Genron, a Japanese NPO, seems to have removed the English language version of its site, and replaced it with a Google Translate option here. Clearly, there would be a financial incentive to such a move. But, if the goal is communication, then the outcome is still less than satisfactory.
For example: the organisation's self description in Japanese is:
私たちは、健全な民主主義に向けた
議論づくりを行う認定NPO法人です。
In Google Translate English, it comes out thus:
We are healthy for democracy
NPO is a corporation authorized to creating controversy.
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
A 'wonder' Christmas
Isetan, a Japanese department store, has a slightly odd (to me) but nevertheless 'wonderful' website up celebrating Christmas (in English or Japanese). Worth a look (here).
Thursday, October 15, 2009
End of luxuries in Japan -- at last
OK, that might have been a bit extreme, but I have seen a couple of articles recently about luxury brands shutting up shop or scaling back investment plans in Japan (but sales are roaring in China, including Hong Kong), and I have read them with relief.
Maybe Japan is finally reaching grown up status.
I know there are more than a few who will disagree with me, but I have always seen the obsession with spending large chunks of dime on 'statuswear' by a country's middle classes (and for a time in the '90s and '00s by a lot of the 'working class' etc.) as rather 'nouveau', striving.
I realise decking yourself out in label jeans, a Louis Vuitton handbag, and matching top and shoes (aside from being a rather boring 'uniform') is one way to distinguish oneself from a worker in the paddy fields. In the same way, many Asian women continue to use special whitening creams to achieve that whiter than white skin look, for similar reasons, to many in Asia still, a tan indicates time spent working in fields rather than lolling on a beach.
But, frankly, there are far more important things to be doing with the time, effort and money put into achieving such looks (IMHO).
Maybe Japan is finally reaching grown up status.
I know there are more than a few who will disagree with me, but I have always seen the obsession with spending large chunks of dime on 'statuswear' by a country's middle classes (and for a time in the '90s and '00s by a lot of the 'working class' etc.) as rather 'nouveau', striving.
I realise decking yourself out in label jeans, a Louis Vuitton handbag, and matching top and shoes (aside from being a rather boring 'uniform') is one way to distinguish oneself from a worker in the paddy fields. In the same way, many Asian women continue to use special whitening creams to achieve that whiter than white skin look, for similar reasons, to many in Asia still, a tan indicates time spent working in fields rather than lolling on a beach.
But, frankly, there are far more important things to be doing with the time, effort and money put into achieving such looks (IMHO).
Monday, July 20, 2009
Why Japan’s Cellphones Haven’t Gone Global
Interesting piece in the NYT on this subject. Man, the things I could say on this.
Followed the development of i-mode etc in Japan back in the day, and was inside at Telstra for a brief moment when they tried i-mode there.
But, most of all, I think the real take-away for Japan's business community is that they need to learn from this.
Japan has long been tagged with the label of follower rather than innovator.
The development of mobile phones in Japan surely led the world and Japan was unable to transfer that knowledge into a competitive advantage internationally. [It was also around this time that Sony really started to lose the plot.]
I have some theories on the whys and wherefores, and they are all fairly ephemeral.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Followed the development of i-mode etc in Japan back in the day, and was inside at Telstra for a brief moment when they tried i-mode there.
But, most of all, I think the real take-away for Japan's business community is that they need to learn from this.
Japan has long been tagged with the label of follower rather than innovator.
The development of mobile phones in Japan surely led the world and Japan was unable to transfer that knowledge into a competitive advantage internationally. [It was also around this time that Sony really started to lose the plot.]
I have some theories on the whys and wherefores, and they are all fairly ephemeral.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Japanese politics
I've avoided writing anything about the recent events in Japanese politics, mostly because I don't care.
And when I say that, I don't really mean it. Not at all.
Deep, deep down, there is an incredibly strong desire to see radical, sweeping change wash away so many of the problems inherent in Japan's political structures.
So much of that which is stagnant in Japan can be traced to the inability of the political system to move past some very entrenched political structures [not that this is unique to Japan].
At the same time though, the kind of revolution that it would take to knock these structures apart would cause immense upheaval and pain within Japanese society. And it is hard to wish that on anyone.
So while I may hope for change in Japan, I can't really want it to occur; not at that level anyway.
And, frankly, the DPJ is as hidebound as the LDP in too many ways. So, even, if somehow, the LDP doesn't find a way to cling to power again (it usually does) and the DPJ does gain traction, the old adage will still apply: plus ca change.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Hence: I really don't care.
And when I say that, I don't really mean it. Not at all.
Deep, deep down, there is an incredibly strong desire to see radical, sweeping change wash away so many of the problems inherent in Japan's political structures.
So much of that which is stagnant in Japan can be traced to the inability of the political system to move past some very entrenched political structures [not that this is unique to Japan].
At the same time though, the kind of revolution that it would take to knock these structures apart would cause immense upheaval and pain within Japanese society. And it is hard to wish that on anyone.
So while I may hope for change in Japan, I can't really want it to occur; not at that level anyway.
And, frankly, the DPJ is as hidebound as the LDP in too many ways. So, even, if somehow, the LDP doesn't find a way to cling to power again (it usually does) and the DPJ does gain traction, the old adage will still apply: plus ca change.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Hence: I really don't care.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The industrial policy debate returns
Gotta love it. Not a perfect examination of Industrial Policy in the US and Japan, but the very fact there are Americans discussing it and re-examing the issues causes a flutter of excitement.
Listen to it from here (NYT: Today's Business With Steve Lohr 19 May 09 (mp3)).
UPDATED: The related article can be read here.
Listen to it from here (NYT: Today's Business With Steve Lohr 19 May 09 (mp3)).
UPDATED: The related article can be read here.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Jogging Tokyo's streets
Do you miss pounding the pavements of Omotesando? Haven't had a chance to get out of the house. The video is in Japanese (you don't need the verbal queues) but Tokyo Jogging is the combination of Google Street View and Nintendo's Wii remote.
I haven't personally downloaded the app -- Jogging ain't my thing -- but the video is, well, a hoot.
I haven't personally downloaded the app -- Jogging ain't my thing -- but the video is, well, a hoot.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Japan’s Lost Decade: Lessons for the U.S
There may be some interest in this transcript of Brookings Institute / Nikkei discussion on Japan’s lost decade with opening remarks from Heizo Takenaka, Former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister of State for Privatization of Postal Services, Japan.
Personally, I never drank the Koizumi cool-aid, although clearly Takenaka is an enormous fan. But I thought Takenaka’s claim that they STOPPED the Lost Decade was, well amusing, on the back of Japan’s recent announcement of yet another, allegedly at least, massive stimulus plan.
Japan’s Lost Decade: Lessons for the U.S. 4 March 26, 2009
“Eight years ago we had a very special Prime Minister named Junichiro Koizumi. Under his leadership, we terminated -- stopped Lost Decade. As was mentioned by Richard, I worked in the government from 2001 to 2006 to support former Prime Minister Koizumi. Koizumi was a very special and unique prime minister in the history of Japan's politics. How unique and how special he was. First, he nominated me as a minister. He's very unique actually. Second, he continuously supported my policy for more than five years, though many influential politicians were against my policy. He's very special in that sense. Anyway, owing the leadership by Prime Minister Koizumi, the Japanese economy has come back -- financial crisis was over.
So let me quickly review the trend of the Japanese economy and the economic policy responses. Then I will discuss some lessons from our experience to stop financial crisis and the lost decade. It is needless to say that U.S. financial trouble and Japanese trouble.”
The transcript of the proceedings can be found here.
Japan’s biggest problem has been, in my view, that it has had no idea what kind of country it wants to be post-industrialisation. Another way of putting that, perhaps, is that it has no clue where to find the kind of continued growth developed nations have been accustomed to.
The answer may well be that there is no where TO go. That in fact, that kind of economic growth is finite. And indeed unsustainable. (Clearly not a view Takenaka would subscribe to, since he apparently solved the problem earlier this decade.)
This view was somewhat outré in an era when the US and UK where “seemingly” finding new and better ways to grow, harness productivity and keep their populations employed. Now that myth has been blown away (despite the glaring cobwebs), (and with the Schumpeterian impact of the Internet becoming even more obvious each day) perhaps, there is more chance of our societies undertaking some fundamental reviews of what kind of societies we CAN be in the 2020s and 2030s and beyond.
It may be that more considered, fundamental changes are needed.
One venture that has caught my attention in recent months is the move by Lawrence Lessig (of Creative Commons fame) to create a program of study at the Safra Center at Harvard to examine the impact of money on decision making, or as he puts it in his blog, “to focus on the many institutions in public life that depend upon trust to succeed, but which are jeopardizing that trust through an improper dependence on money”. (See here.)
Lessig’s views are far from mainstream in the US, although they stand a greater climate of becoming so in the current political climate, I l believe. But, with Japan’s lost decade turning into a lost generation, the pronouncement by Takenaka quoted above struck me as sad. The whole buy-in to Koizumi’s ‘greatness’ seemed to rest too much on the impact of Japan’s exports growing as a result of excessive consumption throughout the world taking on a fevered drumbeat of acceptability.
There does seem to be a belief in Japan that all is needed is another Koizumi (and perhaps Takenaka…). I doubt this is true. But an examination of the impact of money on decision making in Japan – now that is something that could bear fruit.
Personally, I never drank the Koizumi cool-aid, although clearly Takenaka is an enormous fan. But I thought Takenaka’s claim that they STOPPED the Lost Decade was, well amusing, on the back of Japan’s recent announcement of yet another, allegedly at least, massive stimulus plan.
Japan’s Lost Decade: Lessons for the U.S. 4 March 26, 2009
“Eight years ago we had a very special Prime Minister named Junichiro Koizumi. Under his leadership, we terminated -- stopped Lost Decade. As was mentioned by Richard, I worked in the government from 2001 to 2006 to support former Prime Minister Koizumi. Koizumi was a very special and unique prime minister in the history of Japan's politics. How unique and how special he was. First, he nominated me as a minister. He's very unique actually. Second, he continuously supported my policy for more than five years, though many influential politicians were against my policy. He's very special in that sense. Anyway, owing the leadership by Prime Minister Koizumi, the Japanese economy has come back -- financial crisis was over.
So let me quickly review the trend of the Japanese economy and the economic policy responses. Then I will discuss some lessons from our experience to stop financial crisis and the lost decade. It is needless to say that U.S. financial trouble and Japanese trouble.”
The transcript of the proceedings can be found here.
Japan’s biggest problem has been, in my view, that it has had no idea what kind of country it wants to be post-industrialisation. Another way of putting that, perhaps, is that it has no clue where to find the kind of continued growth developed nations have been accustomed to.
The answer may well be that there is no where TO go. That in fact, that kind of economic growth is finite. And indeed unsustainable. (Clearly not a view Takenaka would subscribe to, since he apparently solved the problem earlier this decade.)
This view was somewhat outré in an era when the US and UK where “seemingly” finding new and better ways to grow, harness productivity and keep their populations employed. Now that myth has been blown away (despite the glaring cobwebs), (and with the Schumpeterian impact of the Internet becoming even more obvious each day) perhaps, there is more chance of our societies undertaking some fundamental reviews of what kind of societies we CAN be in the 2020s and 2030s and beyond.
It may be that more considered, fundamental changes are needed.
One venture that has caught my attention in recent months is the move by Lawrence Lessig (of Creative Commons fame) to create a program of study at the Safra Center at Harvard to examine the impact of money on decision making, or as he puts it in his blog, “to focus on the many institutions in public life that depend upon trust to succeed, but which are jeopardizing that trust through an improper dependence on money”. (See here.)
Lessig’s views are far from mainstream in the US, although they stand a greater climate of becoming so in the current political climate, I l believe. But, with Japan’s lost decade turning into a lost generation, the pronouncement by Takenaka quoted above struck me as sad. The whole buy-in to Koizumi’s ‘greatness’ seemed to rest too much on the impact of Japan’s exports growing as a result of excessive consumption throughout the world taking on a fevered drumbeat of acceptability.
There does seem to be a belief in Japan that all is needed is another Koizumi (and perhaps Takenaka…). I doubt this is true. But an examination of the impact of money on decision making in Japan – now that is something that could bear fruit.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Tilting, again
I'm noticing two distinct camps emerging out of this GFC (oh, for want of a better descriptor). The group who argue there is no true accountability for the burst of this bubble tend to the view it is a "once in a century" happenstance, a 'perfect storm' "no one" could have predicted VERSUS the group who can point very clearly to institutions, types of individuals and value sets that are clearly to blame.
Personally, I fall quite clearly into the latter camp, but, as I have been told, I have always tended toward the 'tilting at windmills' side of life. I actually believe we can and need to do better. This, of course, would be despite the abundance of evidence surrounding me that humans can in fact, generally speaking, not do better, and that people, given even a small amount of leeway, will on a whole behave in a self-centered, miserly and quite probably 'bad' manner.
Still, tilt, I do.
On a related note, I was just listening to the latest podcast from the BBC World's 'Interview' series. [You can download it from iTunes. It is dated 27 March 2009. I am sure you can search for it on the internet and find pointers to it over on the BBC site as well.] The interviewee was a London financial type who as the BBC World iTunes blurb says:
Geraint Anderson worked for twelve years as an analyst in London's financial district, the City.
He earned several million pounds before leaving his job a year ago. He's now written a book -- described as fictional but which he says is mostly true -- which reveals a world of wining, dining, drugs and illicit sex.
On The Interview he tells Owen Bennett-Jones how the City works.
I haven't read the book, but in the interview Anderson's opinions are an excellent reflection of my own conclusions gathered over the decades encountering city / financial types and those that cover them in the UK, Japan and Australia. In that sense, there was nothing new to what he said.
But, the tilt in me was left hoping. He concludes towards the end of the interview, that there will be a similar bust in another ten years, and again ten years or so later if we don't change our values. Again, I am quite convinced these self-deluded bubbles are also set to continue, particularly if the 'perfect storm, no-accountability' crowd win through, as they to often do.
But, still I hope. Could this crisis bring about some real change?
I know I really hope it will. I also know I have seen little reason to believe it will.
Yet.
Personally, I fall quite clearly into the latter camp, but, as I have been told, I have always tended toward the 'tilting at windmills' side of life. I actually believe we can and need to do better. This, of course, would be despite the abundance of evidence surrounding me that humans can in fact, generally speaking, not do better, and that people, given even a small amount of leeway, will on a whole behave in a self-centered, miserly and quite probably 'bad' manner.
Still, tilt, I do.
On a related note, I was just listening to the latest podcast from the BBC World's 'Interview' series. [You can download it from iTunes. It is dated 27 March 2009. I am sure you can search for it on the internet and find pointers to it over on the BBC site as well.] The interviewee was a London financial type who as the BBC World iTunes blurb says:
Geraint Anderson worked for twelve years as an analyst in London's financial district, the City.
He earned several million pounds before leaving his job a year ago. He's now written a book -- described as fictional but which he says is mostly true -- which reveals a world of wining, dining, drugs and illicit sex.
On The Interview he tells Owen Bennett-Jones how the City works.
I haven't read the book, but in the interview Anderson's opinions are an excellent reflection of my own conclusions gathered over the decades encountering city / financial types and those that cover them in the UK, Japan and Australia. In that sense, there was nothing new to what he said.
But, the tilt in me was left hoping. He concludes towards the end of the interview, that there will be a similar bust in another ten years, and again ten years or so later if we don't change our values. Again, I am quite convinced these self-deluded bubbles are also set to continue, particularly if the 'perfect storm, no-accountability' crowd win through, as they to often do.
But, still I hope. Could this crisis bring about some real change?
I know I really hope it will. I also know I have seen little reason to believe it will.
Yet.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Fujitsu's color e-paper mobile terminal FLEPia
Now this looks well on track in the e-paper/ mobile computing market. As Fujitsu terms it "the FLEPia is the first ever mobile information terminal to feature color electronic paper (color e-paper)."
Mobile Information Terminal, now that has a ring to it. MIT beats FLEPia hands down.
Anyway the 100,000 yen new play toy comes with Bluetooth, high-speed wireless LAN and Windows CE5.0 (Japanese), which apparently incorporates the use of MS Office and web browsing/email. The product was released March 20, 2009 in Japan only. And with a Japanese language OS, I can't recommend it to anyone who doesn't know their way around kanji (been there, done that), but there is hope. One day, in the near future (how many more years, for heavens sake?) someone will actually bring out a usable piece of electronics that effectively incorporates all we need in one device.
The press release can be read here. Caveat emptor, I have not even seen the actual product in real life. All the information here comes purely from the press release provided online.
Mobile Information Terminal, now that has a ring to it. MIT beats FLEPia hands down.
Anyway the 100,000 yen new play toy comes with Bluetooth, high-speed wireless LAN and Windows CE5.0 (Japanese), which apparently incorporates the use of MS Office and web browsing/email. The product was released March 20, 2009 in Japan only. And with a Japanese language OS, I can't recommend it to anyone who doesn't know their way around kanji (been there, done that), but there is hope. One day, in the near future (how many more years, for heavens sake?) someone will actually bring out a usable piece of electronics that effectively incorporates all we need in one device.
The press release can be read here. Caveat emptor, I have not even seen the actual product in real life. All the information here comes purely from the press release provided online.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sour Strawberries - Migrant workers in Japan
A topical issue in Japan is the plight of foreign workers, more specifically, migrant workers, generally and more specifically in the wake of the GEC. A new documentary looks at their plight. Their site suggests the full video may be online at some point. Until then, I can't speak to the quality of the whole production. Worthwhile knowing it is doing the rounds though.
SOUR STRAWBERRIES from Cinemabstruso Leipzig on Vimeo.
SOUR STRAWBERRIES from Cinemabstruso Leipzig on Vimeo.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"iTunes News" and 'readers'
Finally read David Carr's article this morning and while it wasn't saying anything new, it was a nice take on the problem. Interestingly, he referred to the Cook's Illustrated operation. I spent some time earlier this month analysing their operation myself.
There is a pay for content model out there. This constant discrediting of the notion is not really helping anyone. Frankly, I would happily pay, say $30 a year, for access to my favoured news source online. It may not be a number in the hundreds of dollars, but it is also worth considering that the online audience pool is substantially larger than the pool available to a regional or even national newspaper.
How those kinds of sums break down for a smaller operation are a part of the 'new' media equations.
As I read his piece though, another interesting parallel cropped up. I would really like a 'reader', a computer-like screen that I can use to read away from the computer; say, lying down, sitting, at the gym, in transit, etc.
There are products available. Amazon's Kindle is getting a lot of good reviews, so I had looked into it. Amazon has tried to make it too proprietary in my view. There is little interaction between the Kindle and a computer and if you want to send something in between the two, say a PDF or word file, you actually have to pay Amazon for the privilege. Even worse, the operation is carried out via email. This can and should be done far more easily, simply by syncing the reader and the PC.
Besides, I like being able to actually use bits and pieces from articles or books I have read. Or I might want to transfer notes I have made after reading something to my computer. Or check important email, if I need to. Not being able to do these things with the Kindle is the reason I won't be getting one for my own personal use.
So, I looked into Sony's new reader. The latest version is almost there, but there are still a few limitations. And again yesterday, I saw an article out the Consumer Electronic Show now underway in the US about another new Sony product, which may well have potential. The price is too high, I suspect. And the keyboard is obviously an issue (they are getting around the key spacing issue (as in the keys are packed too closely together to be able to type comfortably) by deliberately targeting a certain type of woman [really], the kind of woman who maintains long fingernails (all the better for pecking with....). But, it is a very nice looking machine. One I am keen to test drive.
That inspired another quick internet search, which led to another interesting Sony release (made last year), which is along similar lines. A smaller pocket type book sized reader / computer. This is not quite there either. The specs are still a bit too minimal.
Mini computers are a possible alternative. I think they are a short term option in the marketplace, despite their current growing popularity. Technological developments are likely to outpace them sooner rather than later. Sure, their small size is addressing a problem, I just don't think they are a solution that is likely to stick.
They will be seen as too clunky and too heavy in the very near future, I predict.
I guess we are still really waiting for rollable e-paper/keyboards that can be rolled or folded when not in use. A few months ago, I did see an article on some research in Japan that suggested scientists were definitely getting closer to this possibility. Although, it is still some years away.
In the meantime, though, where does this all lead in terms of creating a new paying model for news delivery, a la "iTunes News".
A lot of places, to put it briefly.
I have some ideas I am mulling over, but I may need to copyright them!
There is a pay for content model out there. This constant discrediting of the notion is not really helping anyone. Frankly, I would happily pay, say $30 a year, for access to my favoured news source online. It may not be a number in the hundreds of dollars, but it is also worth considering that the online audience pool is substantially larger than the pool available to a regional or even national newspaper.
How those kinds of sums break down for a smaller operation are a part of the 'new' media equations.
As I read his piece though, another interesting parallel cropped up. I would really like a 'reader', a computer-like screen that I can use to read away from the computer; say, lying down, sitting, at the gym, in transit, etc.
There are products available. Amazon's Kindle is getting a lot of good reviews, so I had looked into it. Amazon has tried to make it too proprietary in my view. There is little interaction between the Kindle and a computer and if you want to send something in between the two, say a PDF or word file, you actually have to pay Amazon for the privilege. Even worse, the operation is carried out via email. This can and should be done far more easily, simply by syncing the reader and the PC.
Besides, I like being able to actually use bits and pieces from articles or books I have read. Or I might want to transfer notes I have made after reading something to my computer. Or check important email, if I need to. Not being able to do these things with the Kindle is the reason I won't be getting one for my own personal use.
So, I looked into Sony's new reader. The latest version is almost there, but there are still a few limitations. And again yesterday, I saw an article out the Consumer Electronic Show now underway in the US about another new Sony product, which may well have potential. The price is too high, I suspect. And the keyboard is obviously an issue (they are getting around the key spacing issue (as in the keys are packed too closely together to be able to type comfortably) by deliberately targeting a certain type of woman [really], the kind of woman who maintains long fingernails (all the better for pecking with....). But, it is a very nice looking machine. One I am keen to test drive.
That inspired another quick internet search, which led to another interesting Sony release (made last year), which is along similar lines. A smaller pocket type book sized reader / computer. This is not quite there either. The specs are still a bit too minimal.
Mini computers are a possible alternative. I think they are a short term option in the marketplace, despite their current growing popularity. Technological developments are likely to outpace them sooner rather than later. Sure, their small size is addressing a problem, I just don't think they are a solution that is likely to stick.
They will be seen as too clunky and too heavy in the very near future, I predict.
I guess we are still really waiting for rollable e-paper/keyboards that can be rolled or folded when not in use. A few months ago, I did see an article on some research in Japan that suggested scientists were definitely getting closer to this possibility. Although, it is still some years away.
In the meantime, though, where does this all lead in terms of creating a new paying model for news delivery, a la "iTunes News".
A lot of places, to put it briefly.
I have some ideas I am mulling over, but I may need to copyright them!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
"iTunes News"
In a headline that caught my eye this morning David Carr of the New York Times is calling for an iTunes for news. The idea strongly appealed and I saved a copy of the article for later reading. An hour or two later, an RSS feed led me to this Vanity Fair blog post where they tried out a silly idea of how iTunes for news might just look.
Their early take seemed to be that the most popular downloads on "iTunes News" might be celebrity and/or salacious articles of various kinds. Possibly. But, I still don't define news as gossip. So why would gossip be on "iTunes News".
Besides, the idea of a brand new delivery package for news, a la the headline, rather than the precise implementation of iTunes but with news articles, has caught my attention.
As you may know, I created Japan Today as an online news source for Japan when nothing like it existed (of course, it is a poor imitation of itself these days, but that is another story). And I definitely have the bend of mind for this kind of thinking.
Anyway, as I said, Carr's headline got my attention. The VF article got me musing.
Hmmm.
Their early take seemed to be that the most popular downloads on "iTunes News" might be celebrity and/or salacious articles of various kinds. Possibly. But, I still don't define news as gossip. So why would gossip be on "iTunes News".
Besides, the idea of a brand new delivery package for news, a la the headline, rather than the precise implementation of iTunes but with news articles, has caught my attention.
As you may know, I created Japan Today as an online news source for Japan when nothing like it existed (of course, it is a poor imitation of itself these days, but that is another story). And I definitely have the bend of mind for this kind of thinking.
Anyway, as I said, Carr's headline got my attention. The VF article got me musing.
Hmmm.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The return of industrial policy
I asked this question on the Business in Japan's group discussion list, in the hopes of eliciting some interesting/useful feedback. But, it is worth repeating here:
As someone with a masters degree in policy making in Japan, gained at the height of the fears of Japan "taking over the world" (right before Japan's big bubble bust), I am amused and bemused to see so many now revisiting the subject of industrial policy making, newly looking for solutions to the collapse of confidence in the laissez faire system. As my own studies were prompted by a number of encounters with Japanese policymakers stunned they were being credited with Japan's overwhelming success (again pre bubble bursting) I myself am bemused. Japan's post war growth and economic success is remarkable, even without the extremes of the bubble years. America's success and growth is also to be admired (despite the extremes of its bubble years). Surely, the issue that really needs to be examined more closely is humankind's continued susceptibility to bubbles? I would be interested in input on this subject from others immersed in the "Japan experience".
As someone with a masters degree in policy making in Japan, gained at the height of the fears of Japan "taking over the world" (right before Japan's big bubble bust), I am amused and bemused to see so many now revisiting the subject of industrial policy making, newly looking for solutions to the collapse of confidence in the laissez faire system. As my own studies were prompted by a number of encounters with Japanese policymakers stunned they were being credited with Japan's overwhelming success (again pre bubble bursting) I myself am bemused. Japan's post war growth and economic success is remarkable, even without the extremes of the bubble years. America's success and growth is also to be admired (despite the extremes of its bubble years). Surely, the issue that really needs to be examined more closely is humankind's continued susceptibility to bubbles? I would be interested in input on this subject from others immersed in the "Japan experience".
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Pasta Fork
From the "you've gotta luv Japan" department: a pasta fork that is designed to mimic a hand (with a thumb too).
You can see more pictures here (text is in Japanese).
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Mainichi Daily News -- for real?
I have no idea whether or not Mainichi Daily News (MDN) is serious about redirecting the nature of its online news site. Personally, I find it hard to believe that the entire organisation failed to notice that its English language version had been publishing raunchy, wild and extreme articles translated from the lesser realms of Japanese tabloid journalism (which is pretty wild and off beat most of the time) for years, both in print and online.
However, if I am to judge (from most of) the posts MDN has published to explain its actions since the old version of MDN was taken off line, there appears to be a genuine effort underway to provide a different kind of reporting; one that is more honest, accurate and a more conservative reporting on the news of Japan (although there is a definite "Japanese" tinge to their writing).
But, I have to have serious doubts that they truly understand the nature of the problem when I see who they have appointed as their advisory committee. Given the nature of their problem (a failure to realise sexist behaviour, the repetition of inaccurate information and not checking the "facts" are reported properly, as they acknowledge on the site) I would think having any individual on that committee who was not as "white as driven snow" on these matters, was an extreme failing. From personal experience, I can say that they have failed in this case.
However, if I am to judge (from most of) the posts MDN has published to explain its actions since the old version of MDN was taken off line, there appears to be a genuine effort underway to provide a different kind of reporting; one that is more honest, accurate and a more conservative reporting on the news of Japan (although there is a definite "Japanese" tinge to their writing).
But, I have to have serious doubts that they truly understand the nature of the problem when I see who they have appointed as their advisory committee. Given the nature of their problem (a failure to realise sexist behaviour, the repetition of inaccurate information and not checking the "facts" are reported properly, as they acknowledge on the site) I would think having any individual on that committee who was not as "white as driven snow" on these matters, was an extreme failing. From personal experience, I can say that they have failed in this case.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan – A Review
I first visited Japan thirty years ago and have since lived, studied and worked in the country; as well as reported on it extensively, so I can say with absolute certainty that gems like the Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan by Arudou Debito and Higuchi Akira (Akashi Shoten: 2008) are way too rare.
BI (Before the Internet) I, and anyone with more than a passing interest in Japan, would have to scour bookstores and libraries looking for clues as to how to navigate our way through life in Japan. New publications would elicit [internal] squeals of glee – even if closer examination would, all too often, lead one to suspect the author may have only travelled from Narita Airport to Roppongi [the area of Tokyo where foreigners tend to congregate] -- and gone no further. At least, perhaps, I would silently hope, some glimmer of useful, new fact would find its way through the dross to help inform the daily challenges of life in Japan. And, on those rare occasions, a real jewel revealed itself, the joy was genuine.
Post internet, of course, research into life in Japan is so much easier. But, it is not all that straightforward. The language challenge remains. And while many of the more basic details (how to get a tourist or working holiday visa, how to find a hotel etc.) are fairly well documented; the deeper details are not. The nitty gritty of a life lived in Japan is barely revealed.
So, it was with my [mental] fingers tightly crossed that I first opened Arudou and Higuchi’s book. I have interacted with Arudou off and on over the years as his editor and as someone who paid passing attention to his activities as a Japan-based activist for foreigners’ rights. Arudou had taken the challenging path of adopting Japanese nationality (he was an American citizen) and creating a life for himself in Hokkaido, itself a frontier-esque northern island in Japan. Knowing Arudou knew his subject had raised my hopes. But, he and his writing partner pulled it off?
Indeed they had. The two of them (Higuchi is a Hokkaido-based lawyer) had summarised the nuts and bolts of life for people whose Japan stay is extended. Whether it is maintaining a funeral plot in Japan, buying a car, joining a union or tips on divorcing a troublesome partner -- life’s essential tips and tricks are covered.
Their approach is straightforward. The brass tacks of a life lived anywhere have some pretty common themes -- and they adopt these as the core chapter topics.
· Arriving and establishing a home
· Stabilizing employment and lifestyles
· Starting a business
· What to do if…(life, work, court, family)
· Retirement and planning for the future
· Giving something back
The book is written in English and Japanese, the Japanese text is on the obverse and English on the verso. The English used is not grammatically complicated (a deliberate move by the authors to allow for easier access to readers whose English is a second language) but not so simplistic as to annoy your average English speaker. The Japanese text adopts a similar approach.
Should you be curious, the first three chapters were written by Higuchi and the others by Arudou.
There is a Japanese-ness to the layout and structure, even to the tone, of the Handbook. Their approach is sparse, grey; a touch bureaucratic. Each topic is broached directly, then broken down into its core elements; explained and ticked off; as the authors rapidly move on to the next huge life issue. This helps to create an easy to read and accessible volume; despite the breadth and depth of their goal.
A typical example of this approach would be their coverage of Japan’s salary system.
Now let’s talk about how people get paid in Japan. As the Labor Standard Law only requires payment of salary (kyuuryou 給料, rendered as kyuuyo 給与 on documents) at least once a month, most companies pay once a month (usually on the 25th); few companies pay fortnightly.
The next paragraph breaks down the contents of a typical pay check, the next discusses the biannual bonus system. After that they examine deductions and taxes and then look at the different insurances covering workers in Japan.
The authors make no commitment to provide an exhaustive fount of information on any one topic. Their goal was to create a concise and affordable reference book to help people find information efficiently. And they do so. Where possible, they provide information on additional sources (including websites). The section on the salary system concludes with links to four useful English language resources.
One key difference between this book and nearly everything else out there is that the authors assume their readers are looking to make a permanent life in Japan.
Most guides to living in Japan, rightly or wrongly, tend to focus on life as a foreigner, as someone who only plans to be living in that country for a set period of time (even if it is ten years).
Arudou and Higuchi write for an audience that views its move to Japan as permanent (even if it is for ten years).
This is a big theme in terms of Japan’s relations with its foreign residents. Personally, I would argue Japan is one of the few developed countries that does not try particularly hard to assimilate foreigners into its society. There are others who would agree.
Arudou has been particular active in this arena; seeking to bring Japan’s attention to some of the more exclusionary practices he has come across. [See Arudou Debito, Japanese Only--The Otaru Onsen Refusals and Racial Discrimination in Japan, Akashi Shoten: 2006.]
The authors’ approach confronts some time-honoured “Japan’s myths” as well. In the coverage on ‘Going to Court’ they write:
Japan is thought of as a “non-litigious” society, where going to court is viewed as “un-Japanese”. We do not agree. In 1998 alone, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, there were 5,454,942 court cases in all levels of Japan’s justice system. … People in Japan do sue. We recommend that readers view the Japanese judiciary system as just one more alternative for conflict resolution. The Japanese courts exist for a reason. Use them.
The authors are also realistic.
…taking things to court is risky. There is no trial by jury in Japan … so one or three judges will decide your case over several years. If you can wait and have patience and money … then go to court.
Intentionally or otherwise, these excerpts sum up life in Japan all too well. Yes, living in Japan is just like living in most other places (pretty much) --- but there is a twist. This Handbook is an excellent guide to set you on the way to learning all those twists (and a few turns).
In brief, Arudou and Higuchi have put together an essential handbook covering the key topics and questions anyone living in Japan (or intending to) needs to address.
BI (Before the Internet) I, and anyone with more than a passing interest in Japan, would have to scour bookstores and libraries looking for clues as to how to navigate our way through life in Japan. New publications would elicit [internal] squeals of glee – even if closer examination would, all too often, lead one to suspect the author may have only travelled from Narita Airport to Roppongi [the area of Tokyo where foreigners tend to congregate] -- and gone no further. At least, perhaps, I would silently hope, some glimmer of useful, new fact would find its way through the dross to help inform the daily challenges of life in Japan. And, on those rare occasions, a real jewel revealed itself, the joy was genuine.
Post internet, of course, research into life in Japan is so much easier. But, it is not all that straightforward. The language challenge remains. And while many of the more basic details (how to get a tourist or working holiday visa, how to find a hotel etc.) are fairly well documented; the deeper details are not. The nitty gritty of a life lived in Japan is barely revealed.
So, it was with my [mental] fingers tightly crossed that I first opened Arudou and Higuchi’s book. I have interacted with Arudou off and on over the years as his editor and as someone who paid passing attention to his activities as a Japan-based activist for foreigners’ rights. Arudou had taken the challenging path of adopting Japanese nationality (he was an American citizen) and creating a life for himself in Hokkaido, itself a frontier-esque northern island in Japan. Knowing Arudou knew his subject had raised my hopes. But, he and his writing partner pulled it off?
Indeed they had. The two of them (Higuchi is a Hokkaido-based lawyer) had summarised the nuts and bolts of life for people whose Japan stay is extended. Whether it is maintaining a funeral plot in Japan, buying a car, joining a union or tips on divorcing a troublesome partner -- life’s essential tips and tricks are covered.
Their approach is straightforward. The brass tacks of a life lived anywhere have some pretty common themes -- and they adopt these as the core chapter topics.
· Arriving and establishing a home
· Stabilizing employment and lifestyles
· Starting a business
· What to do if…(life, work, court, family)
· Retirement and planning for the future
· Giving something back
The book is written in English and Japanese, the Japanese text is on the obverse and English on the verso. The English used is not grammatically complicated (a deliberate move by the authors to allow for easier access to readers whose English is a second language) but not so simplistic as to annoy your average English speaker. The Japanese text adopts a similar approach.
Should you be curious, the first three chapters were written by Higuchi and the others by Arudou.
There is a Japanese-ness to the layout and structure, even to the tone, of the Handbook. Their approach is sparse, grey; a touch bureaucratic. Each topic is broached directly, then broken down into its core elements; explained and ticked off; as the authors rapidly move on to the next huge life issue. This helps to create an easy to read and accessible volume; despite the breadth and depth of their goal.
A typical example of this approach would be their coverage of Japan’s salary system.
Now let’s talk about how people get paid in Japan. As the Labor Standard Law only requires payment of salary (kyuuryou 給料, rendered as kyuuyo 給与 on documents) at least once a month, most companies pay once a month (usually on the 25th); few companies pay fortnightly.
The next paragraph breaks down the contents of a typical pay check, the next discusses the biannual bonus system. After that they examine deductions and taxes and then look at the different insurances covering workers in Japan.
The authors make no commitment to provide an exhaustive fount of information on any one topic. Their goal was to create a concise and affordable reference book to help people find information efficiently. And they do so. Where possible, they provide information on additional sources (including websites). The section on the salary system concludes with links to four useful English language resources.
One key difference between this book and nearly everything else out there is that the authors assume their readers are looking to make a permanent life in Japan.
Most guides to living in Japan, rightly or wrongly, tend to focus on life as a foreigner, as someone who only plans to be living in that country for a set period of time (even if it is ten years).
Arudou and Higuchi write for an audience that views its move to Japan as permanent (even if it is for ten years).
This is a big theme in terms of Japan’s relations with its foreign residents. Personally, I would argue Japan is one of the few developed countries that does not try particularly hard to assimilate foreigners into its society. There are others who would agree.
Arudou has been particular active in this arena; seeking to bring Japan’s attention to some of the more exclusionary practices he has come across. [See Arudou Debito, Japanese Only--The Otaru Onsen Refusals and Racial Discrimination in Japan, Akashi Shoten: 2006.]
The authors’ approach confronts some time-honoured “Japan’s myths” as well. In the coverage on ‘Going to Court’ they write:
Japan is thought of as a “non-litigious” society, where going to court is viewed as “un-Japanese”. We do not agree. In 1998 alone, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, there were 5,454,942 court cases in all levels of Japan’s justice system. … People in Japan do sue. We recommend that readers view the Japanese judiciary system as just one more alternative for conflict resolution. The Japanese courts exist for a reason. Use them.
The authors are also realistic.
…taking things to court is risky. There is no trial by jury in Japan … so one or three judges will decide your case over several years. If you can wait and have patience and money … then go to court.
Intentionally or otherwise, these excerpts sum up life in Japan all too well. Yes, living in Japan is just like living in most other places (pretty much) --- but there is a twist. This Handbook is an excellent guide to set you on the way to learning all those twists (and a few turns).
In brief, Arudou and Higuchi have put together an essential handbook covering the key topics and questions anyone living in Japan (or intending to) needs to address.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
5 contenders for the LDP's "crown"
Talk of a snap election and speculation (for the nth time) of a DPJ victory. Plus ca change, and all that.
Reminds me of the time there was a (semi) real wind of change in Japan and an editor of a regional daily felt it was time to rewrite my 'no news yet' copy and declare the DPJ victors, or more to the point, the LDP done for.
Yet, he was unable to take the "blame" for his own actions when the true results were in, and the LDP were still holding on to power.
Journalists who are willing to lie for personal gain, when they have acted incorrectly, and even if their jobs are at stake are behaving in a manner that continually destroys the credibility of their occupation; or it should.
So, what can be done about it?
Reminds me of the time there was a (semi) real wind of change in Japan and an editor of a regional daily felt it was time to rewrite my 'no news yet' copy and declare the DPJ victors, or more to the point, the LDP done for.
Yet, he was unable to take the "blame" for his own actions when the true results were in, and the LDP were still holding on to power.
Journalists who are willing to lie for personal gain, when they have acted incorrectly, and even if their jobs are at stake are behaving in a manner that continually destroys the credibility of their occupation; or it should.
So, what can be done about it?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
METI Minister has a blog!
Just stumbled on a blog by (written for?) Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Akira Amari. It surprised me, somewhat, although I suspect the surprise was a bit unfair. The contents are much along the lines of what you could expect from a politician. News and photos of visits to various places in the country. There are lots of pictures of food, and of the minister eating said food.
I haven't met Amari personally, but his online profile (see here, in English) suggests he is very much a typical Japanese politician/bureaucrat. Born in 1949, educated in law/pol sci at Keio and then a long career as a LDP party hack.
Even if his blog is really just an online version of the standard political office newsletter, it is nice to see him represented online and actively posting (although I suspect the posting is done by someone other than the minister).
The blog can be viewed here. The text is in Japanese, but photographs of food and people need no translation.
I haven't met Amari personally, but his online profile (see here, in English) suggests he is very much a typical Japanese politician/bureaucrat. Born in 1949, educated in law/pol sci at Keio and then a long career as a LDP party hack.
Even if his blog is really just an online version of the standard political office newsletter, it is nice to see him represented online and actively posting (although I suspect the posting is done by someone other than the minister).
The blog can be viewed here. The text is in Japanese, but photographs of food and people need no translation.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Cracking the online ad market WILL be the solution
For all the moaning and whining about the end of the world for newspapers, it is this move (and others like it) that will finally start the dollars rolling. My own bias is creating viable online publishing markets in Japan [still] but global sized players able to deliver niche advertising world wide and online will allow worthy publications (and perhaps others) to start delivering on the internet's promise financially.
The key issues remain delivery and measurable results, but this can now be done.
The key issues remain delivery and measurable results, but this can now be done.
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