Japan Funds Desalination Research Project

Japan has provided ¥2.924bn ($33m) for a research project to develop new technologies for the water supply industry.

A team of 100 researchers chosen from universities and industry bodies in Japan will be headed by Dr Maseru Kurihara to undertake research in a water project aiming to significantly reduce desalination costs.

The researchers will work on the Mega-Ton Water System project and will be looking to halve the construction costs of desalination plants that will desalinate a million cubic metres of water, according to desalination.biz.

The fund was granted under the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST Program), instituted in 2009 to strengthen Japan’s global competitiveness.