FRONTRUNNERS

Wildlife vet Saito Keisuke has worked with endangered raptors in Hokkaido Prefecture for 30 years. He treats and releases the many birds injured by human activity, while also working to prevent such accidents.

Oba Carlos is a social entrepreneur leveraging local Wi-Fi networks to close the gap in access to information and opportunity between urban and rural populations in the African nation of Benin.

Watanabe Go is among the world's leading heart surgeons. He's an expert in robot-assisted keyhole surgery techniques that save lives while minimizing burden on the patient.

Japanese researcher Takama Takeshi founded an organization on the island of Bali, Indonesia to study climate change and help farmers to adapt its effects.

Noguchi Tomohisa makes leather from discarded fish skin. We investigate his efforts to utilize waste in the seafood industry, and contribute to sustainability.

In Japan, around 5,200 trees fall each year, causing accidents that can even be fatal. Tree surgeon Goto Mizuho diagnoses and treats them, utilizing innovative technology and techniques.