Current Situation of Synthetic Biology in Japan

Studies on synthetic biology have been promoted in many countries to find a solution to the proposition "what is life?"; this is done not by analytical but by constructive methods, or to create the systems of living organisms for human use. Synthetic biology is supposed to be a useful tool for solving various problems that humans have; however, it could lead to many ethical challenges, particularly problems in terms of disaster prevention, such as the question whether the artificial creation of life is right or wrong and concerns about the creation of organisms that may be harmful for humans and the environment. This paper summarizes the social and scientific trends in the field of synthetic biology, especially in Japan, for clarifying the related social problems and bringing these problems to the attention of the stakeholders and public.