www.toray.com/ 

[About Toray Advanced Materials Korea Inc.]

TAK is a comprehensive chemical manufacturer, offering various products from daily life to high-end industries. With consistent investing and innovation, TAK provides material solutions for climate crisis. In this project, TAK manufactures PET resin and film with assigned biomass characteristics using a mass balance approach. https://www.torayamk.com 

*1 In the manufacturing of audio-visual products, this initiative is regarded as a “world’s first” in that it visualizes the entire supply chain from raw materials to finished products and converts raw materials to biomass-based materials at mass-production scale.(Based on research conducted by Mitsubishi Corporation. At the time of announcement in Feb. 2026)
*2 Plastics made from renewable biomass resources instead of fossil resources.
*3 A method of reusing plastic materials by returning used plastics to their original form through physical processes such as crushing, cleaning, and melting, rather than discarding them.
*4 This is a method of allocating the characteristics of specific raw materials, such as biomass resources, to a portion of the product based on the input amount of those materials when they are mixed with non-specific raw materials during the distribution and processing stages from raw materials to products.

* "Sony", "SONY" logo and any other product names, service names or logo marks used in this press release are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Group Corporation or its affiliates. Other product names, service names, company names or logo marks are trademarked and copyrighted properties of their respective owners and/or licensors.
* Visual content in this release may be removed without prior notice due to licensing or copyright reasons.
* Kando is a Japanese word that roughly translates to the sense of awe and emotion you feel when experiencing something beautiful and amazing for the first time.

Materiality

Based on the Three Corporate Principles, which serve as MC’s core philosophy, MC has continued to grow together with society by contributing to the sustainable development of society through its business activities while pursuing value creation. While continuously creating Shared Value guided by the Materiality, a set of crucial societal issues, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Guided by this Materiality, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Out of the six material issues relating to “Realizing a Carbon Neutral Society and Striving to Enrich Society Both Materially and Spiritually”, this project’s activities particularly support “Contributing to Decarbonized Societies” and “Promoting Stable, Sustainable Societies and Lifestyles.”

Inquiry Recipient

Mitsubishi Corporation
Telephone:+81-3-3210-2171

Bethesda, United States, and Kawasaki, Japan, Feb 2, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu Limited today announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly accelerate technology development in several critical areas, leveraging Lockheed Martin’s integrated systems expertise and Fujitsu’s world-leading technologies and commercial scale to advance innovation of dual-use capabilities.

Through the MOU the companies plan to strengthen the technological foundation for dual-use solutions in quantum computing, edge computing enabled by advanced sensing and real-time data fusion, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), advanced microelectronics, and multi-domain next-generation network solutions.

CTO Perspectives

“This collaboration accelerates technologies that are critical to meeting the future needs of our customers,” said Craig Martell, vice president and chief technology officer, Lockheed Martin. “Coupling the expertise of Lockheed Martin and Fujitsu across technology areas will be a force multiplier, advancing leadership in critical technologies like microelectronics, inference at the edge and quantum solutions. We look forward to our work together and delivering innovation with speed to our customers.

“We are honored to collaborate with Lockheed Martin, a leader in defense technologies, on the development of advanced ICT technologies for future dual-use applications,” said Vivek Mahajan, corporate executive officer, corporate vice president, and chief technology officer in charge of System Platform, Fujitsu Limited. “Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen the competitive standing of both companies.”

A Continuing Collaboration

The MOU expands on a May 2025 agreement that selected Fujitsu as the supplier of Lockheed Martin’s SPY-7 Subarray Suite Power Supply Line Replaceable Unit, and established a strategic collaboration to strengthen Japan’s defense industrial base.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery. Our all-domain mission solutions and 21st Century Security® vision accelerate the delivery of transformative technologies to ensure those we serve always stay ahead of ready. More information at www.lockheedmartin.com

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers around the globe, our 113,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: AI, Computing, Networks, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.6 trillion yen (US$23 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: global.fujitsu

Press Contacts

Lockheed Martin
Corporate Media Relations
301-214-3030
E-mail: media.relations@lmco.com 

Fujitsu Limited
Public and Investor Relations Division
Inquiries

All company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

TSUKUBA, Japan, Jan 19, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - Materials research generates vast amounts of data, but the information often exists in manufacturer-specific formats and the terminology is inconsistent, making it difficult to aggregate, compare, and reuse. Traditionally, researchers have had to spend considerable time on tedious tasks, such as format conversion, metadata assignment, and characteristics extraction. These extra steps can make researchers reluctant to share data, hindering the advancement of data-driven work. The problem is made even more acute by the field’s increasing reliance on AI-driven materials discovery, which requires high-quality datasets.

A highly flexible data system automatically interprets a variety of experimental data, and stores it in a format with enhanced readability for materials informatics.

To address this problem, researchers at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) have developed Research Data Express (RDE), a highly flexible data management system for materials scientists. Published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods, RDE automatically interprets experimental data from raw files and manually inputted measurements. It then restructures and stores this information in a format with enhanced readability.

“RDE significantly reduces the burden of routine data processing for researchers and enhances data findability, interoperability, reusability (the FAIR principles), and traceability,” explains Jun Fujima, corresponding author and researcher at NIMS’s Materials Data Platform. “We hope this will promote collaborative, data-driven materials research.”          

Many systems of a similar purpose usually “define” the data format. In contrast, the RDE’s core innovation “Dataset Template” defines and directs how data from different types of experiments should be processed. For example, if a researcher uploads spreadsheets of X-ray measurements from different sources, the Dataset Template can be configured to interpret them. The system then automatically performs advanced analyses and creates visualizations to provide an immediate overview. Multiple templates can be prepared for different materials research themes, allowing for maximum flexibility in data management. A custom template can also be easily prepared by individual researchers if necessary. Many templates have already been prepared and shared among users.

“RDE’s unique approach allows researchers to freely define data structures tailored to their instruments, while enabling the system to perform massive data structuring and metadata extraction automatically,” says Fujima.

Since its launch in January 2023, RDE has been widely adopted across Japan’s materials research community, demonstrating its scalability. To date, it has over 5,000 users, with more than 1,900 Dataset Templates for various experimental methods implemented, over 16,000 datasets created, and more than three million data files accumulated. The system serves as a data infrastructure for major national initiatives, including the Materials Research DX Platform initiative promoted by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The NIMS team has released an open-source software toolkit (RDEToolKit) to encourage use of the system within the research community.

Further information
Jun Fujima
National Institute for Materials Science 
FUJIMA.Jun@nims.go.jp

Paper: https://doi.org/10.1080/27660400.2025.2597702 

About Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods (STAM-M)

STAM Methods is an open access sister journal of Science and Technology of Advanced Materials (STAM), and focuses on emergent methods and tools for improving and/or accelerating materials developments, such as methodology, apparatus, instrumentation, modeling, high-through put data collection, materials/process informatics, databases, and programming. https://www.tandfonline.com/STAM-M 

Dr Kazuya Saito
STAM Methods Publishing Director 
SAITO.Kazuya@nims.go.jp

Press release distributed by Asia Research News for Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.

TOKYO, Japan, Jan 13, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (”MC”) is pleased to announce that it has made an additional investment in Starlab Space LLC (“Starlab”), a leading candidate for participation (*1) in the Commercial SpaceStation Program (*2). As part of this investment, MC has also acquired the usage rights to the experimental module associated with the Commercial Space Station.

Since 2008, the Japanese government has actively operated and utilized the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo aboard the International Space Station (“ISS”), continuously dispatching astronauts and fostering research and development across government agencies, private enterprises, and academic institutions. Kibo has played a pivotal role in advancing high-quality protein crystal generation experiments, contributing to the development of orphan drugs and biopharmaceuticals. It also enabled research into semiconductor materials that cannot be produced on Earth, establishing itself as a hub for technological innovation across diverse industries.

Meanwhile, the ISS is expected to retire in the 2030s due to aging equipment. To ensure that Japan’s government, industry, and academia can continue space-based activities, it is essential to secure access to a new commercial space station. This station is being developed by U.S. private companies, under NASA’s leadership as the successor to the ISS. Strengthening collaboration with these U.S.-based space companies, which are potential operators of the new station, is an urgent priority for Japan.

With this additional investment, MC will appoint a director to participate in the management of Starlab.

Furthermore, by acquiring usage rights for the space station experimental module from Starlab, MC will continue to advance the development and expansion of space station utilization across various industries, such as semiconductors and life sciences, which have been key focus areas for MC since its investment in Starlab in April 2024. The use of this module will accelerate space-based research and development by Japanese research institutions and private companies. This includes progress in cancer and rare disease treatment through drug discovery and nanomedicine, the development of new materials, next-generation semiconductor manufacturing in a low-gravity environment, and innovations such as space-based computing technologies.

Through additional investment in Starlab and the acquisition of usage rights for the space station experimental module, MC will contribute to the advancement of Japan's manned space activities, as promoted by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Additionally, by leveraging MC's experience in creating new businesses and building industrial interfaces, new opportunities will emerge for various industries to utilize the new Commercial Space Station, contributing to the development of Japan's space industry and broader space development efforts. MC also aims to address social challenges on Earth through space-based research and business activities.

(*1) Starlab is one of the three companies selected from a pool of 11 applicants in a competitive bid conducted in 2021 under this program. As of February 2025, it has successfully completed all reviews for the four major development milestones set by NASA.

(*2) A program promoted by NASA. Its goal is to ensure a smooth transition to the next-generation space station following the retirement of the ISS, which has been operated by government agencies around the world, primarily in the United States. The program supports the development of commercial space stations by selecting and funding private companies to promote commercial activities in low Earth orbit.

About Mitsubishi Corporation

Mitsubishi Corporation is an integrated trading and investment company that develops and operates businesses across multiple industries together with its global network. MC has eight business segments that span virtually every industry: Environmental Energy, Material Solution, Mineral Resources, Urban Development and Infrastructure, Mobility, Food Industry, Smart-Life Creation, and Power Solution.

Since 1969, Mitsubishi Corporation has been involved in strategic partnerships that have helped advance the development and operation of Japanese rockets, satellites, ground stations, as well as initiatives related to the International Space Station. It has also supported space experiments conducted via U.S. space shuttle missions.

About Starlab Space LLC

Materiality

Based on the Three Corporate Principles, which serve as MC’s core philosophy, MC has continued to grow together with society by contributing to the sustainable development of society through its business activities while pursuing value creation. While continuously creating Shared Value guided by the Materiality, a set of crucial societal issues, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Guided by this Materiality, MC will continue to strengthen its efforts towards sustainable corporate growth. Out of the six material issues relating to “Realizing a Carbon Neutral Society and Striving to Enrich Society Both Materially and Spiritually”, this project’s activities particularly support “Utilizing Innovation to Address Societal Needs”.

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Mitsubishi Corporation
Telephone:+81-3-3210-2171