Scientists have been intrigued by the potential of cyborg insects since the 1990s when researchers began implanting tiny electrodes into cockroach antennae and shocking them to direct their movements The idea was to use them as hybrid robots for search-and-rescue applications For instance, in 2015, Texas A&M scientists found that implanting electrodes into a cockroach's ganglion (the neuron cluster that controls its front legs) was remarkably effective at successfully steering the roaches 60 percent of the time They outfitted the roaches with tiny backpacks synced with a remote controller and administered shocks to disrupt the insect's balance forcing it to move in the desired direction And in 2021, scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore turned Madagascar hissing cockroaches into cyborgs implanting electrodes in sensory organs known as cerci that were then connected to tiny computers Applying electrical current enabled them to steer the cockroaches successfully 94 percent of the time in simulated disaster scenes in the lab The authors of this latest paper were inspired by that 2021 project and decided to apply the basic concept to singing cicadas with the idea that cyborg cicadas might one day be used to transmit warning messages during emergencies the production of sound occurs via a pair of membrane structures called tymbals which are just below each side of the insect's anterior abdominal region The tymbal muscles contract and cause the plates to vibrate while the abdomen acts as a kind of resonating chamber to amplify the song The Tsukuba team essentially hijacked the tymbals of seven large male cicadas of the Graptosaltria nigrofuscata species by attaching electrodes to create their insect-computer hybrid speakers This species has fewer muscles or organs near the tymbals making it easier to focus the electrical stimulation on those sound-producing muscles and its larger size made it easier to perform the necessary surgical procedures A user interface sent electrical signals through an amplifier circuit which enhanced the signals and sent them to the electrodes on the cicadas Microphones placed one centimeter in front of the insects recorded their chirps in response to the electrical stimulation while a circuit tester measured the voltage flowing through their tiny bodies The researchers experimented with different voltages to determine the optimal voltages for producing each pitch interval and mapped the resulting waveforms "Some of them wanted to run away," he said arXiv, 2025. DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2504.16459  (About DOIs) In a class of its own: The Hyundai Future Mobility School IONIQ 9 premieres at Goldstein House in Los Angeles One step further: Celebrating the historic milestone of 100 million vehicles produced Hyundai Motor Company’s Carbon Neutrality Vision Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec Sets Fastest EV Record at ‘Attack Tsukuba 2025’ 2025 – Hyundai Motor Company’s IONIQ 5 N has set a new standard in electric vehicle (EV) performance achieving the fastest lap time by an EV at the ‘Attack Tsukuba 2025’ motorsport event in Japan Held at the legendary Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki Prefecture the track is known for its compact and challenging layout providing the perfect stage for participants to showcase the capabilities of their vehicles Hyundai N entered the event with the IONIQ 5 N TA (Time Attack) Spec driven by renowned Japanese professional driver “I'm honored to have had the opportunity to drive the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec at Attack Tsukuba 2025 which enabled me to significantly break my previous EV record” “The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec stops well and handles excellently I could push the car to the limit with real confidence.” a motorsport variant of the award-winning IONIQ 5 N It took victory at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in the modified production electric SUV category The vehicle is designed to showcase the strengths of the production-spec IONIQ 5 N without significant modifications The IONIQ 5 N TA Spec retains the standard car’s high-performance power electronics (PE) system the TA Spec’s maximum output has been boosted to 687 PS with the rear motor’s power increased by 37 PS compared with the standard IONIQ 5 N Additional upgrades include N Active Sound+ with modified speakers (over 120 dB) the IONIQ 5 N TA Spec is the fastest EV ever to lap the Tsukuba Circuit This result was almost two seconds faster than the nearest EV competitor despite the IONIQ 5 N TA Spec using mostly production components in critical systems such as its motors This achievement signifies Hyundai’s advanced EV technologies and strengthens Hyundai Mobility Japan’s position in the country’s small but growing EV market Hyundai Mobility Japan recently launched the INSTER sub-compact electric SUV in the Japanese market “Today’s record is a clear demonstration of Hyundai’s commitment to advancing EV technologies and delivering exceptional performance,” said Joon Park is not only a significant milestone that validates our technological prowess but also demonstrates Hyundai N’s commitment to bringing high performance EVs deeper into global car culture through events such as Attack Tsukuba.” Hyundai Mobility Japan also showcased the recently revealed IONIQ 5 N DK Edition a show vehicle with a special high-performance parts package Hyundai N created the package in collaboration with Autobacs Seven a leading Japanese automotive parts and service company the legendary Japanese race car driver also known as ‘Drift King’ – the package’s namesake Hyundai N intends to bring the DK Edition N Performance Parts package to market providing IONIQ 5 N customers with enhanced road and track performance Hangmo Chohangmo.cho@hyundai.comGlobal PR Contents · Hyundai Motor Company Disclaimer: Hyundai Motor Group believes the information contained herein to be accurate at the time of release the company may upload new or updated information if required and assumes that it is not liable for the accuracy of any information interpreted and used by the reader Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services In pursuit of sustainable future for the world Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai Practical insights from and foracademics and university staff Everything you need for each stepof your study abroad journey Increasing the number of postgraduate students in Japan is crucial to help mitigate the impact of demographic decline the head of a leading university and president of the national universities association has said Nagata Kyosuke, president of the University of Tsukuba said the best way to “compensate” for Japan’s decreasing population size is to “develop more talent” from each student A key way of doing this is through increasing the number of students continuing on to postgraduate studies with the wages on offer to PhD holders often equivalent to those for roles that don’t require such advanced qualifications With the shrinking youth population arguably the most significant problem facing Japan the future of its universities is in question Recently, the government set out plans to encourage mergers within the sector and incentivise some institutions to close While large national universities like Tsukuba are unlikely to be the target of these schemes they aren’t immune from the problems facing the sector either in his role as the president of the Japanese Association of National Universities (JANU) Kyosuke penned a statement saying that universities were reaching crisis points because of the impact of inflation and declining funding “The fundamental support from the government is not increasing However, like others in Japan, he remains pragmatic. Given the shrinking pool of traditional university entrants, it seems unlikely that any government will devote significantly more funding to the sector Universities have to develop a “new way to get money” including increasing research funding and partnering with companies Some, such as the University of Tokyo, have decided to raise their tuition fees Kyosuke sees this move as somewhat inevitable after discussing with stakeholders,” he said But Kyosuke is keen to uphold the principles of Japan’s national universities which advocate for access to higher education for all students will have to be offset with wider scholarships Another solution some see as key to the challenges faced by Japanese universities is internationalisation Here, the University of Tsukuba’s strategy dates back 10 to 15 years and a long-term approach has “worked very well” for the institution Tsukuba comes second only to the University of Tokyo in terms of the proportion of the student body who are international The university is continuing its outward approach recently opening a branch campus in Malaysia is Japan’s first offshore university branch providing degree-level education Kyosuke hopes it will become a hub for the region attracting students from surrounding South-east Asian countries the vice-chancellor shrugs off questions about competition.“The competition and collaboration is side by side simultaneously,” he said adding that the university already partners with Nottingham [it’s] collaboration for teaching or collaboration for educating.” There was also a secondary motive for setting up the campus which follows a rigid curriculum prescribed by Japanese regulations the university has introduced a “problem-based learning” approach in Malaysia allowing students to engage in interdisciplinary education It will be “completely different” to the university’s Tokyo campus Given the myriad problems facing Japanese universities helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com Already registered or a current subscriber Government initiative may require change in mindset for institutions ‘historically resistant’ to international activities Government commission advocates for intervention in downsizing of higher education sector to avoid regional disparity Institutions falling short of recruitment targets will have to reform in order to receive subsidies Struggling universities unlikely to see greater support as warring parties focus on political reform Vice-chancellors say they have ‘no choice’ about downsizing but unions question the need as 2024 accounts reveal recovery trend French institution reports 300 applications as state funding bolsters efforts to ‘offer refuge’ to those fleeing Trump funding cuts Australia must fund its universities in ways that reflect their mission – not just their margins say Rhodri Davies and Dorrit Jacob China’s Double First-Class project appears to be paying off as the country’s institutions continue to lead the rankings Why have similar schemes elsewhere struggled to reap rewards and can China keep advancing despite economic slowdown and an ageing population? Helen Packer reports Subscribe today to receive unlimited news and analyses commentary from the sharpest minds in international academia our influential university rankings analysis and the latest insights from our World Summit series the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne will attend the University of Tsukuba from April the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday who has been passionate about nature and insect research from a young age passed the university's school admission requirements and plans to study biology at its school of life and environment sciences A third-year student at Tokyo's Senior High School at Otsuka Prince Hisahito sat for an interview and written essay test for the Ibaraki Prefecture institution affiliated with his school in late November The prince decided on his academic path after consulting with his parents Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko He has been studying dragonflies since his elementary school days he published a paper with researchers titled "Odonata Fauna of Akasaka Imperial Gardens Tokyo: Diversity Sustained by Continuous Maintenance." Prince Hisahito is the only heir of his generation in the Japanese imperial family as the Imperial House Law states that only males with male lineal descent from emperors can ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne The other heirs are his father and the emperor's uncle Prince Hitachi Japan's Empress Masako turns 61, reflects on "memorable" U.K. visit Princess Aiko turns 23, takes on more official duties while working Japan's Prince Hisahito, 2nd in line to throne, reaches adulthood To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible The Ohio State University's Starlab - George Washington Carver Science Park team hosted students from the University of Tsukuba in Japan to participate in research collaboration and learning in the field of materials joining and manufacturing in space and Shoichiro Funayama are all graduate students at Tsukuba studying aerospace engineering and made the 14-hour trip from eastern Japan to Columbus as a part of their space exploration curriculum choosing to visit Ohio State amongst other prestigious international universities the students primarily partnered with Eddy Lui a process where two pieces of metal join together without heat simply by pressing them together under high pressure causing their surfaces to fuse as if they were a single piece Cold welding is essential for space research because it allows for the creation of strong reliable joints in the vacuum of space where traditional welding methods aren't feasible due to the lack of air or heat in the atmosphere "We had a fantastic time collaborating with our graduate students from the University of Tsukuba," said Lui "They quickly mastered and applied their research skills and had the opportunity to experience American culture in a rewarding way I gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from working with our international visitors The research portion of the trip included reading journal articles and papers and preparing those prototypes for testing the results of which will hopefully contribute to the students' research in Japan "One of the most important things we gained was to see the difference in different countries' space research programs at the college level," said Matsuoka "Learning at Ohio State and in Starlab atmosphere was very beneficial and unique."  the Tsukuba students had several opportunities to explore the United States and Canada and then the group went to Detroit to see the Tigers play the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani students rode rollercoasters at Cedar Point and enjoyed Columbus activities like the zoo  "We hope that we provided good things to Ohio State both in a research way and a cultural way," said Funayama "Tsukuba and Ohio State have a lot in common so we hope we can take what we learned back and improve our research."  This is just the first iteration of the cross-cultural and inter-collegiate collaborative research efforts of the Starlab - George Washington Carver Science Park initiative Students from around the world will continue to visit Ohio State to advance space research at the university and beyond oia@osu.edu Phone: 614-292-6101 Tsukuba Circuit is hallowed ground in the time attack world the dream of hitting this iconic track in real life remains just that – a dream For Jacky Tse of JTune a New Zealand-based tuner and die-hard time attack fan that dream wasn’t something to just watch from behind a screen Jacky considers himself a “normal driver.” While he’s a casual track instructor His goal was simple but ambitious: to prove that anyone could show up to Tsukuba for the first time in a street car and leave with a lap time that might seem unachievable for a novice enthusiast there was one crucial piece to this puzzle – the car itself Shipping a car from Japan to New Zealand is affordable given the massive number of used JDM vehicles exported each week But sending a car in the opposite direction I’ve covered a similar story where four Australians shipped their drift cars to Japan for a month of track days and I’ve kept tabs on their ongoing adventure car shipping costs are only the tip of a very expensive iceberg – and that’s before you factor in the return trip sending a car from New Zealand didn’t make financial sense A much better idea came during Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 A year ago at Makuhari Messe, HKS unveiled a wide-body GR86 to showcase a fresh initiative for the company: The HKS. Drawing from over 50 years of tuning experience, this division has been set up to create fully built street cars for customers – from mild to wild. Knowing HKS already had a successful time attack GR86 in its R&D fleet Jacky asked if he could purchase the car on display with the intention of taking it to Tsukuba The answer wasn’t completely straightforward Jacky was told he could buy the prototype ‘The HKS’ GR86 the car had already been sold – to another Jacky HKS could build another car – ‘The HKS’ GR86 customer chassis #1 – and then run it with him at a Tsukuba time attack event Jacky could spec the car exactly how he wanted within the boundaries of what HKS defined as a ‘street car,’ and have time to properly prepare for the driving challenge ‘The HKS’ division began work on a new Toyota GR86 RZ in Crystal White Pearl By August, the core of the build was finished. By December, it was fully completed – just in time for the second and final 2024 HKS Tsukuba Hiper Challenge This is when I joined Jacky and over 40 of his friends and family for the occasion widening the front by 55mm and the rear by 65mm (per side) This is further enhanced by HKS SPL CRFP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) canards along with a custom HKS SPL CRFP swan-neck GT wing –all of which were CFD-tested to improve high-speed stability The GR86 runs two sets of 18×11-inch +30 Yokohama wheels – Advan GT Beyonds and Advan Racing TC4s which were wrapped in Yokohama Advan A050 295/30R18 semi-slicks for Tsukuba HKS Hipermax R coilovers enhance the car’s handling while Endless 6-pot front and 4-pot rear brakes ensure it can stop There are HKS 50th (anniversary) Bride Zeta IV front seats and an HKS 50th Nardi Sports 34S steering wheel HKS floor mats and a luggage mat in the trunk complete the look the passenger Bride seat and mats were removed the powerhouse and HKS’s bread and butter of the build – the engine From its original 2.4L naturally aspirated specification HKS stroked the GR86’s flat-four to 2.5L using their Short Block Step 2 kit Supporting the upgrades are a variety of HKS parts like the HKS dry carbon fibre engine cover (removed in these photos) and fuse box cover and an HKS VAC II (speed limiter removal) running alongside it Jacky had an extra request above and beyond the scope of the driveline upgrade which initially just added an HKS LA (Light Action) clutch: Fitting a race-spec limited-slip differential and a Quaife 69G 6-speed sequential transmission from Momentum Motorsport in the United Kingdom HKS wasn’t fully on board with this deviation But when Jacky showed up at the Fuji HQ mid-build with a Cusco RS 1.5-way LSD in his carry-on luggage and the news that the Quaife gearbox was en route even HKS had encountered issues with stock GR86 transmissions failing under boost on track and a broken box was the last thing Jacky wanted to have prematurely cut short his day at Tsukuba Jacky was supposed to get some test laps before the Hiper Challenge His first time behind the wheel would be at the event itself And with only three short 15-minute sessions to work with laying down a respectable lap time – Jacky’s goal being sub-1-minute – was going to be anything but easy Jacky hadn’t even made it out of the pit lane when the engine stalled and couldn’t be restarted After the car was pushed back to the HKS pit the issue was traced to a loose crank angle sensor the transmission would need to come out of the car to give full access to it allowing Jacky to head out for session two Jacky had been preparing for this day for six months But Tsukuba’s real-world elevation changes and track narrowness were all things he had to quickly adapt to knowing that crank angle sensor failure at speed could end in disaster and the brakes weren’t performing as they should mostly because the pads hadn’t been bedded in and the suspension settings needed tweaking The big aero was hampering its straight-line speed too After some tweaks and with confidence that the crank angle sensor issue wouldn’t resurface Jacky geared up for the third and final session There was immediate improvement with a 1:01 first lap initially causing power loss and then a misfire Jacky returned to the pits for a cool down but on his return to the track the misfire persisted Although the teething issues didn’t allow Jacky to hit his lap time goal the GR86’s performance was impressive for a first shakedown Hit play above to ride along with Jacky for a few laps around Tsukuba “This project wasn’t just about a build or a lap time It was about fulfilling a lifelong dream with my friends and family the world’s most iconic time attack track.” While this was supposed to be a one-hit Tsukuba deal with HKS returning the GR86 to its HQ after the event and immediately prepping it for export to New Zealand there’s a chance Jacky will get a second shot at that 59-second lap before Japan’s 2024/2025 time attack season is over HKS has fixed the crank angle sensor issue and is currently fine-tuning the setup In the meantime, you should definitely check out Jacky’s YouTube channel, Seat Time where his ‘Road to Tsukuba’ has been documented in detail Japan Month 2025 on Speedhunters getting a 1:01 with a car you basically had less than an hour to get acclimated to is still quite the feat had less than 20 Laps the whole day running The first outing was just make sure nothing falls off Pretty sure the car will go faster if there was no fault on the day But it’s a Day1 car and first time driving the car and the track Hopefully once is tided up and fix up the driving the driving Do you have any background in competition or is this more just for fun Your driving is the most important thing to consider but if you are knocking 1-2 seconds off from minor setup changes this would imply both the car and your track knowledge have room for improvement Until you are capable of clocking times within 0.500 consistently your driving should be the primary focus You are also missing some low hanging fruit in the form of removing your side mirrors for drag Unless these are required to run at Tsukuba they are doing nothing to help lap times Shaving door handles is also low hanging fruit I think you can crack the 1 minute barrier for sure seasonal racer or have done karting.I just like to drive and this is a track that i loved to have a go on since a kid.Im sure any JDM car enthusiast will be the same.yes yes the car had few fault on the day so we didnt get a prefect run Pretty sure there is more time in it as it It is a full trim street cars with bolt on and nothing has been cut out or massive weight reductionTher Craftsqaure Mirrors was not fitted due to production time the car need to be complete or the same as their Concept I would love to fit dry carbon bonnet and doors and boot to it.If you have time check out seat time nz on youtube And Yes Hopefully we get a re run and will send it properly next outing looks like you are still getting comfortable with the machine and the track It takes a pro driver around 3-5 laps to get within 90% of what a vehicle can do Would say getting a 59 at this point could solely be down to you getting more seat time The main reason I say this is I didn't notice any counter steering or movement from the chassis which implies the driver is where my attention would focus I am mainly looking at your steering inputs As you have said sounds like you are still learning so seat time You're very dedicated to the sport to do this I would take some money and work with a reputable coach in your area I bet you could go 1.5 to 2 seconds faster with the car as it is right now thanks for watching!The bonnet is more to get rid ofthe heat or to lower the temp down so it’s hard to actually get proper seat time.I only had 20laps or really just 20min in the car the first 10 or session was just making sure the car runs fine and getting a feel for it all.Now with data and had a feel of the car and the track I will know where I could go faster and shaved off sometime!It’s one of those tracks Throwing it in with speed doesn’t work well comparing to slowing right down and just let it flow around to turns.Let’s see what I can do!Need to make sure we actually get or secure a re run first!Will do my best as always Reliability is the most important thing in a circuit based racing car If you can't do full sessions due to overheating this is the first thing that should be sorted out Hard to get better if you can't consistently lap back to back to back As far as getting faster and improving I think analyzing data is something you could look at but will not benefit you much at this point You simply need to drive faster everywhere to get the car to start to act "wrong."With regards to going slow to go fast: this is a good way to look at things in the beginning as an amateur but you will find as you gain more experience that you need to go fast everywhere Slow down to go fast is one of my least favorite phrases in driving I was a professional coach for quite some time corner entry is the final place where you will find lap times You are wise at this point to focus on slowing into the corners so you can make sure you get a good exit and carry good speed mid corner This also helps you adjust the attitude of the car easier as you don't have to make a correction and the get the car "back on line." Right now I would say get your car reliable and then work with a proper coach You have a long way to go but this is an excellent start I hope to see you break the 1 minute barrier and accomplish your goals will just keep cutting laps and compare lines and data!If there is next outing in this car there just need few more faultless laps we should be in Undoubtedly a very cool story and I have to pay respect to Jacky for his driving and effort But the story is way too far from "His goal was simple but ambitious: to prove that anyone could show up to Tsukuba for the first time in a street car and leave with a lap time that might seem unachievable for a novice enthusiast." Someone who can afford to pay HKS the GDP of a small country or arrive at Japan carrying a 6 speed sequential gearbox doesn't quite fit the definition of a novice enthusiast we can argue all day about the definition of a street car and a normal driver What he actually proved is that if you have the available resources and a crazy idea Speedhunters is an international collective of photographers writers and drivers with a shared passion for uncovering the world's most exciting car culture stories By Matt Bird / Tuesday Those of us raised on too much Gran Turismo and Best Motoring will know all about Tsukuba a testing couple of kilometres in Ibaraki Prefecture having watched mad races of six production spec supercars or head-to-heads of crazily tuned Japanese heroes.  Now Tsukuba is back in the news, Hyundai having claimed an EV record there with its Time Attack spec Ioniq 5N the same special edition derivative it used for Pike Peak glory last year While a production car might have had more relevance for selling some Ns it won’t have gone as fast as the TA: 57.446 is actually quicker than the Group A Touring Car record at Tsukuba a 58.726 set by a Godzilla-spec Skyline in the early 90s It says something of how seriously Japan takes Time Attack - and how frequently Tsukuba is used - that the Ioniq’s time doesn’t even make the top 50 Time Attack laps The very fastest have gone under 50 seconds… it’s a quick time - if Gran Turismo taught us anything going under a minute is impressive - and moves the EV goalposts again: Hyundai says the TA time is almost two seconds faster than the old record the Pike Peaks N isn’t a huge amount different to stock The aero package will have contributed something but probably not loads given Tsukuba is relatively slow speed The Pie & PistonChat about everything else… MotorsportsWin on Sunday, talk about it on Monday SupercarsNot all cars are created equal EventsMeet your hero Matt Bird in person The LoungeNeed to get something off your chest? View all forumsPistonHeads AuctionsSign up to our emailsGet the hottest news and promotions sent straight to your inbox PistonHeads® is a registered trademark of CarGurus Ireland Limited CarGurus UK Limited is an introducer appointed representative of CarFinance 247 Limited (FRN: 653019) CarFinance 247 Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and insurance intermediation CarFinance 247 Limited is a credit broker and not a lender Today's print edition Home Delivery Japanese Prince Hisahito attended the entrance ceremony at the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture on Saturday "I am grateful that I can learn in various academic fields including those that I have been interested in," the 18-year-old son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko told reporters before the ceremony.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); "I also want to enjoy activities other than academic work," said Prince Hisahito the nephew of Emperor Naruhito who is second in line to the throne became a student at the College of Biological Sciences of the university's School of Life and Environmental Sciences but I will cherish each and every experience I have from now on," he said "I plan to ride my bicycle to get around the campus between classes." Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko did not attend the ceremony They said in a statement that they hope that Prince Hisahito will broaden his horizons deepen his fields of interest and lead a fulfilling college life Prince Hisahito rented an apartment near the university he will commute by car to the university from his residence at the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division the University of Tsukuba welcomed a delegation from The Ohio State University (OSU) Vice Provost for Global Strategies and International Affairs Director of International External Engagement visited the Tsukuba campus to explore potential avenues for expanding collaboration between the two institutions The visit began with a courtesy meeting hosted by Vice President for Academic Affairs KATO Mitsuyasu and outgoing Vice President for Global Affairs IKEDA Jun including UT's cooperative graduate school system and the ongoing Inclusive Smart Society (ISS) Program a MEXT-funded Inter-university Exchange Project launched in partnership with OSU in 2023 Professor Sahin highlighted OSU's aim to foster global hubs noting their interest in the University of Tsukuba's shared space for Campus-in-Campus partners as a possible base for OSU's future Japan operations The delegation also visited the Center for Artificial Intelligence where a meeting was held with Director SAKURAI Tetsuya and Professors FUKUI Kazuhiro and YOSHISE Akiko of the Institute of Systems and Information Engineering A luncheon meeting was held with faculty members Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences) Institute of Systems and Information Engineering where the OSU delegation learned about ongoing projects and demonstrations together with UT students Koryan delivered a hybrid lecture on the challenges and opportunities in international collaboration attended by over 30 faculty and staff members The visit further deepened the partnership between the two universities and highlighted the growing potential for transdisciplinary research A kitted-out Ioniq 5 N from South Korea automaker Hyundai has set a new fastest lap time for an electric vehicle (EV) at the Attack Tsukuba 2025 motorsport event in Japan The fastest lap of 57.446 seconds was completed on February 15 with an Ioniq 5 N TA (Time Attack) Spec vehicle the motorsport variant of the award-winning Ioniq 5 N The lap was almost two seconds faster than the nearest EV competitor and this despite the fact that the car was using mostly production components in its critical systems Additional upgrades were included – though not all will have been particularly relevant to the fastest lap attempt Securing the fastest lap at Attack Tsukuba 2025 builds on the car’s previous achievements including taking victory at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in the modified production electric SUV category – during which it also set a new record Taniguchi said: “The Ioniq 5 N TA Spec stops well and handles excellently Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012 His preferred mode of transport is his feet Input your search keywords and press Enter November weather in the Kanto (Tokyo) region has been warmer than usual in 2024 Mount Fuji did not get its first snow cover until November 7 the latest since record keeping began in 1894. The warm weather has similarly delayed the appearance of autumn colors Ginkgo trees have just started to turn yellow and only a few maples have started to turn red While there are parks and gardens within the 23 wards of Tokyo that are known for their autumn colors viewing them in a mountain setting is a much more exhilarating experience Because the twin peaks of Mount Tsukuba jut into a farming area with Tokyo in the distance they offer an aerial view of the Kanto plain comparable to flying over the area in a light plane We used a discount ticket that covers round trip travel on the Tsukuba Express Line The ticket also provides unlimited access to both the cable car and ropeway stations for ascending and descending the mountain the ticket is ¥4,380 JPY (about $28 USD) for adults and ¥4,110 JPY ($27 USD) from Kita-Senju where we joined the train.There is also bus service from Tokyo Station to Tsukuba Center This might be more interesting than the Tsukuba Express with its long underground sections.Going by car is not advisable on weekends or other peak days because of road congestion The path connecting the two peaks is difficult even for able bodied people equipped for mountain walking.  We gave up midway through the nature observation trail because of a series of extremely steep and difficult inclines Shops at the summit stations of the ropeway and cable car offer a variety of confections using the sweet potatoes I recommend thin sliced dried sweet potatoes Restaurants at the summits offer fast food typical of tourist sites meals using farm produce associated with Ibaraki and in the case of hotels on and around the mountain elaborate meals associated with Japanese ryokan (traditional inns) The right of way of the railroad that once served Mount Tsukuba (abandoned in 1987) has been converted into a cycling course We did it as a family outing and thoroughly enjoyed it but it cannot be combined with an ascent of the mountain without an overnight stay Find other stories about Tokyo and nearby areas by Dr Kinmonth You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Microsoft ends support for Internet Explorer on June 16 2022.We recommend using one of the browsers listed below is an event where NTT Access Service Systems Laboratories and others participate to introduce and exhibit the latest R&D and technology trends related to access networks through a three-pronged approach Tsukuba Forum 2024 was held at Tsukuba Research and Development Center (Tsukuba City Ibaraki Prefecture) over two days on May 16 and 17 The theme of this year's forum was "Creating New Value: The Challenge of Access Networks to Support a Sustainable Society." The latest results of a wide range of research and development were exhibited who gained a stronger sense of IOWN's theme of "from concept to realization" for the creation of new value and sustainability NTT's exhibit presented a vision of the future of access networks in the IOWN era in the categories of "technologies that support the sophistication and diversification of services," "technologies that radically smarten operations," and "technologies that open up new business domains." The global situation and social issues are becoming more and more serious People seem to be attracted to products that appeal to their sensibilities such as those that shift the mindset from goods to experiences and emphasize meaning and stories I feel that the term "well-being" has become an extremely important keyword in today's business operations NTT Group is promoting the incorporation of a market-in perspective into its conventional product-out R&D and is emphasizing the customer perspective in all business processes in order to strengthen its CX-oriented services We believe that access networks as information and telecommunications infrastructure will also come to play a role as socio-industrial infrastructure that supports people's lives from a market-in perspective and NTT Group is beginning to see results in areas such as food a number of services incorporating generative AI have been announced Generative AI learns human behavior and makes suggestions that are optimal for that person but it requires a large number of parameters for learning has world-class Japanese-language performance can be customized to suit the user and the industry and supports not only languages but also various other formats global power consumption is expected to rise significantly The amount of power required to train a large-scale language model once is equivalent to the amount of electricity generated by running a nuclear power plant for one hour and power consumption in data centers is expected to accelerate accordingly to 13 times the previous level "IOWN" uses optical technology for transmission and data processing IOWN will be used as the infrastructure supporting the age of AI By drastically reducing power consumption through technology and improving power efficiency we aim to build an energy-efficient industrial infrastructure for the upcoming AI-driven society We strive to create a world of Social Well-being where people and the planet are both respected and various people can live healthily and happily Participants gathered at the Tsukuba Research and Development Center the host site of the Tsukuba Forum 2024 exhibition and at the Tsukuba International Congress Center Participants listened to the explanations given by the lecturers indicating their strong expectations for the latest research and development [Press Conference Information] Launch of "NTT G×Inno," a New Solution Brand to Strengthen Efforts in the GX Field Digitization and Digitization for Smart Agriculture Realizing a Recycling-Oriented Society through a Data Mining Approach Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne has been admitted to the University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture the Imperial Household Agency announced on Dec the only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko will study biology at the university’s school of life and environmental sciences starting in April The agency said he will commute from the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo’s Minato Ward Hisahito was inspired to apply after visiting the university in June last year during an event held by his current school the University of Tsukuba’s Senior High School in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward He was drawn to the university’s insect research lab and the rich natural environment surrounding the camps Hisahito applied to the university through its recommendation exam system After being recommended to the institution by his high school he took a written essay exam and was interviewed by university officials on Nov The agency said Hisahito and his parents appeared relieved when they heard the admission results on Dec “We hope he will learn and grow together with other students.” “We will treat him as an ordinary student as much as possible refraining from special treatment,” he added (This article was written by Yuko Kawasaki and Fumio Masutani.) Prince Hisahito breaks with tradition on choice of high school Prince Hisahito turns 17 while engaging in school activities Prince Hisahito graduates with a sense of ‘fulfillment’ takes up badminton at his high school’s club Prince Hisahito tests positive for COVID-19 Prince Hisahito full of gratitude as he reaches adulthood at 18 Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission As 4:00pm sunsets settle in and celsius temperatures dip into the single digits the time attack season across Japan begins I made my way to Tsukuba Circuit for an event I wasn’t entirely familiar with The HKS Hiper Challenge is by no means new with events held at various circuits all across Japan word is predominantly spread via the tuning giant’s domestic Performance Dealer network which advertises the Hiper Challenges to its loyal customer base That’s why you’ll find most cars at these events running HKS parts My main reason for being at Tsukuba on this particular day was to capture Jacky Tse a New Zealand-based tuner and part-time track driving instructor as he took his brand new HKS-built GR86 out for its inaugural shakedown – and potentially a few timed laps While the HKS Hiper Challenge isn’t as well-known as other time attack-based events like Attack and the Rev Speed Super Battle it still draws its share of dedicated drivers the average participant here was far more likely to have driven their car to the circuit rather than have sent it on the back of a transporter calling the HKS Hiper Challenge an ‘amateur’ event would be an understatement – there were still plenty of purpose-built sub-one-minute cars floating around the pits While it might seem a more restrained approach to time attack compared to the aero monsters you’d find at other events Yashio Factory’s Oka-chan was also in attendance with his S15 adding to the mix of Tsukuba-seasoned machines One of the best aspects of these more accessible events is a wider variety of cars This Revolfe-built Toyota Aristo – no doubt hiding a giant single turbo and external wastegate – was a unique presence in the Tsukuba paddock The same can be said for this Toyota Chaser/Mark II While Toyota never had time attack in mind when they designed these JXZ land barges if there’s one thing a Japanese track day will teach you Though the owner didn’t have much luck on the day there’s no doubt this car would easily crack a sub-minute lap at Tsukuba with the right conditions This MkIV Toyota Supra stood out thanks to some unconventional downforce – trunk-mounted and chassis-mounted wings stacked on top of one another There was only one lone AE86 in attendance which was a bit surprising given the grassroots nature of the event it had a 4A-GE 16-valve engine with its fuel injection swapped for an open Keihin CR carburettor setup – easily winning my unofficial ‘Best Noise of the Day’ award The Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ platform has long been synonymous with HKS and many of these cars run either the HKS bolt-on turbocharger or supercharger kit to inject some much-needed spice into the standard boxer engine Stock bodywork was surprisingly popular at this event I have to say; it was refreshing to see many participants keeping their cars at factory dimensions serving as a solid baseline to measure what can be achieved mechanically before diving into more extreme modifications R35 Nissan GT-Rs were out in numbers at the HKS Hiper Challenge With massive aftermarket support and prices now sitting at a sweet spot for a mid-level second-hand supercar the HKS Hiper Challenge serves as a stepping stone to the more competitive time attack events many entrants use this event to hone their cars Compared to their popular and highly successful rival Subaru Imprezas have not had a whole lot of pull in the time attack world But it’s always cool to see a few out and about It’s easy to see why many choose the Evo path – the 4G63 engine is hard to beat in terms of power potential and reliability What I loved most about the HKS Hiper Challenge Tsukuba was its relaxed using the event as an opportunity to compare cars and times around the iconic TC2000 course It’s a far less competitive atmosphere than the likes of Attack or even an Idlers Club event with full interiors – just the right balance for cars that are as fun on the street as they are on the track Before attending the 2024 HKS Hiper Challenge Tsukuba having never seen it covered by Western media This got me thinking: I’m often asked for advice on how to find events like the Hiper Challenge when visiting Japan While there’s no definitive answer – some events are advertised in magazines and some are just tweeted about – there’s always something happening at the tracks I’d highly recommend swinging by one of these circuits You never know what you might stumble upon HKS related stories on Speedhunters HKS rebrands Garrett turbochargers and increases their price as much as 2x in some cases Makes me wonder if they do this with other products like the coil overs they sold HKS says the designs are reworked to their specs but i dont buy that sounds like they are royally ripping off their customers attended the entrance ceremony of the University of Tsukuba near Tokyo on Saturday who graduated last month from the university-affiliated Senior High School at Otsuka in the capital will pursue his long-time interest in insects at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences "I am grateful for being able to learn in various academic fields," he told reporters before the ceremony "Sometimes I feel nervous about my new life His parents Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko said in a statement "We hope he has a fulfilling time at university." Prince Hisahito will commute by car from his residence at Akasaka Estate in Tokyo for a while and later from a rented apartment near the university in Tsukuba according to the Imperial Household Agency The prince will celebrate his coming-of-age at a traditional imperial ceremony next September He is expected to participate in court events as an adult member of the imperial family from then on while prioritizing his studies during his years at the university While it is customary for members of the imperial family to study at Gakushuin University and its affiliate schools in Tokyo Prince Hisahito has pursued a different path starting at Ochanomizu University Elementary School and attending Ochanomizu University Junior High School before entering Senior High School at Otsuka graduated from the International Christian University in Tokyo and was followed by her younger sister Princess Kako had around 10,000 undergraduates as of last May and its recent graduates include professional footballer Kaoru Mitoma who plays as a winger for English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion Japan imperial family to debut on YouTube in April Japan's Prince Hisahito, 2nd in line to throne, graduates high school Japan's Princess Kako to visit Brazil in June to mark 130 yrs of ties President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and President Kyosuke Nagata plans to enroll at the University of Tsukuba come April next year who is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne and currently a third-year student at the university’s affiliated high school secured admission through the institution’s recommendation-based entrance exam held in November they said.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); has shown a keen interest in insects and other living organisms He conducted research on dragonflies inhabiting the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo’s Minato Ward compiling his findings into a research paper he attended an international entomological conference demonstrating his passion for studying natural history that focuses on insects and their habitats This interest has fueled his dedication to academic pursuits in preparation for university Crown Prince Akishino expressed his hope that his son will have opportunities to study abroad in the future A senior official of the Imperial Household Agency warned in September that misinformation was circulating regarding Hisahito’s future plans after a weekly magazine and other media reports said that he may seek admission to the prestigious University of Tokyo through a recommendation system sparking an online petition campaign in opposition Ibaraki Prefecture--Residents here are voting online to determine the retirement allowance for the city mayor who asked the public to decide how much they think he deserves Around 130,000 people aged 15 or older are being asked to evaluate Tatsuo Igarashi’s performance during his second term by Nov Voting is being done through the city’s smartphone app What makes the experiment so interesting is that the 46-year-old mayor could end up with as little as 22 yen or as much as 20,394,000 yen ($134,000) It depends on the average score he receives The app asks residents to rate the city’s administration during Igarashi’s second term on a 0-to-100 scale in increments of 10 points the city government published a “road map” showing progress on 135 issues the mayor promised during his campaign four years ago The document said policies have been “steadily implemented” on 86.1 percent of those issues community development and infrastructure building 1 after Igarashi won his third term in a mayoral election on Oct Residents who have the My Number identification card equipped with a valid electronic certificate are eligible to participate Those without a smartphone can vote at the city office on weekdays if they have the My Number card Votes are also accepted at branch offices on some days Igarashi has said he designed the system to fairly reflect the evaluations of residents based on a debate on his first retirement allowance four years ago Igarashi promised not to accept a retirement allowance He eventually cut the amount from 20,394,000 yen to 22 yen a retirement allowance cannot be reduced to zero others said accepting a standard retirement allowance was a better way to help secure a qualified successor Tsukuba mayor to let residents vote on his retirement bonus online Kakizawa’s aides suspected of illegally paying campaign staff Single mothers worry if their exes receiving payouts for kids Opponents raise voices against Musashino’s foreign vote plan Rookie Diet members receive 1 million yen for doing nothing Voters send Ichikawa mayor to the showers after scandals the son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko has been accepted to University of Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent The 18-year-old prince is currently a third-year student at a Tokyo high school affiliated with the university and he passed the university’s recommendation-based entrance exam Prince Hisahito began developing an interest in nature through activities such as collecting dragonflies and other insects at the family’s residence in Tokyo According to an Imperial Household Agency official he studied hard in order to get into a university that would allow him to study natural history Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun What if we told you races like this did happen in real life, though? If you’re not familiar with the Japanese magazine and video series Best Motoring, then you really should be. A car culture force in the 1990s and 2000s, the highlights of its output were undoubtedly the races it held around the tight and twisty Tsukuba Circuit. Watching these in a modern context, their influence on the Gran Turismo series is clear to see. They’d get together a host of cars, be they completely stock, tuned, or full-on racing cars, and pitch them against one another over a few laps. You’d get match-ups reminiscent of everything from the Sunday Cup to Like The Wind. View this post on InstagramA post shared by JAPANIFORNIA (@japanifornia) Anyway, this particular one caught our eye when it popped up on the excellent Instagram page Japanifornia this week It’s the 2001 edition of Best Motoring’s Champion’s Battle a yearly race where it’d pull together a selection of tuners and race cars from various categories and put them up against one another for a bit of fun This particular instance featured a pair of production-based racers from the Super Taikyu series, a Mitsubishi Evo VI and R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R There’s then another R34 in the shape of the legendary tuned version from Japanese performance house Mine’s mainly because it should be pretty obvious what wins but also because it’s really worth a watch yourself Throw in a fantastically excitable announcer and you’re all set up for a very diverse and surprisingly closely-matched race F40 LM image: Neil, CC BY 2.0 reviews and unmissable promotions from the team direct to your inbox For more information see our Privacy Policy Next Genesis G70 Sprouts Huge Wing For Track Day Concept Mike Bartholomew The first full sentence spoken by an infant Mike was a review of the ride quality of a Volvo 850 It was “Daddy’s car goes bumpy-bump on a bumpy road,” so would probably need proofreading a bit © Crash Media Group Ltd 2025.The total or partial reproduction of text photographs or illustrations is not permitted in any form Ibaraki Prefecture--The city mayor here will receive his retirement bonus at the end of his four-year term in November but he is asking the public to decide how much he deserves which can range from a pittance to a princely sum will be determined by an online vote by residents this is the first time in Japan’s history that a mayor’s retirement payout will be decided by residents voting online Residents will evaluate the mayor’s performance on a scale of 0 to 100 points in increments of 10 and the average score will be reflected in Igarashi's retirement bonus Around 130,000 residents aged 15 or older who have a My Number identification card with a valid electronic certificate are eligible to vote online Voting will be conducted through the city’s smartphone app The amount will be calculated by multiplying the average score by the mayor’s monthly salary the retirement bonus cannot be reduced to zero so the payment will range from a minimum of 22 yen (15 cents) to a maximum of 20,394,000 yen The city will propose a related ordinance at the September assembly meeting the online voting will be conducted from Nov Tsukuba is scheduled to hold a mayoral election on Oct a prefectural assembly member from the Liberal Democratic Party Retirement bonuses for mayors are paid at the completion of each four-year term regardless of whether or not they are re-elected Regarding the timing of the online vote after the mayoral election Igarashi and city officials explained that it was scheduled to avoid influencing the election campaign Igarashi pledged to accept a “zero retirement bonus” when he was first elected he reduced his retirement bonus from around 20 million to 22 yen While some praised that he fulfilled his campaign promise others argued that rejecting the retirement bonus sets a precedent that could discourage future candidates seeking the office “We have made a system that appropriately reflects the residents’ opinions." there has been a growing trend of mayors refusing their retirement payouts to eliminate Mayor Akitsu Kamoda’s retirement bonus announced his intention not to receive a retirement bonus of around 27 million yen In a Tsukuba city assembly meeting four years ago “While it’s important to keep campaign promises it should be carefully considered from a long-term perspective." the Morioka city assembly passed a proposed ordinance amendment to eliminate the 31.68 million yen retirement bonus for Mayor Shigeru Uchidate “The job is so hard that even the retirement bonus is not enough The online voting in Tsukuba will be open to residents aged 15 and older “I wanted to create an opportunity for young people to think about (politics) and express their views before they reach voting age.” the city has introduced online voting using My Number cards for assessing business proposals and has been testing the system with an eye toward potentially using it in future elections Those who have a My Number card with a valid electronic certificate are eligible to vote online “I hope that this vote will increase interest in My Number cards and lead to more applications,” Igarashi said Major parties take aim at Osaka Ishin in mayor election Musashino’s foreign vote plan squeaks through assembly panel Chichibu mayor’s race comes down to pledge to slash salary the most #130 Understanding the Snake's Way of Life Prince Hisahito attended the entrance ceremony for the University of Tsukuba in Tsukuba The 18-year-old son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko is taking a new step forward together with his fellow students at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences “I am grateful to be able to study various subjects including those I have been interested in for a long time I am anxious about some aspects of my new life but I will cherish every single experience from now on,” he said with a smile when asked by the press about how he felt about enrolling at the university Prince Hisahito listened to President Kyosuke Nagata’s speech with a serious expression at the ceremony Before the ceremony Prince Hisahito exchanged some words with those around him This is the first time for a male member of the Imperial Family to enter a university other than Gakushuin University from high school since the end of World War II who has a keen interest in living things such as dragonflies will study biology from basic subjects to its practical application at the university’s College of Biological Sciences Information for those wishing to utilize the unique environment that only space can provide for research or business Space medicine consists of two vital aspects: the health management of astronauts and medical research in the space environment We are engaged in various research and development efforts to expand humanity's sphere of activity to the Moon On November 9th, 2024, the final round event of the 5th Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC) was held (for more details) a workshop for participants in the competition was held for participants combining online and in-person after the event there was also a facility tour and a closing social gathering for the students from the four teams from Japan Taiwan and Thailand who were participating in the event at the JAXA Tsukuba Space Center the final round event was held at the Tsukuba Space Center with the opportunity for some participants to attend in person a total of 13 students and 7 chaperones from Japan Taiwan and Thailand visited the Tsukuba Space Center The students and their supervisors who visited the Tsukuba Space Center first toured the temporary exhibition room participants visited a VIP room overlooking Kibo's Mission Control Room (MCR) and listened to explanations of experiments and missions currently being conducted using Kibo They also signed a colored paper celebrating the success of this mission for display on the sign board in the User Operations Area (UOA) In the afternoon, the final round event was held and they watched Astrobee in action with their own programs they visited the exhibition room of robots developed by JAXA participants took commemorative photos with JAXA astronaut KANAI and a closing social gathering was held with the aim of encouraging interaction between participants students discussed programs and strategies with each other and enjoyed interacting with Professor NAKASUKA and JAXA staff (Figure 3) participants toured the Astronaut Training Building Figure 2: A facility tour of the Tsukuba Space Center a science award established by the founders of Google Four teams won in the fundamental physics category including international collaborative experiments ATLAS and ALICE which used the Large Hadron Collider LHC at CERN the European Laboratory for Particle Physics to elucidate the properties of elementary particles and quark-gluon plasma (QGP) The ATLAS experiment has pushed the boundaries of fundamental physics to unprecedented levels through precision measurements of the Higgs boson These measurements have helped to elucidate the origin of elementary particle mass and the mechanism of symmetry breaking They have also revealed strong constraints on physics beyond the Standard Model of elementary particles The University of Tsukuba has participated in the ALICE experiment since before its launch constructed and operated the EMCAL/DCAL detector that can measure jet energy with high precision and contributed significantly to the creation and characterization of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) about 15 researchers are involved in the project Professor Emeritus MIAKE Yasuro of the Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences and Professor INABA Motoi (Tsukuba University of Technology) along with graduate students in Degree Programs in Pure and Applied Sciences The University of Tsukuba is leading a new detector which aims to use FoCal to unravel new mysteries such as color glass condensation (CGC) and the formation mechanism of the QGP We are also actively developing a new detector for the future ALICE3 project using a high-resolution quantum semiconductor detector (MAPS) The Nissan GT-R Nismo is getting on a bit The ultimate road-going R35 has been kicking around since 2014 and is based on a car that’ll be celebrating its 13th birthday this year But that doesn’t mean the old dog doesn’t have a trick or two left up its sleeve Perhaps to prove the Nismo can still cut it against its young whippersnapper rivals Nissan installed its Super GT pilot Tsugio Matsuda in the driver’s seat and sent the pairing around Japan’s Tsukuba circuit A 59.3-second lap time at the dinky 1.2-mile track The previous lap record holder at the circuit - which is famed outside of its home country for its use by Best Motoring and various video games - was a Porsche 911 GT3 (991.2) The GT-R Nismo has been comprehensively upgraded for 2020 featuring turbochargers borrowed from the GT3 racing version the 2020 Nismo was also able to knock 2.5-seconds off the outgoing version’s lap time at Nissan’s development circuit (Note - we seem to be having video embed issues. If you can’t see the full lap video, please click here) Next Genesis G70 Sprouts Huge Wing For Track Day Concept Matt Robinson Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.  im happy with watching this until the r36 comes along There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the GTR being old It’s a fantastic car.We lust after old cars all the time and here’s one you can buy with a warranty Nissan has done a great job of continuing to refine the car and improve it throughout its life cycle If the R35 still went strong like that for another 10 years but a sub-minute lap is very impressive considering most cars under that barrier are usually time attack machines with varying amounts of aerodynamic pieces attached to the body Hyundai was a part of the "Attack Tsukuba 2025" motorsport event held in Japan on the 15th of February. The brand took part in their IONIQ 5 N TA Spec that broke the speed record It set a benchmark and became the EV with the fastest lap time The score is secured by professional Japanese driver Nobuteru Taniguchi driving behind the wheel This achievement of the automaker is a showcase of its high-performance electric mobility growing its presence in the motorsport.  The next-gen Mahindra Bolero is likely to be launched in the country in 2026 - to be based on the new Flexible Architecture (NFA) MG Windsor Pro launched at Rs 17.49 lakh (ec-showroom) with a 52.9 kWh battery Mahindra has discontinued the 5-seater XUV700 variants; the SUV is now available only in 6- and 7-seater options Mahindra has managed to beat Tata Motors and Hyundai to retain the 2nd position in retail sales April 2025 - BYD sold more cars than Jeep MG M9 electric MPV will come with Presidential seats which comes with 16-way adjustment Discover the top 4 car launches in May 2025 – MG Windsor EV Pro Volkswagen Golf GTI & Tata Altroz Facelift the new Jeep Wrangler Willys 41 Edition is designed for true off-roaders and is priced at Rs 73.16 lakh (ex-showroom) Japan’s Tsukuba University has opened the country’s first Japanese degree granting branch campus in Kuala Lumpur The campus – known as the School of Transdisciplinary Science and Design – is found within the University of Malaya and was officially opened during a ceremony on September 2 “This campus is the first university to award Japanese academic degrees overseas, thus becoming a groundbreaking university in the history of Japan’s higher education,” Ikuya Sugisato, international affairs employee at the Ministry of Education (MEXT) told The PIE News.  “We believe that this effort will greatly contribute to attract students and strengthen educational exchanges with quality assurance between Japan and Malaysia,” Sugisato added The branch campus will offer four-year undergraduate degrees in Japanese including the first bachelor of Arts and Science to be awarded in Malaysia Its opening has been six years in the making first suggested by former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 2018 We hope that establishment of this branch campus will increase the visibility of Japanese education and strengthen the internationalisation of all Japanese universities “The journey to bring the University of Tsukuba’s branch campus [to Malaysia] began in 2018 and today’s ceremony marks the successful culmination of these efforts,” Malaysia’s minister of higher education Zambry Abdul Kadir said at the campus’s opening ceremony.  “This milestone is not only a testament to our hard work but also a remarkable achievement in the history of our collaboration,” he added.  comprising of seven Malaysians and six Japanese students It is expected that the student body will mostly be made up of Malaysians with some students coming from Japan and other ASEAN countries “We hope that the campus will also attract students from other parts of Asia and around the world,” said Sugisato The campus has 14 full-time faculty members from both universities – though this is set to grow – and courses have been jointly developed in fields “encompassing data science humanities and immersion in Japanese language and culture,” noted Zambry The University of Tsukuba is responsible for funding the operating costs of the branch campus with assistance from the Japanese government’s JPY 1.5 billion (£8.1m) budget announced last year to support Japanese universities to set up international branch campuses Sugisato said she was currently unaware of plans to establish other branch campuses but that the ministry hoped “the reputation of UTMy will grow and the establishment of approved branch campus will spread to other Japanese universities”.  The branch campus in Kuala Lumpur also aims to increase exchanges with Japanese students and researchers at the University of Tsukuba as well as encouraging students to continue their postgraduate studies in Japan The push to establish Japanese branch campuses is part of the government’s wider internationalisation efforts as it strives to increase the number of international students in Japan to 400,000 and to send 500,000 Japanese students abroad by 2033.  “We hope that establishment of such a branch campus will contribute to develop skilled human resources who can make positive impact to the world to increase the visibility of Japanese education and also to further strengthen the internationalisation of all Japanese universities,” said Sugisato About The PIE News Regions Improving the Performance of Biosensors: Developing New Materials for Effectively Harnessing the Power of Enzymes Decline in Breast Cancer Screening Participation Rates during the COVID-19 Pandemic The student organization of the University of Tsukuba the "All Colleges Students' Representative Council (ACSRC)" alias "Zendaikai" once again hosted the fall welcome event for international students in response to requests from international students who enroll in the fall that a similar welcome event to the one held in the spring be organized for the fall as well This year marks the third year of the event Following the Entrance Ceremony for the Fall Semester held in the University Hall auditorium the event took place in the foyer in front of the auditorium New students enjoyed various activities introduced by 17 student organizations and performances by 3 groups Zendaikai made a "Guide to Campus Life" to help international students enrich their university experience which was distributed to them at the event This guidebook is also available on Zendaikai website University of Tsukuba signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Taiwan University and Université Grenoble Alpes to create a Trilateral University Center The signing ceremony took place on the final day of Tsukuba Global Science Week (TGSW) President NAGATA Kyosuke of University of Tsukuba President Wen-Chang Chen of National Taiwan University and President Yassine Lakhnech of Université Grenoble Alpes a plaque unveiling marked the official launch of the center Each university will appoint a Director to oversee joint educational and research initiatives strengthening the strategic partnership between the institutions The universities are key partners in the University of Tsukuba's Campus-in-Campus (CiC) initiative and the center will further enhance collaboration efforts University of Tsukuba aims to continue its contributions to the global academic community Developing Printable Droplet Laser Displays Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences Discovery of Genetic Loci Associated with Allergic Sensitization Director of the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (Then) Hosted by the US semiconductor giant NVIDIA the conference brought together AI experts and companies from all over the world to engage in lively discussions on the latest AI technologies and their applications University of Tsukuba has partnered with University of Washington as part of AI partnership between Japan and the United States with NVIDIA expected to contribute a total of US $ 25 million to support both universities Director of Higher Education and Research Computing at NVIDIA to exchange opinions about the partnership "We discussed how we could cooperate including the use of NVIDIA's various tools and GPUs in our research as well as organizing seminars and training courses for students we aim to establish a robust AI research base in Japan." The University of Tsukuba Malaysia opened in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on September 1 This is the first case that Japanese university launched its overseas branch campus awarding Japanese degrees 'It is thanks to all of you who have contributed to the establishment of the University that we are able to celebrate today's opening ceremony I would like to express my deepest gratitude.' He also expressed his determination to contribute to society by developing human resources who can contribute to solving global issues facing Malaysia and neighboring countries through practical education based on transdisciplinary education in the bachelor's program by a comprehensive university The Tsukuba Express service has been resumed between Moriya and Tsukuba stations at around 3:37 p.m on Thursday after it was suspended due to an obstruction on the tracks believed to have been blown by strong winds was found caught in the overhead electrical wires at the Miraidaira Station in Tsukubamirai Tsukuba Area Geopark was certified by the International Union of Geological Sciences as one of the first 55 IUGS Heritage Stones which have been “used in significant architecture and monuments” and “recognized as integral aspects of human culture.” In a recent interview with The Japan Times Tsukuba Area Geopark Promotion Council specialist Kaoru Sugihara spoke about the characteristics of the region’s granite and the positive effects that the certification has brought.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The geopark covers a large area in central Ibaraki Prefecture west of Lake Kasumigaura With Mount Tsukuba at its center and many other smaller mountains the area is home to three main types of granite formed at different times and named after the areas where they are found: Tsukuba granite “They can be further divided into smaller groups based on their characteristics,” Sugihara said “But it is not only the geological diversity and scientific value that the IUGS recognizes but also the cultural and historical value of the stones based on how local people have used the resources.” He explained that the council had decided to apply for certification for a number of reasons “By having our important regional resource certified by a global organization we will be able to promote not only the stones This will help increase the international presence of Japan’s geopark network and contribute to the broader global geopark community,” he said Another purpose was to promote and support the local stone industry: “We need to preserve the special techniques of mining and stone working while securing human resources This certification was a perfect opportunity for people in the industry to think about how to preserve the mining culture in a sustainable way while preserving the geological heritage itself.” The certification was also an opportunity to reassess the local history and culture and huge stones and rocks found in the mountains were the object of worship and places for ascetic practices the value of these stones as building materials was further recognized and stone-carving technology developed in the area “With the introduction of Western culture to Japan during the Meiji Era Western-style stone architecture flourished in the Kanto region leading to the extensive use of granite from the Tsukuba mountains in buildings that are now recognized as National Treasures and important cultural assets,” said Sugihara He pointed out that a major outcome of the IUGS Heritage Stone certification has been an increased interest in the geopark among those involved in the stone industry and a heightened sense of confidence and pride in the history and techniques of the local stone industry “There has also been an increased awareness of the need for sustainable practices within the stone industry I believe it is possible to find ways to improve the sustainability of stone quarrying and processing while preserving the rich history and culture of the region which is rooted in the use of stone as a resource,” he said He also noted that efforts are being made to improve technology to increase the proportion of commercially viable stone which has been less than 30% of the total extracted from the mountains “The development of new products using stone waste The council is also planning tours to Tokyo this year to visit places and buildings where Ibaraki granite is used is used in the walls of the Supreme Court of Japan,” Sugihara said He noted that various parts of the Diet building and Tokyo Station are also made of granite from Ibaraki “We hope to bring people from Tokyo and other parts of Japan to Ibaraki to see the quarries and how the stone is processed,” he said educational installations and video materials that help people learn how stone is formed processed and made into building materials and traditional crafts such as stone lanterns we aim to arouse interest in the industry among younger generations in order to preserve the regional culture,” Sugihara said The research presentations by doctoral students of the University of Tsukuba was held at the Tsukuba International Congress Center on December 5 (Thu) and 6 (Fri) The purpose of this event is to present the individual research projects of each student who was awarded the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) Program "Support for Pioneering Research Initiated by the Next Generation (SPRING)" and "Broadening Opportunities for Outstanding young researchers and doctoral students in STrategic areas (BOOST)." In addition to nearly 400 SPRING/BOOST awarded students the Doctoral Research Fellows of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and young researchers selected TRiSTAR Fellows of The Ministry of Education engaged in lively presentations and discussions in these two days The event also included Researcher's well-being workshop and a networking event with companies and it also provided a place for students and researchers from a wide range of fields to exchange information The Brain Perceives Unexpected Pain More Strongly Institute of Systems and Information Engineering Unveiling the Critical Role of the Exocyst Complex in Mouse Oocyte Growth If JavaScript is not enabled on your browser 2024 – ORIX Real Estate Corporation (“ORIX Real Estate”) announced that it has completed the construction of Tsukuba Logistics Center a multi-tenant logistics facility in Tsukuba Tsukuba Logistics Center is located approximately 4.7 km from the Tsukuba-Chuo Interchange on the Ken-O Expressway and approximately 9 km from the Yatabe Interchange on the Joban Expressway and is approximately an hour’s drive from central Tokyo Being in an area at the intersection of the Ken-O Expressway and Joban Expressway it can be used for both distribution to central Tokyo and to the entire Kanto region and is approximately 2 km from Kenkyū-gakuen Station on the Tsukuba Express Line Tsukuba is a highly advantageous area in terms of securing employment for tenant companies as it is one of the most populous cities in Japan such as recording population growth every year since the city was born in 1987*1 The multi-tenant building is a four-story steel-framed structure with a total floor area of 49,530.65 m2 and can hold up to four tenants from a minimum lot size of approximately 10,600 m2 It has a slope from the first to the second floor and each floor has berths*2 that can accommodate up to 26 and 24 heavy-duty trucks (10-ton trucks) respectively at the same time The facility will have a café lounge available for employees of the tenant companies to use for lunch and breaks helping improve the work environment for employees at the facility.In addition to the solar power generation system installed on the rooftop ORIX Corporation will supply electricity with Non-fossil Certificates (with tracking certification) to tenants in the event of insufficient power generation due to weather conditions or during the night allowing tenants to use electricity from 100% renewable energy sources This property is also environmentally considerate with plans to obtain an A rating for Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE)*3 for Building (New Construction) and to be evaluated as ZEB Ready*4 ORIX Real Estate has a track record of investing in and developing 51 facilities mainly in the Tokyo It will continue to aim for the development of facilities that consider evolving supply chain strategies and the environment *1 Based on population trends from 1988 to 2024 published by Ibaraki Prefectural Government.*2 A truck berth is a space used to connect trucks to the facility to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods.*3 This is a system that comprehensively evaluates the quality of buildings including environmental considerations such as energy-saving and the usage of environmentally friendly equipment and materials as well as provision of a comfortable indoor environment and consideration for the surrounding landscape.*4 This is an advanced building with a view of becoming a net zero energy building (ZEB) It has an outer shell that is high in thermal insulation and it is equipped with highly efficient energy-saving equipment this building reduces primary energy consumption by 50% or more from the standard level of primary energy consumption Features of Tsukuba Logistics Center(1) Location that can be used for both distribution to central Tokyo and to the entire Kanto regionLocated approximately 4.7 km from the Tsukuba-Chuo Interchange on the Ken-O Expressway and approximately 9 km from the Yatabe Interchange on the Joban Expressway Tsukuba Logistics Center can be used for both distribution to central Tokyo and to the entire Kanto region it is approximately 2 km from Kenkyū-gakuen Station on the Tsukuba Express Line and approximately 30 m from the Toko-dai Gymnasium bus stop of Tsukuba’s community bus service “Tsuku-Bus,” which makes commuting convenient (2) Specifications that allow the efficient storage and movement of freightTsukuba Logistics Center has berths on the first and second floors that can accommodate up to 56 trucks (10-ton trucks with 4-ton trucks in certain areas) at the same time It has an effective height under lower beam of approximately 5.5 m each tenant section is equipped with its own freight elevator and vertical conveyor (3) Logistics facility with business continuity plan (BCP) offering peace of mindAs BCP emergency generators are installed in anticipation of 24-hour operations and such to be used even during power outages during situations such as disasters making it possible for logistics function to continue around the clock there are storage rooms for emergency supplies on the third and fourth floors in preparation for unexpected disasters (4) Providing a comfortable and pleasant working environmentThere is a café lounge on the first floor with approximately 100 seats that can be used for lunch and breaks there are several kinds of seats—such as counter seats by the windows and high tables—to offer a space that can be used according to the number of people and purpose and provide a comfortable working environment for employees of tenant companies (5) Logistics facility with environmental considerations including an electricity supply from 100% renewable energy sourcesORIX Real Estate is working to develop logistics facilities with environmental considerations A solar power generation system has been installed on the roof under a power purchase agreement (PPA) model*5 and the power generated can be consumed within the facility In the event of power shortages at night or due to weather conditions ORIX Corporation will supply electricity with Non-Fossil Certificates (with tracking certification) allowing tenant companies to use electricity derived from renewable energy sources for 100% of their electricity consumption there are plans for this property to obtain an A rating for CASBEE for Building (New Construction) the highest level of a five-star rating in Building Energy-efficiency Labeling System (BELS)*6 ORIX Real Estate is actively pursuing environmental considerations by installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the parking lot on the site *5 This is a business model in which a third party borrows the premises or roof of an electricity consumer installs a solar power generation system there and supplies the electricity generated by the system to the consumer.*6 This is a third-party certification system that ranks the energy-saving performance of buildings in five stages Contact Information: Investor Relations and Sustainability Department ORIX Corporation Tel: +81-3-3435-3121 Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements:These documents may contain forward-looking statements about expected future events and financial results that involve risks and uncertainties Such statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results that differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements Factors that could cause such a difference include those described under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and under “(4) Risk Factors” of the “1 Summary of Consolidated Financial Results” of the “Consolidated Financial Results April 1 2024 News Releases List #128 Humanities: Reducing Violence in the World Performance -Improvement Mechanisms of Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells Influence of COVID-19 Infection Experience on Fear Elucidating the Neural Mechanisms of Stress-Induced Cardiovascular Responses Developing a Cyclic Molecule That Captures Phosphate in Harmony with Water Molecules