ヒマでボヤッといろいろなことを考えているときに、自然と浮かんでくるんですよ。 Hima de boyatto iroiro na koto o kangaete iru toki ni, shizen to ukande kuru n desu yo. They come to me naturally when I'm idly letting my mind wander over different things.
Akira Yoshino · 吉野彰 lithium-ion battery inventor, Asahi Kasei Honorary Fellow and Nobel chemistry laureate
In Asahi Kasei's original interview, the question asks what provides the starting point for researching and developing a new product. Yoshino says connections between technologies arise more often when he is idly thinking than when he strains to discover something.
Why this date: October 23 is Chemistry Day in Japan. The inventor's answer offers a personal perspective on chemical discovery.
Language note: ヒマ (hima) is idle time; ボヤッと (boyatto) is vaguely or absent-mindedly; 浮かんでくる (うかんでくる / ukande kuru) means to come to mind.
An idle interval can give distant ideas room to connect.
DJW practice example: 少し休むと、新しい考えが浮かぶ。 Sukoshi yasumu to, atarashii kangae ga ukabu. When I rest for a moment, a new idea comes to mind.
Sources: Asahi Kasei — Akira Yoshino interview: https://www.asahi-kasei.com/jp/asahikasei-brands/yoshino/interview Japan Chemical Industry Association — Chemistry Day: https://www.nikkakyo.org/news/page/9781