The Nippon Paper Group, Inc. Komatsushima Factory in Tokushima Prefecture has so far carried out two trial cultivations of cedar (actually cryptomeria japonica) pollen allergy alleviating GM rice in their glasshouse completed in January 2007 as a part of the MAFF "R&D into the practical use and commercialisation of second generation GM crops." This research project ended in March this year (2008), but the third cultivation was begun in August (see BJ September 2008). The trial is being carried out this time not as a joint development project with the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS) as previously, but by the Nippon Paper Group, Inc. alone, apparently as an effort to establish a year-round cultivation system. The Komatsushima Factory was due to close in September this year, leaving just the glasshouse facility open. The company has said that it is would like to undertake commissioned cultivations for research institutes in order to make efficient use of the glasshouse.

A meeting of the MEXT working group considering the pros and cons of the production of reproductive cells from human iPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) (see BJ September 2008) took place on 26 August 2008 at which hearings were conducted with Professor TORII Ryuzo of the Shiga University of Medical Science and Professor ISHINO Fumitoshi of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Prof. Torii reported on the current state of monkey ES (embryonic stem) cell research, and Prof. Ishino reported on the current situation on mouse epigenetics. Epigenetics is the mechanism by which cells behave (express themselves) e.g. in animals after birth to form the different kinds of cells in the body although all the DNA inherited from the parents undergoes no change itself.

At present, the success rate for somatic cell cloned mouse is a mere 5%. Even these 5% have many problems such as obesity, short lifespan and so on, and according to the research of Prof. Ishino and his group, there are also gene expression abnormalities in the various organs. Further, the mouse ova fertilized by microinsemination also show abnormalities in gene expression. On the basis of these facts, Prof. Ishino emphasized the importance of epigenetics in regenerative medicine by stating that, "We are studying mice, and to know about humans you really have to study humans, but it is at least possible to say that something is happening."