Mirror life at the crossroads: Report on the symposia in Japan for discussion toward mirror life synthesis

The synthesis of mirror life, an organism composed entirely of the mirror-image counterparts of naturally occurring biomolecules, may be a topic for science fiction today but is suggested to be a reality in the future. Scientists called for strict preemptive regulation for the synthesis of mirror life due to concerns regarding biosecurity risks, such as the potential threat of mirror life to humans and non-human ecosystems. This perspective reports on the discussions held at two recent symposia in Japan, at the Japanese Society for Cell Synthesis Research (JSCSR) meeting and at the Biophysical Society of Japan (BSJ) annual meeting. Participants, including synthetic biologists, social scientists and artists, discussed the feasibility of the synthesis of mirror-image artificial self-replicating cells and the balance between the risks and benefits of this emerging technology. The discussions indicate that, while safety management is essential, a rational, evidence-based framework developed through open dialogue with society is crucial for the responsible advancement of mirror life research.