FRONTRUNNERS - Season 3

First aired: 1/8/2025 11 episodes

Episodes

1. Wildlife Vet - Saito Keisuke

Aired: 1/8/2025

Wildlife vet Saito Keisuke has worked with endangered raptors in Hokkaido Prefecture for 30 years. He treats and releases the many birds injured by human activity, while also working to prevent such accidents.

2. Digital Services Innovator - Oba Carlos

Aired: 1/15/2025

Oba Carlos is a social entrepreneur leveraging local Wi-Fi networks to close the gap in access to information and opportunity between urban and rural populations in the African nation of Benin.

3. Robotic Surgery Pioneer - Watanabe Go

Aired: 1/29/2025

Watanabe Go is among the world's leading heart surgeons. He's an expert in robot-assisted keyhole surgery techniques that save lives while minimizing burden on the patient.

4. Takama Takeshi - Environmentalist

Aired: 3/5/2025

Japanese researcher Takama Takeshi founded an organization on the island of Bali, Indonesia to study climate change and help farmers to adapt its effects.

5. Fish Leather Maker - Noguchi Tomohisa

Aired: 3/19/2025

Noguchi Tomohisa makes leather from discarded fish skin. We investigate his efforts to utilize waste in the seafood industry, and contribute to sustainability.

6. Tree Surgeon - Goto Mizuho

Aired: 3/26/2025

In Japan, around 5,200 trees fall each year, causing accidents that can even be fatal. Tree surgeon Goto Mizuho diagnoses and treats them, utilizing innovative technology and techniques.

7. Peace Educator - Sumioka Kenta

Aired: 7/30/2025

In Hiroshima, as atomic bomb survivors age, preserving their memories has become a pressing issue. We follow Sumioka Kenta's efforts to further the cause of peace, through the creativity of youth.

8. Compost Promoter - Taira Yuiko

Aired: 8/6/2025

Taira Yuiko promotes composting of food waste to create a sustainable cycle. She works with an NGO in Mongolia to form a local nutrient cycle, enriching the soil and teaching composting techniques.

9. Dollmaker - Nakamura Hiromine

Aired: 8/13/2025

Fukuoka's summer traditional festival, Hakata Gion Yamakasa, features huge floats decorated with elaborate dolls. We meet Nakamura Hiromine, a fourth-generation dollmaker fusing this tradition with modern ideas.

10. Master Sculptor of Buddhist Statues - Matsumoto Shukan

Aired: 8/27/2025

Matsumoto Myokei, a "once-in-a-century" sculptor of Buddhist statues, is passing his skills onto his grandson, Shukan. 80 years on from the atomic bomb attacks, Shukan sculpts a message of peace.

11. Chef - Suzuki Yuko

Aired: 10/1/2025

Mongolia's culture of meat-eating is contributing to health problems in this developing economy. Chef Suzuki Yuko aims to introduce more vegetables through workshops and improved hospital menus.