Mahathir and wife visit Kyoto University
I visited Japan as part of my annual participation at the Nikkei Forum Future of Asia in Tokyo recently. Prior to the forum, I was invited to Kyoto University in the city of Kyoto. Kyoto used to be the capital of Japan.
I was received by the University's President, Prof. Nagahiro Minato. There I had the opportunity to deliver a lecture and engage in a dialogue with students on the subject of “Asia and the World on the Brink: Rethinking Order in an Age of Turmoil.”
The students voiced their concern about the future of Japan, specifically and Asia as a whole, given the dynamics of the world order. Although their concerns were not unfounded, I assured them that I remain confident in Japan’s future—especially in medical and agricultural innovation.
Japan, with its discipline and innovation will be able to overcome the challenges that lie ahead.
I also visited the Centre for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA). IPS stands for Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, or stem cells in layman terms.
There I learned of the revolutionary work being done in regenerative medicine from Dr. Shinya Yamanaka.
CiRA is actually a world-renowned institute dedicated to advancing iPS cell technology, with the aim of applying it in the field of regenerative medicine.
What happens is the institute collects blood from donors and reprograms these cells into stem cells which have the potential to restore function in damaged or failing organs.
A subsequent visit to Kobe Eye Hospital further showcased how stem cell technology is changing lives. There I witnessed groundbreaking technology derived from third-generation stem cell research—technology that is now making it possible to treat eye diseases once thought to be incurable.
It is clear that the research holds great promise. I am heartened to learn that CiRA shares its findings openly with scientists around the world in pursuit of finding faster and better cure.
I also took the opportunity to visit the Osaka Expo 2025 in the city of Osaka. As part of my ongoing journey to better understand the development and application of third-generation stem cell technologies, I was brought to visit the Pasona Pavilion.
There, for the first time, a beating heart grown from iPS cells was presented to the public. The “iPS heart” was developed by differentiating iPS cells into cardiomyocytes—the cells responsible for generating a heartbeat—and then assembling them into cardiac muscle sheets.
Suspended in a red culture fluid, the heart could be seen rhythmically pulsing, although it is not yet capable of pumping blood like a real human heart.
Though still in development, it was truly remarkable to see how far medical science has advanced. It is a major leap forward and I think my confidence in Japan's future, especially in the field of medical research and application is quite justified.
I wish the world would just focus its resources and effort into furthering research and development for the betterment of humankind instead of war machines that result in nothing but destruction.
I was proud to end my visit at the Malaysia Pavilion— the Expo’s largest—designed with Japanese bamboo and attracting global attention. I was impressed! I believe it is an achievement that reflects Malaysia’s strong presence and creativity on the global stage.
And yes, I had roti canai—sold at RM50 each, with 1,000 pieces flying (they were literally flying!) off the griddle daily. A proud moment for Malaysia’s culture and cuisine!.
Uploaded from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's Facebook, posted on 1 July 2025.
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