[Neuroethics in Japan--current view and future visions].

Neuroethics was originated in 2002 in the United States. In 2004, the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX), a subsection of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), launched a neuroethics research group as the first research group to focus on the academic study and public engagement in neuroethics in Japan. In this article, the authors summarize the activities of RISTEX, JST during the brief history of neuroethics in Japan, and subsequently compare their current activities in neuroethics to those in other Western countries. We also introduce brief results of public survey of neuroscience research in Japan that suggest the significance of ethics and education regarding neuroscience to overview the future vision on neuroethics. We further discuss the role of neuroscientists in the future progress in neuroethics.