Japan's Top Inventions

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind home blood pressure monitors that use fuzzy logic, developed by a Japanese company in 1991. In the second half: test patterns with colorful gradients and fine lines used to evaluate the performance of photocopiers. We visit the Japanese printing company that holds around 90% of the global market share for these patterns.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind the development of drawing tablets created in 1987 that are used for comics, animation and commercial design. In the second half: cascades, an important airplane component. We go behind the scenes with the Japanese company that controls over 90% of the global market share for these components.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind laptops developed by a Japanese company in 1985 that created a huge new market for portable computers. In the second half: purification & separation systems that isolate and extract specific compounds from other organic compounds. We go behind the scenes with a Japanese company that develops this technology.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind the world's smallest surgical needles—only 0.03mm in diameter. In the second half: pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment essential for making pills. They apply coatings which allow easier ingestion and controlled release of the medicine. We go behind the scenes with the Japanese company that develops this equipment.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: high-capacity optical disks capable of recording many hours of high-definition shows off the TV, developed by a major Japanese manufacturer in 2002. In the second half: automatic skewer machines used in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. We show off this unique invention that was first made for chicken skewers.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind ventilators developed by a Japanese company in 1984 which provide critical care for premature babies. In the second half: electron beam lithography systems, capable of drawing the finest lines in the world. We introduce the Japanese technology that's being used by researchers at universities around the world.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind landmine clearance machines developed by a Japanese company in 1998 which are used to safely detonate mines. In the second half: linear guides which facilitate smooth mechanical motion. We introduce the Japanese technology that's used in things like airplane seats and CT scanners.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind canned bread developed by a Japanese bakery in 1996 which doesn't go stale easily and has a long shelf-life. In the second half: a machine that makes Dorayaki, a Japanese sweet with red bean paste sandwiched by pancakes. We introduce this unique machine that's also being used to make other sandwich pancakes around the world.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind mosquito coils, invented by a Japanese company, which help prevent mosquito-borne diseases around the world. In the second half: we introduce screw removal tools that can remove stripped screws when a normal screwdriver can't.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: pulse oximeters that measure blood oxygen saturation, which have saved many lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second half: egg grading & packing systems which clean eggs, check for cracks, sort and pack them. We introduce these systems that are used in over 70 countries and regions worldwide.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind needles which cause less pain during injection, developed by a Japanese company in 2005. In the second half: sports wheelchairs made by a Japanese company which have helped athletes win over 140 medals in the Paralympic events like tennis and wheelchair racing.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind lithium-ion batteries, a key part of smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. In the second half: dust collectors for tunnel construction, which help keep workers safe at worksites around the world.

The fascinating stories and secrets behind hit Japanese products, plus parts and machines that boast the top share of niche markets. In the first half: the story behind correction tape, the office supply that lets people fix mistakes made in pen. In the second half: water filter media that's used in 80% of Japan's water treatment facilities.