October 2007

Built to Last

200 Year Housing: The Dawn of a Sustainable Society

In his first policy speech to the Diet on October 1, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda commented that "addressing global environmental issues is something that cannot be postponed" and outlined a specific vision called "200 Year Housing," marking a substantial step along the road to creating a sustainable society. The Japan Journal reports.

Innovation and Participation: Elements of a Sustainable Society

The onus is on all of us-consumers and manufacturers alike-to pave the way for a sustainable society. So says Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, who as president of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science is committed to accelerating the realization of this goal.

A Focus on the Intangibles

Arakawa Ryu examines some of the new and emerging features of Japanese "environmental businesses" today, drawing on the examples of Starway, Zeotek and Re-Tem.

Speaking for Nature

In drawing up a plan for survival in this age of global environmental crisis, writes Kazuhiro Ueta, it is vital that we engage honestly in three important dialogues.

Structural Reform: A Work in Progress

For all the talk of "structural reform" in the last decade, how much has Japan's economic system actually changed in that time, and how can further reforms-in particular of the public sector-successfully be implemented? Professor Komine Takao comments.

Postal Privatization: Delivering Change

On October 1, 2007 Japan started the privatization of its postal service. Nobuyuki Kinoshita, director-general of the Office for the Promotion of Privatization of Postal Services, explains the significance of this historic reform.

On Close Inspection

The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata prefecture remains under shutdown conditions following the Chuetsu offshore earthquake in July. Uichiro Yoshimura, a director at Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), explains what happened in the plant at the time of the quake and outlines the ongoing work of NISA's investigatory task force.

The Bus Now Standing on Platform 1…

Chris A. Pomeroy introduces you to a bus with steel wheels-Hokkaido Railway Company's Dual Mode Vehicle.

Enhancing Productivity

Hideichi Okada, director general of the Commerce and Information Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), looks at ways in which the government and private sector are working to boost innovation and productivity in the Japanese service industry.

Reforms Imperative to Bolster Growth Potential

Kyushu University Professor Akihiko Shinozaki explains why in Japan ICT has not yet had the impact it might have in terms of boosting productivity.

Private Sector at Your Service

Service innovation has started to intensify in Japanese companies. Nobuaki Takada of Nomura Research Institute offers an explanation of this new, rising tide.

Industrious Robots

Japan's robot makers are preparing for the factory robot's second coming, reports Tony McNicol.

2050: The Odyssey Begins

We spoke to Special Advisor to the Cabinet Kiyoshi Kurokawa, a former president of the Science Council of Japan and now head of the Innovation 25 Strategy Council, about the direction of Japan's Cool Earth 50 long-term vision and efforts to nurture the human resources needed to carry it through.

Manga: Expanding Spheres of Influence

Yusuke Nakashima appraises the winning entries to the First International MANGA Award held earlier this year and looks forward to the continued growth of manga as an important genre of art and literature around the world.

Food, Glorious Food

"Eons away from the fast-food lane," the Tokyo food court experience is quite unlike any other. Shoji Kaori reports.