The Geological Survey of Japan started a geological mapping project in Japan in 1882. This paper summarizes the historical transition of the strategy of the geological mapping project, which coincides with the transition of the overall scenarios of the mapping project in Japan. Each geological map has an individual scenario on which integration of research elements is conducted. Each individual scenario depends on local geology. 1:50,000 quadrangle geological map is the most basic one developed in the Geological Survey of Japan, and I discuss the mapping project in terms of the overall and individual scenarios.

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We developed highly durable lacquerware by applying a protective layer in which resin and clay were mixed on the surface of the lacquerware. The components of the protective layer were selected from the viewpoints of dispersibility in a solvent, transparency of the layer, and hardness of the layer. It was confirmed that even after repeated washing with a dishwasher, the color, gloss, and surface flatness of the protective layer resisted deterioration. We optimized the paste viscosity, spray blowing pressure, and number of coatings to establish a method of giving a protective layer to products. In addition, we examined designs and productivity, considered user ratings, and created a product that exhibited the above-mentioned superior characteristics.

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Aiming for innovative ceramic manufacturing technologies which enable creative and novel products, a national R&D project “High-Value Added Ceramic Products Manufacturing Technologies (HCMT)” has been initiated since 2014 as part of the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (CSTI), Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP), “Innovative design/manufacturing technologies” program in Japan. The project deals with two key technologies: additive manufacturing (AM) for realizing complex-shaped ceramic products and reducing their lead-times, and hybrid coating on 3D bodies for enhancing their functionality and durability. Following an overview of this project and a brief description on the general status of AM technologies, this article focuses on the R&D strategies and the latest achievements on AM of ceramics in this project. Among a variety of AM approaches, we employ two AM technologies for making ceramic green bodies; powder layer manufacturing (powder bed fusion or indirect selective laser sintering) and slurry layer manufacturing (vat photo-polymerization or stereolithography), because of their dimensional accuracy, shape-flexibility, density-adjustability, etc. The former is a dry forming process, and is suitable for large/porous components, while the latter is a wet one, being good for small/dense parts. In addition, intensive research efforts are being devoted to ceramic laser sintering (direct selective laser sintering) which enables concurrent forming and sintering (saving post-sintering-process). This paper describes several 3D prototype models produced for various application targets using the developed AM technologies, which are never attainable with conventional methods. The current issues and future perspective for AM of ceramics will be addressed and discussed as well.

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AIST has been supporting scientific aspects of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA), mainly in regard to the regulation of site selection for radioactive waste disposal. NRA is constructing regulation criteria and examination guides for the disposal of intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW) at intermediate depth prior to the geological disposal of high-level radioactive wastes (HLW). This paper introduces some examples of utilizing AIST’s R&D results for regulation of ILW disposal. This paper also presents examples of future tasks by analyzing the differences between the ILW and HLW disposal, and the differences between ILW regulation and criteria in the “Nationwide Map of Scientific Features for Geological Disposal” to categorize areas based on favorability for HLW disposal.

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