On 7 December 2025, UNU-IAS experts were featured in an episode of "Tokoro-san no Megaten!", a science education programme produced by Nippon Television. The episode centers around a field visit to Kagaku no Sato (Science Village) in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Kagaku no Sato is an intiative led by Nippon Television and the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI), for which UNU-IAS serves as the secretariat. This collaborative project aims to restore ecosystems, transforming degraded land into vibrant satoyama (Japanese woodland villages) rich in biodiversity.
Through hands-on experiences and discussions with local practitioners, the episode highlights efforts to revitalize the landscape using organic agriculture, sustainable architecture and traditional knowledge. Mesfin Sahle Achemo (Research Fellow and Academic Associate), Agung Prasetyo (Programme Associate) and Hanna Takemoto (Communications Associate) participate in a rice harvest and learn about heat-resistant rice varieties. They also discuss the use of natural building materials and traditional craftsmanship with Kengo Kuma, a Japanese architect renowned for sustainable designs.
A recording of the programme (in Japanese) can be accessed below.
