The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), the University of Tsukuba, and Sanatech Life Sciences have jointly developed a long shelf-life melon using genome editing technology, which is used to disrupt the ethylene-producing gene CmACO1. Because the melon no longer produces ethylene, a plant hormone that ripens fruit, the melons take longer to ripen. In the final stage before shipping, the melon is ripened by exposure to a high concentration of ethylene, as is currently done for bananas. This genome-edited melon uses the "in planta particle bombardment (iPB) method," a genome-editing technology jointly developed by NARO and Kaneka Co., Ltd. The iPB method is a method in which genes are inserted into the shoot apical meristem tissue of plants using fine gold particles. This method is characterized by its ability to edit the genome of plants as they are, without the need for cell culture. It will thus become possible to edit the genome of many crops that were previously difficult to culture. (JA Shimbun Online Edition 2026/1/20)

Following the treatment of a six-month-old baby in the United States using genome-editing technology, the Japanese government has decided to set forth a policy regarding genome-editing techniques for humans. According to the government's policy, the restrictions will be limited to fertilized eggs and will not restrict use on babies. The government thus plans to introduce a limited regulation in which research on fertilized eggs is to be permitted, but the transfer of fertilized eggs into the womb is prohibited.

Further local assemblies adopted opinion statements calling for the labeling of genome-edited foods in December. In last month's issue, we reported that six municipal assemblies, including that of Fuchu City in Tokyo, adopted the proposals. This has been followed by the Higashi-matsuyama City Council, the Namegawa Town Council, and the Yorii Town Council, all in Saitama Prefecture. As a result, a total of six prefectural assemblies, including Aichi Prefecture, and 30 municipal assemblies, including Sapporo, have adopted the opinion statements.

On December 24, the second meeting of the Japan Growth Strategy Headquarters, which the Takaichi administration has been making great efforts to push forward, was held, and a review system was presented. In the review, the ministers and ministries in charge of leading the working groups (WGs) in each of the 17 strategic fields were announced. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry will take charge of the synthetic biology/biotechnology WG. The Cabinet Office (Science and Technology, Health and Medical Care); the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism will be the acting heads of the WG. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will take charge of the food technology WG, the Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will also be among the acting heads of the WG, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will be one of the ministries related to the WG. The Ministry of the Environment and the Consumer Affairs Agency, which take charge of regulation, have been excluded from the list.