About this season
FRONTRUNNERS highlights professionals at the very forefront of their field. We showcase their amazing work, discover their motivations, and learn about the challenges they face in the future.
Episodes (16)
1. Master Salt Maker - Sato Kyojiro
Aired 31 January 2024 • 28 min
Meet salt maker Sato Kyojiro, whose unique, naturally produced, labor-intensive creations have earned fans among Japan's leading chefs.
2. Medical Interpreting Pioneer - Minamitani Kaori
Aired 28 February 2024 • 28 min
Follow Dr. Minamitani Kaori, head of a pioneering medical center in Osaka Prefecture that is leading the way in providing care to patients from overseas with limited Japanese skills.
3. Poet & NPO Founder - Ueda Kanayo
Aired 20 March 2024 • 28 min
Meet Ueda Kanayo, an Osaka-based poet, activist and NPO founder helping disadvantaged former manual laborers to build community and discover themselves through the creative arts.
4. Snow Country Chef - Kuwakino Keiko
Aired 24 April 2024 • 28 min
Globally-renowned chef Kuwakino Keiko uses a new take on traditional methods to showcase the culture, climate and produce of Minami-Uonuma, one of the snowiest places in Japan.
5. Supporting Street Children - Watanabe Hiroki
Aired 1 May 2024 • 28 min
Watanabe Hiroki is co-founder of an NGO in Bangladesh. It gives long-term support to underprivileged children on the street, proving that they can make a positive contribution to society.
6. Orthopedic Shoe Meister - Nakai Yosuke
Aired 29 May 2024 • 28 min
Meet Nakai Yosuke, a qualified prosthetist and German-certified orthopedic shoe "meister" leveraging his skills to help Japanese seniors maintain their mobility and independence well into old age.
7. Cricket Food Producer - Ashikari Seiya
Aired 19 June 2024 • 28 min
Ashikari Seiya explores the potential of crickets as a nutritious solution to the global food crisis. He works with farmers in Cambodia to establish green, sustainable production methods.
8. Ainu Cultural Advocate - Monbetsu Atsushi
Aired 26 June 2024 • 28 min
Monbetsu Atsushi is a cultural and wildlife advocate working to preserve Hokkaido Prefecture's traditional Ainu culture through ancient practices including bowhunting and forest management.
9. Accessibility NPO Founder - Oda Yuriko
Aired 14 August 2024 • 28 min
Oda Yuriko suffers from a progressive disease, but by running a patient association, developing an app and other activities, she's working toward a society in which anybody can enjoy life.
10. Coconut Entrepreneur Tackling Poverty - Mizui Yu
Aired 21 August 2024 • 28 min
Mizui Yu is tackling poverty in the Philippines using coconuts—he develops food and cosmetics for sale in Japan. His business is improving lives. What products will he develop next?
11. Nebuta Artist - Kitamura Asako
Aired 25 September 2024 • 28 min
Kitamura Asako is the first female floatmaker in the 300-year history of Aomori's Nebuta Matsuri, battling prejudice as she upholds this very male tradition while also imbuing a fresh new sensibility.
12. International Mountain Medic - Oshiro Kazue
Aired 30 October 2024 • 28 min
Dr. Oshiro Kazue is a skilled mountain medic, dedicated to promoting awareness of alpine safety, and even spending her summers treating climbers from a cabin near the peak of the iconic Mt. Fuji.
13. Drone Entrepreneur - Kawanoue Kazufumi
Aired 20 November 2024 • 28 min
In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, heavy traffic hinders the delivery of blood for transfusions. Kawanoue Kazufumi hopes to overcome this challenge using drones, and build out a new aerial infrastructure.
14. Medical Companion for Travel - Ito Reiya
Aired 27 November 2024 • 28 min
Joy through travel: the mantra of Dr. Ito Reiya, who helps critical and chronic patients to plan trips. He accompanies them to the sea, familiar places or to see family, bringing them happiness.
15. Horse-Powered Energy Innovator - Iwama Takashi
Aired 4 December 2024 • 28 min
We follow a unique initiative led by expert horse-handler Iwama Takashi as he strives to harness the potential of horse-drawn carts to provide renewable electricity to off-grid communities in Senegal.
16. Bonsai Master - Kobayashi Kunio
Aired 25 December 2024 • 28 min
Kobayashi Kunio (76) is a celebrated bonsai artist working to secure the future of this traditional art form through outreach to children, and through efforts to protect the iconic shimpaku juniper.