Progress of research of high-Tc superconductors

Research in the area of of high T(sub c) superconductors has made great progress in the last few years. New materials were found and the systematic investigation of these materials has contributed to understanding the mechanism of high T(sub c) superconductivity. The critical currents in thin films, bulks, and tapes increased drastically, and the origin of flux pinning will be clarified in the near future. The future of high T(sub c) superconductivity, in both the basic and applied research areas, is very optimistic. Recent activities in research of high T(sub c) superconductivity and superconductors in Japan are overviewed.