Feature

RITE Today 2024

Acquisition of New Large National Projects and Future Research andDevelopment Prospects
Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology Group
Masayuki Inui, Group Leader, Chief Researcher
Kazumi Hiraga, Associate Chief Researcher
Takeshi Kubota, Senior Researcher

1. Introduction
Biomanufacturing is expected to contribute to carbon neutrality for the realization of a sustainable society.

for the next generation as a sustainable manufacturing
process that replaces the conventional manufacturing
process that use fossil resources as raw materials.

This technology uses biological processes to produce

In this special issue, the efforts of RITE in the GI Fund

products independent of fossil fuels. An example is car-

Project and Research and Development of Technologies

bon recycling that uses CO2 to directly feed microor-to Promote Biomanufacturing will be introduced afterganisms and will convert atmospheric CO2 into usefulan overview of the current trends in biomanufacturing.

compounds and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases. Products such as bio-plastics and biofuels

2. Global trends in biomanufacturing

made from renewable resources such as biomass re-Biomanufacturing is gaining worldwide attention assources have a lower environmental impact than con-a sustainable manufacturing method and is experienc-

ventional petroleum-based products. The widespreading intensifying competition, especially in Europe anduse of these products is expected to reduce the carbon

the United States.

footprint of the entire industry.

In the U.S., a presidential decree on the promotion

The Research Institute of Innovative Technology forof biotechnology and biomanufacturing has been

the Earth (RITE) has been working on producing biofu-

signed, stating that biomanufacturing will replace one-els and green chemicals through research and develop-

third of the manufacturing industry within the next 10

ment of smart cell and biorefinery technologies. Inyears, with the market size estimated to reach approxi-FY2023, RITE was entrusted with the Green Innovation

mately $30 trillion1). These policies indicate a policy ofFund (GI) Project and Research and Development ofexpansion and intensive investment in biomanufactur-Technologies to Promote Biomanufacturing, taking aing.

new step toward realizing a sustainable society. TheseIn Europe, emphasis is being placed on the for-projects will develop carbon-recycling technologies tomation of international rules for creating a recycling-

produce chemicals and fuels from CO2 and biomass re-oriented society, and environmental regulatory strate-sources. In the future, RITE aims to contribute to realiz-gies such as the adoption of the “Draft New Regulation

ing a carbon-neutral society by building an innovativeon Packaging and Packaging Waste”2) and the revision

manufacturing method to produce high-value–addedof the European Renewable Energy Directive (RED III)3)chemicals from diverse biomass resources and CO2, withare being used to provide direction for biomanufactur-biomanufacturing technology at its core. This initiative

ing and to promote the bioeconomy.

can be expected to become the industrial foundation

In Japan, to secure competitiveness in this field, the5Feature

RITE Today 2024

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development

development of domestic platforms to design and de-Organization (NEDO), a national research and develop-velop efficient material production microorganisms

ment corporation, has been implementing the “Devel-based on the outlook for future industrial structure10).

opment of Highly Functional Materials Production

RITE has proposed and been adopted for these twoTechnologies Using Plants and Other Organisms

projects in collaboration with companies, and is carry-(Smartcell Project, FY2016–2020)”4) to build unique anding out the projects. The following is an introduction ofefficient gene design and recombination technologies

the contribution of RITE to these projects.

by combining biotechnology and digital technology,
and has produced many results5). This concept and its

3. GI Fund Projects*

results have been carried over to the current “Develop-

3.1. Project overview

ment of Production Technology for Biobased Products

The Green Growth Strategy was formulated to meetto Accelerate the Realization of Carbon Recycling (Bio-the Japanese Government's 2020 target of achieving

manufacturing Project, FY2020–FY2026)”

and othercarbon neutrality (zero greenhouse gas emissions over-projects. RITE has participated in these projects and de-all) by 2050, and the GI Fund was established at NEDO

veloped several core technologies that are now being

in 2020 as one of the initiatives to achieve this target. In

used to develop current technologies (see Research and2023, as part of the GI Fund project, NEDO announced

Development Activities of the Molecular Microbiologythat this would launch the “Promotion of carbon recy-and Biotechnology Group, RITE).

cling using CO2 as a direct raw material through bi-6)

In October 2020, then Prime Minister Suga declaredomanufacturing technology” (total budget: 176.7 billion

the goal of carbon neutrality (zero overall greenhouseyen), and six themes were selected. The main feature ofgas emissions) by 2050. In June 2021, the government

the GI Fund project is that this uses “CO2 carbon as aformulated a “Green Growth Strategy”7) and created a 2

direct raw material,” rather than the conventional bi-trillion yen GI Fund at NEDO as a budget for address-omanufacturing by microorganisms from ”biomass re-ing global warming as an opportunity for growth.

sources.”8)

Furthermore, in June 2022, Prime Minister Kishida

Therefore, the aim is to contribute to achieving car-announced the “Grand Design and Implementation

bon neutrality through the development and social im-

Plan for New Capitalism.” This states that bold and fo-

plementation of new biomanufacturing products using

cused investment will be made in biomanufacturing, aCO2 as a raw material and to change the industrial struc-research field that can pursue both economic growthture through the conversion of CO2 into resources.

9)

and solutions to social issues on a global scale.

RITE, in collaboration with Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.

Based on these policies, in 2023, NEDO launched theis currently implementing the "Green Innovation Fund

“Green Innovation Fund Project/Development of Pro-

Project: Promotion of Carbon Recycling Using CO2 as aduction Technology for Biobased Products to Acceler-

Direct Raw Material through Biomanufacturing Tech-ate the Realization of Carbon Recycling” and the “Re-nology, Development and Improvement of Microor-search and Development of Technologies to Promote

ganisms Capable of Producing Materials from CO 2, De-

Biomanufacturing” to support the diversification of raw

velopment and Verification of Manufacturing Technol-materials and products for biomanufacturing and theogy Using Microorganisms Capable of Producing Ma-

advancement of production technology, as well as theterials from CO2, Development and Demonstration of6

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RITE Today 2024

Microorganisms that can Produce Materials from CO2,3.3. Themes contributed by RITE

Development and Commercialization of High-value–

Figure 1 shows the research and development im-

added Chemicals using CO2 as a Raw Material throughage of this project conducted by RITE and Sekisui

Biomanufacturing Technology" (project period: 8 years

Chemical Co., Ltd. Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. converts

from FY2023 to FY2030).

CO2 to CO with high efficiency by using a chemical catalyst, which has a high energy level (easily used by living

3.2. Challenges in biomanufacturing from CO2 by micro-organisms). RITE converts CO to polymer raw materials

organisms

for epoxy resin in a bioprocess using acetate-producing

The acetate-producing bacteria (e.g., CO-assimilat-bacteria (e.g., CO-assimilating bacteria, etc.). The result-ing bacteria) used in this project by RITE/Sekisui Chem-ing polymer raw materials are photodimerized andical Co., Ltd. can efficiently fix gases with the lowest ATP

epoxidized by Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. to produce

energy consumption among the seven previously re-heat-resistant adhesives. This high-value–added heat-

ported metabolic pathways that enable gas fixation, in-resistant adhesive is used for specialized bonding ofcluding CO2. Therefore, useful substances can be effi-components that require heat resistance, such as

ciently produced using gas as a raw material. The dis-

smartphones, aircraft, and automobiles. After use, theadvantages are that most acetic acid-producing bacte-adhesive can be combusted into CO2, and the same

ria are anaerobic, requiring dedicated anaerobic culture

scheme can be used for resource recycling. The produc-

facilities and culture knowledge, as well as the develop-

tion cost of the adhesive is expected to be 1.2-fold lessment of genetic modification tools and technology tothan that of the current product.

construct smart cells from acetic acid-producing bacte-

RITE will use the smart cell technology and biopro-ria. These aspects will be addressed through researchduction technology it has developed to date to develop

and development by RITE under the GI Fund project.

strains that can convert CO to polymer raw materials (byFor many years, RITE has enabled the production ofdeveloping genetic recombination tools for CO-assimi-

various useful chemicals and biofuels from sugar feed-lating bacteria and constructing production strains forstock derived from various biomass resources usingintermediate and polymer raw materials from CO),Coryneform bacteria.

which are the most important issues, using CO-assimilating bacteria, which are acetic acid-producing bacteria,

Fig. 1 Image of commercialization of high value–added chemical products
from CO2 by biomanufacturing technology

7

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RITE Today 2024

and developing bioproduction processes for polymer

conducts development of technologies necessary tofeedstock (process design, optimization of culture con-build a biomanufacturing value chain that uses diverse

ditions, and developing continuous processes), mainly

raw materials as input and diverse products as output.

on a laboratory scale.

The project aims for both economic growth and solvingsocial issues such as environmental problems by con-3.4. Future perspectives

verting the manufacturing process to biomanufacturing

Many refuse combustion facilities in Japan are of theand promoting the social implementation of biobased"complete combustion type," and if NOx and SOx areproducts. The project conducts the following: Develop-

removed according to established methods, exhausting technology for procuring raw materials for bioman-gas mainly comprising CO2 can be obtained. Since thereufacturing, developing microbial-modification plat-

are approximately 10,000 such facilities in Japan, theformers that can promote social implementation of bi-technology developed in this project could be appliedobased products, developing improvement technology

to waste treatment facilities nationwide. In addition tofor microorganisms, and developing and demonstrat-

these facilities, if CO2 emitted from steel mills, thermal

ing manufacturing technology for mass production.

power plants, factories, and other facilities can be effi-Together with TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL COR-

ciently used for biomanufacturing, this would contrib-

PORATION and TEIJIN LIMITED, RITE drafted and pro-ute to promoting carbon recycling and to the domestic

posed a development plan to strongly promote the so-carbon fixation and transporting biomass resources, ra-cial implementation of biobased products, and the pro-ther than using sugar and other materials derived fromject was adopted.

biomass resources. This could also contribute to reducing CO2 emissions. In Japan, where edible and non-food

4.2. Our theme

biomass resources are not abundant, the ability to use

In our proposal, “Development of bio-upcycling

atmospheric CO2 as a resource is advantageous fromtechnology to produce useful chemicals from unused

the perspective of securing future raw materials.

raw materials,” RITE develops strain-breeding technol-

In the future, new developments are expected to in-ogies and establishes a strain-development base. The

clude the development of technology for continuouscoproposers, TAKASAGO INTERNATIONAL CORPORA-

bioproduction of various high-value–added com-

TION and TEIJIN LIMITED, conduct practical develop-

pounds from CO2 at high concentrations and yields, andment of bio-aroma ingredients and high-performancethe selective bioproduction of highly functional andbio-fiber in their respective industrial fields of expertise.

high-value–added compounds from CO2 that are diffi-

More specifically, to produce results that are uniquecult to produce using chemical methods because of iso-and industrially competitive compared with researchmer by-products.

and development in biomanufacturing in Japan andaround the world, we will conduct research and devel-

4. Research and Development of Technologies to Promote Biomanufacturing*4.1. Project overview
The “Research and Development of Technologies toPromote Biomanufacturing” project launched in 2023

opment focusing on the following items.
i. Food waste and surplus biomass currently being
discarded will be positioned as unused domestic resources, and technology will be developed to process
them into raw materials for fermentation.

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RITE Today 2024

ii. We will also develop breeding techniques and es-markets. The strain-development platformer referred totablish a base for developing microorganisms that canhere is an organization that provides a service for de-utilize raw materials derived from unused resources andveloping high-performance producing strains. This ser-produce even chemicals that are toxic to living micro-

vice is the core of commercializing chemical production

organisms.

technology using microbial fermentation.

iii. By establishing large-scale production technol-

RITE has developed various producing strains

ogy and purification technology, we will develop man-through national projects and corporate joint re-ufacturing technology for useful chemicals.

searches. Since developing these strains requires ad-iv. We will conduct Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) onvanced biotechnology, companies without experiencethe manufacturing process of biobased products fromface extremely high hurdles, including initial investment,

unused resources to clarify the environmental perfor-training of engineers, and acquiring knowledge. For thismance, such as the CO2 reduction effect, of converting

reason, many companies hesitate to enter the bioman-from conventional petrochemical methods to biobased

ufacturing industry. Strain-development platformers

methods (Fig. 2).

are commissioned to develop and provide strains thatcan produce chemical products desired by these companies. These strain-development platformers strongly
promote the conversion of manufacturing processes tobiomanufacturing and the social implementation of biobased products. However, very few organizations thatcurrently operate in Japan that can do this. RITE aims tobecome an organization that revitalizes the entire bioindustry as a bacterial strain-development platformer
by fully using the microbial fermentation production
technology we have accumulated over the years.

4.4. Future perspectives
Fig. 2 Overview of RITE’s theme

The use of biotechnology has extremely high expectations for supporting a shift toward biomanufacturing

4.3. RITE's challenge to become a strain-developmentusing unused resources that can simultaneously solve

platformthe dual challenges of environmental problems and do-

A platform operator (platformer) is a company or or-

mestic economic growth. Strain-development plat-ganization that provides the foundation for users, suchformers play an important role in achieving theseas individuals or companies, to develop their businesses.

changes, and the role of RITE as such a platformer is

As the number of users increases, the amount of infor-

expected to make the following contributions.

mation stored on the platform increases and can be an-1. Discovering and improving new microbial func-

alyzed and used to expand business. Amazon, Google,

tions: The RITE platformer can explore new microorgan-and Apple are representative examples of platform op-

isms and microbial functions and discover strains witherators that have a huge impact on their respective

useful properties. This is expected to improve existing9Feature

RITE Today 2024

microorganisms and create more efficient and environmentally friendly bioprocesses.
2. Use of sustainable resources: The RITE platformer
can develop microorganisms to utilize renewable rawmaterials. Technologies that generate energy, such as
bio-fuel, using non-food or discarded biomass as raw
materials are attracting attention as a sustainable energy source.
3. Collaboration with industry: The RITE platformer
is expected to collaborate with industry to provide practical solutions through promoting applied research andFig. 3 Social contribution throughcommercializing production using newly developed

RITE platformer activities

production microorganisms.
4. Human resource development: The RITE plat-

5. Closing remarks

former has a role in nurturing the next generation ofInnovation in biomanufacturing technology is an es-

researchers and engineers. This includes spreading

sential element in building a new industrial structureknowledge and developing biotechnology by sharing

and accelerating sustainable economic development.

research results to the extent possible.

RITE will not only develop these technologies but will

The RITE platformer takes advantage of its charac-also focus on addressing the challenges faced in social

teristics as a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation,

implementation and promote the spread of biomanu-

allowing the conduct of research and development andfacturing. Therefore, RITE plans to construct two newhuman resource development without conflicts of inter-research facilities that will integrate technology andest. RITE will solicit joint research not only from specificequipment. Each corresponds to the two new projects

companies but also from a wide range of industries anddescribed in this feature.

contribute to create a sustainable society by bringing to

The research building to be developed under the GI

the world many bioproducts derived from unused andFund project will be equipped with facilities specializing

renewable resources (Fig. 3).

in fermenting polymer feedstock from CO and developing associated bioprocesses. This research building isscheduled for completion this year (FY2024) and willconsiderably accelerate the development of technology
for the fermentation production of high-value–added
compounds from CO.
The Research and Development of Technologies toPromote Biomanufacturing is also moving forward withplans to construct a dedicated experimental buildingthat will integrate platform functions. Incorporating
digital robotics technology to enable the breeding of
ultraefficient high-producing strains of bacteria. Since10Feature

RITE Today 2024

multiple strain development requested by companies%83%AB%E3%82%AE%E3%83%BC%E6%8C%87%E4

will be conducted simultaneously, the structure will be%BB%A4renewable-energy-di-designed with sufficient consideration for information

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security. Construction on this site is expected to begin

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this year.

4)

By promoting the GI Fund Project and the Researchand Development of Technologies to Promote Bioman-https://www.jba.or.jp/nedo_smartcell/en/
5)

ufacturing in this special feature and by progressing theactivities in the respective dedicated research buildings

NEDO “Smartcell Project Results”, (In Japanese),https://www.nedo.go.jp/content/100923930.pdf

6)

on track, RITE aims to explore the feasibility of manufacturing processes that do not depend on fossil fuels

NEDO Smartcell Project,NEDO Bio-manufacturing Project, (In Japanese),https://www.jba.or.jp/b-production/7)

Green Growth Strategy with Carbon Neutrality inand contribute to environmental conservation by re-2050, Cabinet Secretariat Ministry of Economy, Tradeducing CO2 emissions.

and Industry Cabinet Office Financial Services

These activities are important steps toward building

Agency Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communica-

a recycling-oriented society and achieving carbon neu-tions Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Educa-

trality by 2050. RITE will continue to pursue the further

tion, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minis-evolution of biomanufacturing, and the realization of atry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry ofsustainable society brought about by this. We sincerely

Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry of thehope that RITE's efforts will serve as a foundation forEnvironment, June 18, 2021. (In Japanese),building a better environment for future generations.

https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/energy_environ-

We hope that this special issue of RITE will help
spread awareness of our activities and inspire people toment/global_warming/ggs/pdf/green_honbun.pdf
8)work together to create a sustainable future.

NEDO Green Innovation Fund, https://green-innovation.nedo.go.jp/en/9)

Grand Design and Implementation Plan of the New

References

Capitalism, June 7, 2022, (In Japanese),

1)

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Realization

https://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/atarashii_sihon-of Biomanufacturing Revolution, April 19, 2023, (Insyugi/pdf/ap2022.pdf

Japanese), https://www.meti.go.jp/shin-2)

10)

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, “Progressgikai/sankoshin/shin_kijiku/pdf/014_05_00.pdf

and Future Issues of Biotechnology Policy,” May 12,

Ministry of the Environment, Commissioned Re-

2023, (In Japanese), https://www.meti.go.jp/shin-search and Study for Promotion of Bioplastic andgikai/sankoshin/shomu_ryutsu/bio/pdf/016_04_00.p

Recycled Materials Utilization, Report, March 24,

df2023, (In Japanese), https://www.env.go.jp/content/000136496.pdf
3)This article is based on results obtained from a project

Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) to be Revised,*(in Japanese), https://baumcon-commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Tech-sult.co.jp/2022/10/07/%E5%86%8D%E7%94%9F%E5

nology Development Organization (NEDO).

%8F%AF%E8%83%BD%E3%82%A8%E3%83%8D%E3

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