The Grace of Water and Technological Evolution - A Pictorial History of Japan's Desalination Technology - From 1950 to the 2020s Japan's desalination technology has undergone numerous innovations over the years, responding to the demands of the times in a land scarce in water. Its history is a story of science and industry intersecting, sometimes fraught with difficulties, yet constantly breaking new ground.

The Grace of Water and Technological Evolution - A Pictorial History of Japan's Desalination Technology - From 1950 to the 2020s Japan's desalination technology has undergone numerous innovations over the years, responding to the demands of the times in a land scarce in water. Its history is a story of science and industry intersecting, sometimes fraught with difficulties, yet constantly breaking new ground.

In the 1950s, Multi-Stage Flash Evaporation (MSF) was first introduced in Kagoshima and Aichi Prefectures. This technology was utilized to meet the water demands of industrial zones, functioning as a foundation supporting Japanese industry despite energy consumption challenges.

The 1970s marked a major turning point for Japanese technology with the advent of reverse osmosis (RO). High-performance membranes developed by Toray and Nitto Denko spread primarily in the industrial zones of Tokyo and Osaka, gaining widespread acceptance as a highly reliable desalination technology. The 1980s and 1990s ushered in an era of international expansion. Advanced desalination plants began operating in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, while Hitachi Zosen and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries participated in large-scale projects in Middle Eastern countries. Their success, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, became a catalyst for gaining global recognition. After the 2000s, amid growing environmental concerns, energy-saving desalination technologies advanced. In Kagoshima and Okinawa Prefectures, compact systems proved valuable for remote islands and disaster response. Furthermore, the evolution of Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) technologies
accelerated the pursuit of sustainability. In this way, Japan's desalination technology has evolved uniquely through challenges and innovations surrounding water, flourishing as a foundation supporting countless lives both domestically and internationally.

Sources: - Seawater Desalination - Wikipedia: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B5%B7%E6%B0%B4%E6%B7%A1%E6%B0%B4%E5%8C%96 - Japan's Advanced Water Treatment Technologies and Their Potential - JFS Japan for Sustainability: https://www.japanfs.org/ja/news/archives/news_id030098.html - Status and Challenges of Seawater Desalination Technology - SciencePortal China: https://spc.jst.go.jp/hottopics/0907water/r0907_hirai.html
- 50 Years of Water Production Technology: Progress and Current Status - WRPC: https://wrpc.jp/what/img/05.10.pdf - The Remarkable Japanese Companies Solving the Serious "Global Water Shortage" Through Technology - Toyo Keizai Online: https://toyokeizai.net/articles/-/600135