taskyoda

2009.9.18
Participating in 15th Innovation Challenge by MCPC
---- The members of Mobile Computing Promoting Consortium introduce their new technologies. WILLCOM which is to expand WiMax business explains XPG(eXtended Global Platform) that is to realize broadband service of same speed of up-load and down-load, using microcell system adaptive array antenna from ArrayComm and autonomous distributed control technology. Among Venture firms presentations , the one of ARNIS SOUND TECHNOLOGIES is interesting as they develop the software to control quality of sounds or sound itself instead of making quality by hard equipment. Its technology is originally from Oosaka Univ and looks to be able to challenge global market.
2009.9.9
Participating in PLM Congress 2009
----　This seminar is to grasp platform systems of manufacturing from the viewpoint of PLM(Product Lifecycle Management). The presentations mainly focus how to manage total information in three dimensions of from procurement to logistics, from design to production process management and from domestic to global for strengthening competitiveness. NEC explains its own system and solutions NEC learned and established from the past bitter experiences, which are to center BOM (Bill of Materials) in three dimensional information management and to control seamlessly information running toward any of three dimensions for unifying not only producing management but cost management of total NEC group. I think we have still advantages to develop such platform systems of manufacturing because we can have experiences gained from domestic productive factories.
2009.9.8
Participating in Technology Presentation Meeting from Kyoto Univ. cosponsored by JST
---- JST(Japan Science and Technology Organization) hosts Technology Presentation Meeting for Japanese Universities who became Independent Administrative Agencies and call collaborations for industrial sector. This time Kyoto Univ. have introduced some technologies which can show application possibilities in the area of material synthesis and utilizing wood under the title of “Realization of Low Carbon Dioxide Society”. Among them, it is impressive the technology to synthesize aromatic material of solid fluorescing substance with one benzene ring and the technology to develop Carbon Alloys that alternates platinum electrode of fuel cells which are composed melamine and graphitized wooden material under extremely high pressure and temperature.
2009.9.3
Participating in Security Solution 2009
---- It looks to have smaller size and less participators than last year, and exhibitions are almost related to protecting system for information flowing out from companies. While I am wondering how security system will change under Cloud Computing System and if specific company will introduce security software independently or companies will utilize packaged software combined with other services, I can not find out good answer from exhibitions. I got an explanation of security software form Taiwanese Company and I realized severe competiveness because it is originally developed in Taiwan supported by Taiwanese Government.
2009.7.30
Participating in Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS 2009
---- It looks smaller-scale with less participators than last year. This exhibition is related to essential and supporting technologies for advanced manufacturing sector like microfabrication, microelectronics parts, micro-mounted/packaged, and ultra-microscopic measuring technology. Among them, it is impressive that NEC and SCHOTT are to globalize Glass-to-Metal/Ceramic-to-metal Seal technologies and products that alternates traditional ceramic package for MEMS under joint venture which both have been developing independently and look to have various applications.
2009.7.28
Participating in Seminar of Manufacturing and IT.
---- Nikkei organizes the seminar and I joined Editors Talk Session of Nikkei Monozukuri(Manufacturing) and Nikkei Computer. I expected them to show opinions regarding how Japanese manufacturing companies should establish IT infrastructure and software to support them in times of globalization, however, they have been focusing just domestic Kaizen and the role of IT Department in charge of internal Kaizen. They explained the difficulty to collaborate Kaizen members with IT division and harmonize IT system with Kaizen activities because IT Department　can be given only lukewarm responsibility in companies so that IT Department　and Companies will have more serious problems to face globalization with more lukewarm responsibility.
2009.7.21
Participating in Forum of Management of Next Generation Mobility and Area
---- With a subtitle of “To establish the base for collaborations of Industry, Academy and Administration”, Waseda Univ. Graduate School of Environment and Energy Engineering and Honjo Waseda International Research Park Foundation co-sponsored this Forum where they are pursuing the possibility to make concrete the future image of Automobile as transportation tool and the new image of transporting, with utilizing wisdoms from universities and needs from SMEs. Waseda Univ. proposes 5 Study Groups, Lightening Body and Securing, Next Power System, Amenity and Circumstance of Inside of Car, Mobility Design of Next generation and Area Management, and calls SMEs to join these 5 Study Groups.　And they will work together to have concrete ideas of new elements of automobile, the new ways for automobiles to be used as transportation with harmonization of Environment and Human-beings. SMEs show their eagerness to work together about how they should response new paradigm of EV against current deep drop for automobile demands. I expect these collaborative activities will have good fruits as soon as possible.
2009.7.17
Participating in Kuramae Venture Business Seminar at Tokyo Institute of Technology
---- Kuramae Association and Tokyo Institute of Technology co-sponsored KVS Seminar where Mr Samejima from Uchida-Samejima Law Firm made a presentation “The Usefulness and Theory of Intellectual Property Strategy for Venture Business”. Mr Samejima showed his experience that Venture Fims cannot enter the targeted market and prohibit new comers from entering the market without Key Patents of advantaged technology and they should focus niche market about 10 million dollars to which large companies will not show their concerns as the first entering step with utilizing their advantaged technology. I think his opinion is very sure, but his opinion will not match EXIT policy of Japanese VCs. Mr Samejima agreed, saying that VCs lack the understanding on this point.
2009.7.15
Participating in AT(Automotive Technology) International 2009
---- Although exhibitors are limited, this is very implicative to think about the future of automobile industry. Exhibitors are very different from current automobile sectors., like electronics, battery and battery material, measurement/analyzing/simulation software, navigation system/Intelligent Transport Systems, EV/EV charging system, CAD, analyzing software for embedded software. Actually they seem to be next- generation supporting industry of new automobile. Participators are interested in several kinds of EV and hydrogen automobile. I, especially, am interested in BTC Japan which exhibits testing/evaluation software to make efficient embedded software evaluation and to make productive developing software. It is not exaggerated that our future of manufacturing industry depends actually on the efficiency and reliability of embedded software and the importance of such evaluation software to come up with growing productiveness . While BTC is originally from German, regrettably, the president of Japanese showed his opinion that the lack of developing capability of automobile assemblers are currently supplemented by the capability of outsourced developers, however, the capability of outsourced developers are coming short by their employing young generations and we do not have enough time to take some actions to keep productiveness.
2009.7.14
Participating in Study Forum for Service Innovation of The Development Engeering Scciety of Japan
---- Our economic structure is coming service economy like other advanced countries. It is critically pointed to improve productiveness service section and make it value-added as the reflection on too much export dependency of automobile sector. This Forum is to think about MOT strategy of how manufacturers develop their business, unifying selling machines and giving maintenance service and sharing values with customers, while manufactures are reckoning service department as profit creators. Mr Kodaira, Deputy Chairman and President E-brand Inc. made a presentation “Business Model for Equipment Manufacturing Company” regarding the possibility for such manufactures to change their business model from selling over-spec and high-price equipments to selling rational spec/price equipments with maintenance contracts. Mr Izumi from The Institute of Statistical Mathematics made a presentation “Innovation with Service Science” that he proposes consulting with statistic method to analyze production process management and make quality control, namely soft infrastructure business related manufacturing. I think it is important to see this Study Forum from the view point of realizing rational spec, reasonable management of using or disusing material and exhausting carbon dioxide.
2009.6.24
Participating in Suyuya e-Publishing Study Forum
---- This is held after a long time. President Karasawa of Data Media Inc made a presentation of IRISA platform of cross media and marketing tool that enables two-way simultaneous　information communication, using web ,internet, telephone line at the same time and showed demonstration. This technology is originally from French DATAMEDIA Inc with applications for communications with customers at call center or with students of e-learning. I recognized the reality that we can talk and chat and make sure by face to face basis the long distance through PC.
2009.6.12
Participating in 09 Image Sensing Show
---- This exhibition is Industrial image processing systems and devices for machining/assembly, inspection, control, for examples, appearance inspection and surface measurement, remote sensing, robot vision, biometric authentication. As domestic companies mainly have booths, I was impressed Japanese companies have advantage in these production process management technologies. But I wonder they may or may not be ready to expand their business in terms of preparation of English brochure or networks with foreign companies. While I figure out several start-ups or small-sized companies have interesting technologies, I suppose there is not much domestic room for them to do business in Japan because our market is shrinking right now. So, I feel the inconsistency that they will not be able to have business opportunities other than in foreign market but will be unable to learn how to do business outside Japan through their domestic business.
2009.6.2
Participating in Dassault Systems Japan Forum(2009 JCF)
---- This Forum is to introduce their CAD, PLM, analyzing software and application examples of their software. I joined continuously following last year , and I strongly recognized Japanese IT subsidiaries of large manufacturing companies are becoming agents of Dassault. It is clear that Japanese large and main companies are manufacturing based on Dassault’s or foreign software, and even manufacturing so called “Integrated Type” products which are deemed to be advantageous, using those software from design to production. I think we should look straight to this reality seriously and make the policy about the future possibility of our manufacturing industry. Toyota made a presentation that they introduced Dassault CAD system and changed from internal developed TOGO system from 2000 to 2008. The reason is Toyota engineers in US or Europe factories could not use Japanese domestic developed software. It is the clear result of globalization and the symbolic example that our manufacturing and information industry have clear limitations for global activities.
2009.5.25
Participating in IIP Study Repot Presentation Meeting by Young Generation
----　IIP has this occasion as a sort of training young people who can work for future Japanese Intellectual Property arena. They briefs their study result, 1) Patent Office practice regarding responding detailed description and patent claims are severe burden to applicant, 2) traditional problems how to utilizes patented technology, 3) new scope of employee’s invention under current labor mobility and Agency system of University, 4) how to deal with patents conflicts in bio research tool like gene and patent term extension in R&D area of medicine, 5) what is trustful and stable judgment for patent invalidity reflecting the fact of invalidity litigation. These themes may reflect specific interests of specific sectors with mishandling. But actual reports seems balanced.
2009.5.21
Participating in Technology Exhibition for Human-beings and Automobile
----　Although specific exhibition in automobile technology, all and various technology related to automobile from any kind of measurement technology and software like oscillation, fuel consumption and exhaust gas to body material, mechanic parts and electronic parts, reflecting the fact that automobile industry so matured that industry covers very wide filed. I recognize the most effective opportunity for start-ups to show new technologies related to automobile is only to exhibit here.
2009.5.15
Participating in Software Development Expo/Embedded System Expo/Data Storage Expo
----　As complicated and wide-field technology and products and participators are there, it reflects the efforts for people to find out new business chances even under current economic downturn more than I expected.　My acquainted Digital Communications Corp. shows software to make automatically new-old reference document. I will contribute internal efficient documentation and document management for compliance. I can see lots of test-software to verify developed programs including off-shore developing. Naked eye 3D visual LCD of GreenHouse Crop. and Augmented Reality technology with web camera to show 3D character from Wide Area Network Fifty five Inc. are interesting. The former is developed by Taiwanese company and the later is by Linux open source. They will be applied to sales promoting tool.
2009.5.14
Participating in IIP International Seminar “European Patent Practice of Software and Business Method”
----　Mr Horn and Mr Kleimann from German Patent Attorney Office invited IIP are presenting. Patentability for Software and Business Method(used to be, called Business Model Patent in Japan) should be needed 1) to affect physical character like function of equipment or parts, result of measurement and operative activity, 2) to have technical effect, 3) to attribute solution of left technical problems. I recon they are orthodox standards to judge patentability like our practice.
2009.5.13
Participating in Wireless Technology Park 2009
----　As specialized wireless telecommunication technology exhibition, I can see fewer people than last year .While all booths are highlighting LTE（Long Term Evolution） technology and business idea, the booth of CoWare to show Virtual Platform　system for efficient program developing is unique. I have been thinking platform software like this is essential and Japanese original platfrom is needed to develop creative Japanese software industry.
2009.4.16
Participating in International Flat Paneｌ Display Expo）/Lighting Technology Expo
---- With very lots of participators, this first Lighting Technology Expo is attractive by LED lump and equipments from Chinese and Taiwanese companies. It seems to indicate our future model of industry that Japanese corporations are developing new technology and Asian companies manufacture commodity from Japanese technology and they exhibit here in Japan and call customers from foreign countries. If this pattern continues, our future of Japanese manufacturing industry may be hopeful.
2009.4.14
Participating in WAA Study Forum
---- Mr Kurokawa from Takasaki Keizai Univ explains his field work study regarding the history of Thai automobile parts industry and the problems to be solved for both of Japanese Thai parts maker and Thai parts maker to develop still more. While he explains interesting topics from his field work, he highlights the parts industry of Thai unique and original TUKTUK(three wheel automobile) and motorcycle　dress-up is developing by Thai technological, planning and design capability. And I am impressed by his new idea to create New Transport System in Thailand.
2009.4.14
Participating in Knowledge Management Forum
---- Nikkei News Company and Knowledge Management Society of Japan　organized this Forum and the system for member of some group to co-share information, knowhow and schedule is introduced. As prior conditions, we should make clear the group design, the member of that group and the information to be co-shared, and each member of that group should recognize needed to be addressed as own problems. The concrete example by Mr Takahashi from Toyo Engineering Corp. is very pragmatic and implicative. He explains the design and operation of the system to co-share and inherit technologies and knowhow accumulated by old generation toward young generation , for young one to start new business, responding customer request.
2009.4.8
Participating in Tsunami Business Plan Presentation Meeting
---- NPO Venture Supporting Forum Tsunami organizes and 4 companies make presentations. Electrostatic chuck technology from Tsukuba Seiko Corp. is very impactful and already Tsukuba Seiko develops high-grade equipments that can be used for gripping large-size glass in LCD manufacturing process, and delivering lots of wafer at semiconductor manufacturing process.
2009.4.7
Participating in Digital Manufacturing 2009
----　Organizer Nikkei News Company makes clear why they changed the title of Forum by adding “Digital”. The reason is that current manufacturing accompanies inevitably IT and IT system so that former title reflect reality. I think the word of just monozukuri like floor-shop does not show the reality that manufacturing technology and IT are combined and the word does not show we should solve problems to utilize IT. I hope other opinion leaders should have recognized more earlier. In Forum, Sony introduces the frontloading design system for VAIO by all related sections participation with IT utilizing. (It looks completely Integrative type design system like automobile.) NEC introduces their utilizing Bill of Materials, Just-in-time procurement system and restructuring Logistic System which were realized from the failure of manufacturing system for NEC to focus on Stock rather than real demands in past. Saito Mold Corp. shows mold production system utilizing NC machine tool handled by limited employees. And Yanmar Corp. introduces internal system how to create programs efficiently and how to train programmers inside and how to evaluate them. Especially I am very impressed to listen the real story why NEC failed and how they overcame them by introducing IT-using procurement system, shortening production term, decreasing stock and quick delivery system.
2009.3.17
Participating in Waseda Univ. Technological Entrepreneurship Workshop
----　Waseda Univ. Maryland Univ. and North Eastern Univ. co-sponsors this Workshop, and they introduce each pragmatic program to promote and grow technology-oriented students’ start-ups with explanations of curriculum　and business plans of start-ups. As English is used for presentations, Japanese student look to struggle to communicate. Otherwise, it should be clear that students and corporations can not be globalized and not participate global competitive business world.
2009.3.9
Participating in IIP Fellows’ Reports Debriefing Meeting
----　Institute of Intellectual Property have Debriefing Meeting of 5 fellows’ reports with a support of JPO. 4 reports are related to econometric analysis of business behaviors of patent management and one is related to adjudicative jurisdiction of patent-infringement lawsuit　claimed by foreigners. Especially, adjudicative jurisdiction is the problem between Patent independent principle and actual practice under global market, and is very crucial how to judge Patent invalidity between invalidation trial under patent laws and juristic court of state sovereignty.
2009.3.6
Participating in Information On Demand Conference Japan2009
---- IBM introduces products and solutions with leading-edge technology background. IBM which sales APS products to global market under its own way looks to struggle to sale to Japanese market in terms of how to modify in Japanese business way and how to make presentations to Japanese tops in Japanese way. I am very concerned with an introduced fact that commodity code is unified to 14 digits in American, European and Asian area and coding of firms and factories is on the way as de facto standard of SCM.
2009.2.27
Participating in Tsukuba Venture Awards Ceremony
----　I have a chance to join 4th Tsukuba Venture Awards Ceremony organized by NPO Tsumugi Tsukuba. This is my first visit to Tsukuba after 10 years, and I am surprised to see Tsukuba area changed completely, still I recognized that Tsukuba Venture Award has been acting as unifying force for many public and private institutes and start-ups from these institutes. This year Grand Prix is given to 3D image processing technology of Applied Vision Systems.
2009.2.25
Participating in Fuel Cell Expo2009/ Photovoltaic Power Expo2009
----　These　are very exiting exhibition including booths of foreign countries from the view point of concrete solutions for global environmental problems and lowering CO2. As various new technologies like new materials, processing technologies measurement technologies and managing technologies are shown, I can not focus on specific interesting one. Among them, the technology of Seibugiken to realize ultra-dry atmosphere needed for Lithium-ion battery producing, and a small laser oscillatoｒ usable for cutting solar-cell from Riken Institute look competitive at global market.
2009.2.24
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar
----As 10th Forum, two start-ups from Keio Univ students, LoiLo and Spiber raise their facing patent problems. Prof Kokuryo introduces the incentive system of intellectual rights originated from Keio Univ R&D to promote student start-ups. The point is student-inventors who have invented and make start-ups by using the patens will get 40% of license fee or capital gain with the conditions of making clear who is an inventor of University R&D whose invention is belonging to Univ, and licensing the patents to the start-ups which the student-inventors establish outside of Univ. And Assistant CTO from Microsoft explains intellectual rights managing system and licensing policy of making alliance. One remark is mentioned that for small start-ups to keep knowhow inside without patent application is very important in terms not only saving application fee but keeping essential points of R&D disclosed.
2009.2.23
Participating in Minimal Manufacturing Symposium by National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
―　AIST shows their result R&D executed in the field of semiconductor manufacturing, in order to change paradigm from to the system of high-volume production, mass energy consumption and large-scale equipment processing, to the system of small-sized equipment utilizing processing with small energy and small material. And one participator introduces the Green Chemistry 12 principles (advocated by Mr Paul T. Anastas from United States Environmental Protection Agency and Mr John C. Warner from University of Massachusetts-Boston), and another participator introduces Material Flow Cost Accounting. Symposium is organized by strong awareness of pro-environment, low green gas and saving energy, and proposing the future to-be of Japanese manufacturing of 21st century, and still indicating the business ethics of CSR, Compliance and Governance.
2009.2.20
Participating in Printable Eｌectronics 2009/nano tech 2009
---- This exhibition covers advanced area like microfabrication, surface treatment, nanotechnology, new material, and so on. As these technologies are fundamental with wide potential applications, so this exhibition looks good occasion for seed-side technology suppliers to find out potential users and solutions. Among them, an equipment of dissolution, resolution and cleaning by ultrasonic wave technology seems Interesting. Although it has various applications, it will have more applications including medical arena.
2009.2.10
Participating in WAA Study Forum
---- Mr Gopal Lahoti, who is in charge of information analyzing and outsourcing in medical sector at Japanese Branch of USA Cognizant Technology Solutions, make a presentation regarding current situation of Indian outsourcing industry. He is originally from India and SE. He, also, in charge of offshore development in India for Japanese clients. He highlights that the Indian position of offshore development for global clients is coming very important and competitive so that current development of major IT and software is under way with USA, Europe and India initiative. From his very confident manner, I suppose our information industry might have lost competitive position already.
2009.2.10
Participating in ENEX2009“Coordinating between Global Environment and Energy”
---- This is 33rd Saving Energy Exhibition. And as shown by subtitle, task is moving to change our lives totally and create new paradigm of our activities from simply to save energy. I can see lot of equipments to pursue energy saving, but I cannot see any system to change our urban life style and urban structure. It might be difficult to see such system at Exhibition like this,
2009.2.6
Participating in e-Publishing Study Forum
---- At Forum, headed up and coordinated by Mr Ito, 3 interesting speakers have presentations, President Adachi from QuickSun “Near Future of Digital Contents Business, the Result of Fusion of Internet and Broadcast”. President Kobayashi from AntennaHouse “Documentation changed by DITA”, President Saito from Manabi-ing “Practical Application of Cloud Computing –Consultation for introduction of AmazonEC2/S3-”. These topics reflect the change of technology ,industry and era. Actually in 5 or 10 years, these will be realized.
2009.2.6
Participating in PAGE 2009
---- Subtitled “New Days for Digital Graphics”, this exhibitionis related to printing machine, printing digital technology, and software of printing or document managing. I discuss with President Fukushige regarding new technology who has a booth. And I have an impressive explanation of sales manager from DynaComware Corp, that the bset way to protect Typeface is to be used widely by anybody and to avoid simple piracy by total designing including other design parts”, while the protect of typeface is out of Copy Right Law and Design Right Law.
2009.2.6
Participating in PAGE 2009
---- Subtitled “New Days for Digital Graphics”, this exhibitionis related to printing machine, printing digital technology, and software of printing or document managing. I discuss with President Fukushige regarding new technology who has a booth. And I have an impressive explanation of sales manager from DynaComware Corp, that the bset way to protect Typeface is to be used widely by anybody and to avoid simple piracy by total designing including other design parts”, while the protect of typeface is out of Copy Right Law and Design Right Law.
2009.2.6
Participating in PAGE 2009
---- Subtitled “New Days for Digital Graphics”, this exhibitionis related to printing machine, printing digital technology, and software of printing or document managing. I discuss with President Fukushige regarding new technology who has a booth. And I have an impressive explanation of sales manager from DynaComware Corp, that the bset way to protect Typeface is to be used widely by anybody and to avoid simple piracy by total designing including other design parts”, while the protect of typeface is out of Copy Right Law and Design Right Law.
2009.2.4
Participating in Technical Show Yokohama 2009
---- Yokohama City organizes this exhibition, and not domestic companies but foreign companies and domestic universities have booths. I stop at Yokohama Design Product Group corner and discuss how to sale new “Ikkii”, one key mouse to make PC operation easy with President Yasuda of TY Planing.
2009.2.4
Participating in TSUNAMI Venture Fair 2009
---- TSUNSAMI, a networking group of Kanagawa Pref. for start-ups organizes Business Plan Presentation Meeting. Although this is my first joining, I have heard 4 of 5 presentations. The presentation of W-SCOPE Corp, a Korean manufacturer of separating film for lithium-ion battery is very impressive.
2009.1.30
Participating in International Nepcon World Japan
---- This is a large exhibition of electronics parts, semiconductor package, razor processing, and so on. I am surprised to see much more people than I expected despite of recent sluggish economy and sharp fall of out-put. While I cannot walk around all booths, I am impressed by Yamashita Material Inc., manufacturing flexible printed circuits ,which still is able to focus domestic assembling market thanks to its advanced quality.
2009.1.29
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar
----As 9th Forum, four start-ups from Keio Univ students introduce their business activities. PANKAKU is energetically developing application software for iPhone, Androidand other Silicon Valley companies. SoundPower develops battery utilizing vibrating energy. CarePro is to establish health check shops at street corners with One Coin(500 yen) and easy and quick process. GenericSolutions is to develop data-mining service of analysis and proposal of personal basis. Prof Yasumura makes a presentation “New Source of Interaction Design”, introduces R&D to create new and easy-to-handle home goods with making clear hardness to handle artificial object and redesigning them again.
2009.1.27
Participating in Forum of New Business Plans of ICT Venture Firms
---- National Institute of Information and Communications Technology(NICT) organizes Forum with panel-discussion titled “ Future for Venture Business in ICT” and introductions of 5 start-up business plans. Panelists are discussing the important role of M&A as Exit for start-ups to be built in Japanese economic system in terms of not-realized IPOs in our current economy. Among of business plans, AltPaper from JOHOKIBANKAIHATU looks interesting, originally from information-processing technology for image recognition from Tokyo Univ, and makes the process of designing of survey format ,input of surveyed result and analysis quick ,cheap and easy rather than ASP with simple front-yard and complicated technology at backyard.
2009.1.21
Participating in Venture Fair 2009
---- Around 200 domestic venture firms exhibit Venture Fair 2009 organized by SMRJ. I find two firms showing plasma technology with normal temperature and pressure. One of them is ImpactWorld whose product is an equipment to decompose laughing gas (nitrous oxide) left in an operating room. That is so compact and conveyable and on the way of evaluation by one university hospital that I can expect some commercial possibility soon.
2008.12.4
Participating in Manufacturing Work Shop by Yokohama Design Product Group
---- Work Shop is hosted by President Hisano, 3TEC Corp, with participating of IT-related and manufacturing firms, industrial designers, consultants. Members are discussing how to continue to work together, looking back at activities this year. This activity originally accompanies several difficulties without public support. However members have common opinions to keep at this activity as the work shop for young designers and businessmen to learn each other and different background and for each participant to contribute as much as he can.
2008.11.27
Participating in Suzukake Business Seminar of Yokohama Venture Plaza ofTokyo Institute of Technology
---- Mr Kusuura from TechonoProducer makes a presentation regarding utilizing Patent documents informations Namely, by utilizing descriptions of summary, technological problem and solution, his system is to find out similar applications of R&D oriented firm’s applications and find out potential user for R&D oriented firm. Still his system is to find R&D Manager of the potential user company from similar applications and help sales promotion to that potential user with information gained at some exhibition. I think it should be practical method for venture firms in local incubation office and marketing for technology and products of start-ups.
2008.11.27
Participating in MATLAB EXPO 2008
----　USA The MathWorks shows its numerical analysis software “ MATLAB”, its licensed Japanese applicative software, and introduced examples by Japanese major manufacturers. I am surprised The MathWorks has long history, many Japanese software companies release their licensed applications, and firms and laboratories of Japanese major manufacturers utilize them dominantly. Its senior top explains that you should find out the best solutions and least conflicts between functions of essential parts to make mechanical product design for integrating various functional parts with Front-Loading design system using MATLAB. It sounds like explanations for integrating type of manufacture by Japanese influential manager. My next homework is to find domestic software to alternate this MATLAB.
2008.11.26
Participating in General Exhibition for SMEs 2008 and Tokyo Industry Exhibition 2008
----General Exhibition for SMEs 2008 for all Japanese SMEs organized by Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, JAPAN(SMRJ) and Tokyo Industry Exhibition 2008 organized by Tokyo Metropolitan Government are held at Tokyo Big Site. General Exhibition for SMEs seems to aim at promoting intercommunication between SMEs. As I meet again Sales Manager from Todo Industrial Inc from Toyama, he explains hard days for his automobile parts business. Tokyo Industry Exhibition 2008 seems to try to find out business opportunities with foreign companies mainly for eading midsize companies. I see Sales Manager from Sanpo Inc who is a member of WAA Study Forum who explains his product Ionizer used at the process of semiconductor manufacturing. He has no serious concrete business falling at that time. However it looks to be some uncertain in near future.
2008.11.21
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation &Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar
----As 7th Forum, it is organized as a part of Open Research Forum which shows all activities of Shonan Fujisawa Campus. At one floor of Roppongi Hills, students are planning, coordinating Panel Presentations, Seminars and Panel Discussions. And Mr Hatori, Head of Keio Intellectual Assets Center makes a presentation regarding the transferring system of Keio-origin technology or patens to private sector. And presentations and competition are held for business plans of students start-ups. I can see two type of students, eager to be serious students and another to be enjoying ivents.
2008.11.20
Participating in Opening Ceremony of Waseda Univ Incubation Center
---- Waseda Univ. opens a new Incubation Office at the campus which have moved from old Waseda High-school building and been expanded. Currently some start-ups utilizing Waseda origin IT ,Consultings and E-learning Corp. are in Incubator.
2008.11.19
Participating in Embedded Technology 2008 in Yokohama
---- Embedded software are showed mainly related automobile, electronics, cell-phone, robotics so on. As I had the intention to find out the application of the testing software for offshore developed programs by I-Core Inc located at Keio Fujisawa Incubation Office, I am concerned very much with testing or verifying software for　developed programs. Among them, I am impressed by GAIO Technology CoLtd. However, as it develops all programs in Japan, I have not found linkage between GAIO and I-Core. And Mr Hisano, President of 3TEC Corp. has the representing booth for Japanese, Korean and Chinese companies of EMS-R2.
2008.11.1
Participating in Design Tide Tokyo 2008
---- The main venue of the event this year is Tokyo Midtown where some Design Group Foundation is locating and are exhibited various kind of Designs using urban canyon and park. Young designers exhibited fresh works of furniture or interior decoration, however, they seem divided into function-oriented simple furniture and play-oriented decoration.
2008.10.30
Participating in Lecture Series of Information & Communication School of Meiji Univ.
---- As a part of Lecture Series by Mr Hirosawa in charge, I made a brief regarding the importance of capability to communicate with different culture-background people like in Silicon Valley and the vital skill for communication in English for IT arena workers to develop Japanese IT industry through not Asia but other areas. I stress the power of idea from multiple and global view point of young generation.
2008.10.29
Participating in FPD　International 2008 Yokohama
---- It is the exhibition of liquid crystal and organic light emitting display. As I can see a lot of booths by Taiwanese or Korean companies, I should call it Asian Exhibition. And their products and booths are coming so sophisticated that I recognized the new days of Asian Companies came and the world has changed. I had the concerns with unique technology products of midsize firms which support the base of liquid crystal industry like Raydent Industrial CoLtd of surface improving technology, Otsuka Electronics CoLtd of hemisphere-type luminous flux measurement system, Q-TEC Inc of reference software for graphical content subjective appraisal.
2008.10.17
Participating in ITPro EXPO2008 Autumn
---- The atmosphere like sumo wrestler's stew of IT is as well as the former one. I find out IPLockｓ’s booth. Mr Sakamoto whom I met in San Francisco started IPLockｓ as his fourth company in Silicon Valley. It supplies to financial sectors the security software responding to the protect of private personal information and the system of internal checkup. And my familiar Digital Communications is showing the software of documentation based on XML-technology with a new partner Antenna House.
2008.10.16
Participating in Bio Japan 2008
----While I had supposed technologies related to pharmacy or biofuel, products of alcohol drinks and food are showed by private companies but also foreign governments. There is the unique atmosphere in which people and participators are chatting with glasses of alcohol . I have concerns with Peptide Door whose technology is to detox some offending toxin by specific peptide and Advanced Infrared Spectroscopy who shows the high performance THz-TDS (Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy) commercial instrument.
2008.9.29
Participating in Manufacturing Work Shop by Yokohama Design Product Group
----Work Shop is hosted by President Hisano, 3TEC Corp, with participating of IT-related and manufacturing firms, industrial designers, consultants and students. This time we tried to create new and possible ideas for 3D aerial imaging system which gains the attention at commercial mole and so on in USA. We made efforts to find out new ideas different from commercial demonstration like in USA.
2008.9.19
Participating in Suzukake Business Seminar of Yokohama Venture Plaza of Tokyo Institute of Technology
---- Mr Funakawa from Digit Corp. made a presentation titled “The entrepreneurs he met ever and 5 common success principles of them. ” He is a pioneer that he developed Japanese first Internet search engine with collaboration of Keio Univ. Currently he is a head of Digit Corp. which is doing business in mediating internship. He has clear business principles and introduced 5 success principles he learned from his admired business tops as following, with his own fault stories. 1) Managing under clear principle. Distinct vision and low-key practicing. 2)Never give up. Enjoy enduring and learn from faults. 3) Responding changes flexibly. 4) Making efforts to reckon itself, question itself and necessity of the firm. 5) Consulting with allies.
2008.9.18
Participating in Tokyo University “ Entrepreneurial Ventures from Tokyo University” Seminar
----Theme is the problems and solutions regarding recruiting and OJT of human resources of Entrepreneurial Ventures from Universities. CEOs of five ventures utilizing Tokyo Univ. technologies which have spent 5 years from starting up made presentations about their struggles for recruiting and keeping staffs, OJT and so on. As the firms are acting based on advanced technologies, they seek staffs’ advanced capabilities. It, however, seem very difficult for them to find out such talented persons, as common problems of young start-ups. Mr Takai from Invenio Corp. made remarks that good team of top of firms are essential for their success and it should be very important for tops in charge of human resources to tackle OJT for young staffs while limited and severe conditions.
2008.9.18
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar.
----As 5th Forum, Motherhouse Corp. introduced sailing business of bags of which materials are made in Bangladesh, and students from Keio Univ. made questions to the presentation. Associate Prof. Miyakawa introduced her study regarding the trial to establish social/regional system to help female researchers with discretionary work grow their children. And Prof. Kabasawa made the presentation about current situation of industry-academy collaboration of USA and European countries .
2008.9.18
Participating in ID Forum Tokyo 2008 “Utilizing Designs for Brand Building and Needed 3D Data
---- I am very impressed by the presentation of Mr Okuyama, CEO Ken Okuyama Design, that he has been spending many years in persuasive designing activities and practices of Yamagata Bottega. He highlighted as following, the combination of design, technology and manufacturing process creates good and fine products and it is collaboration with consumers at the same time. The products of Italian SMEe are born from such principles. However, as Japanese SMEs are subcontractors, it is difficult to do so in Japan. The reason why he started Yamagata Bogetta is to realize these principles in Japan. Designers should play roles to grow up several technology seeds in an organization and create new products from such seeds. However, in Japan, they face the wall because technology seeds are in vertical sections of large organizations.
2008.9.11
Participating in Manufacture & Maintenance Solutions Show 2008 by Japan Management Association
---- From environment related technology, measurement technology and nondestructive test technology to manufacturing process control system, manufacturing assets management system are exhibited. NEC shows the manufacturing process control system　which consists NEC originated Obbligato and IFS application system with collaboration and role sharing each other. NEC made the alliance with IFS from Sweden. I can see similar systems like NEC’s. I recon that the strength of Japanese manufacturing process control system may come from integrating and customizing European/US ERP with Japanese production-field originated process control system and creating new system like Japanese original one.
2008.9.5
Participating in MCPC(Mobile Computing Promotion Consortium) Mobile Solution Fair 2008
---- As exhibitions are mainly from major telecom-companies and affiliated companies of large corporations, so it looks less exited because few independent companies like Venture Business exhibit there. Among them, I am impressed in Software from Turning Point Corp. that enables to display information of GPS, orientation data and so on of disaster area on the maps in flat-panels. I is expected to introduce disaster information system with Ricoh made Digital Camera to regional governments.
2008.8.28
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar
----As the 4th Forum, Mr Yamamoto of Icore Corp. from Keio-Shonan Incubator made a briefing “Challenge to realize High-quality Off-shore Development”. He hired some graduates of Indonesia Surabaya University to whom he taught essential Japanese technical words of specification documents, and developed System to verify off-shore developed software. The basic system is from Germany and based upon European TTCN-3(Testing and Test Control Notation version 3). And from Keio Univ. Prof Nakamura made a presentation regarding the kicking off WiMAX project at Fujisawa City area. It is a highly-motivated plan to establish unwired information network for ordinary citizens to join and realize their city-life needs.
2008.8.27
Participating in Work Shop of Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association “ Speed-up of Developing Embedded Software”
---- I had a chance to join Work Shop for engineers and managers in charge from major companies to discuss and find out solutions to progress Quality Cost Delivery of Embedded Software from viewpoint of the quick and essential progress of QCD for future Japanese electronics and information industries. Participators reckoned the importance of application of software engineering, introducing Model-based Application method, upskilling of managers and enhancing work-ethic of SEs in charge. Prof. Takada form Nagoya Univ. made comprehensive analysis and some solutions.
2008.8.22
Participating in Participating in a meeting of WAA Forum
---- Mr Nomoto, from I.zak, Consulting Firm in Pharmaceutical and Life Science area, made a presentation regarding New Project to cure intractable diseases that Mr Nomoto is planning to kick off with collaboration of Singapore Government.
2008.8.8
Participating in Presentation Meeting related New Material Technology by Kyoto Univ. cosponsored by JST
---- JST(Japan Science and Technology Organization) holds Technology Presentation Meeting of Japanese universities two or three times every month. This time Kyoto Univ. had introduced some technologies which can show high possibility of application among R&D related Material. And these presentation meetings are one of procedures of gathering and selecting technologies which will be exhibited at “Innovation Japan 2008/Universities And Technologies” held in September.
2008.7.30
Participating in　Exhibition Micromachine/MEMS 2008： International Tradeshow for Micro/MEMS & Nano Technologies
----Not only for semi-conductor processing, but for other advanced technology products, laser microfabrication, advanced molecule coating technology, advanced surface polishing processing technology, and ultra-microscopic measuring technology and related equipments are exhibited. Those are supporting and essential to manufacture extensive advanced products. Among them, some technology and related equipments from German companies were showing their real quality of advanced German industry.
2008.7.23
Participating in　EXPO COMM WIRELESS JAPAN 2008
----It was the exhibition of cell phones,　wireless telecommunication　technologies, contents of cell phone, and related parts. While Japanese major telecom companies and major cell phone manufacturing companies were focusing on their new products, USA and Taiwanese companies were showing WiMAX technologies. The concern to WiMAX seemed to come back. And I could see several words of LTE(Long Term Evolution) so that I recognized the movement of 4th Generation as The Economist mentioned.
2008.7.17
Participating in Third Thursday Salon of Nigiwaido, Oosaka Karabori Shopping Avenue
----Ms Teranishi is organizing this Salon to revitalize the shopping street Karabori which is close to Oosaka central commercial area and still uniquely keeping old-fashioned houses , shops and streets. She opened this Salon in 2003 utilizing an old house and is giving chances and a space for regional people to gather, exchange opinions and listen to academic persons. I was given a chance to make a presentation regarding Silicon Valley. Regional business persons like a paper wholesaler, rice retailer and so on , some professors, and local governmental officials joined. Nigiwaido shows the real power to attract people. Accidentally, I met an old acquaintance I had met in SV, after 10 years.
2008.7.1
Participating in Exhibition and Trade Fair of Processing Technology of Oota City Tokyo SMEs
----They are mainly EMS and production firms of commissioning. They showed the skills and ability that support the development of Japanese Manufacturing Industry after World War the second. I , however, am not sure how they develop and maintain the software which they use within their own metal cutting machine tools that they have been using for processing materials. It is still my problem for me to understand.
2008.6.25
Participating in Design Engineering & Manufacturing Solutions Expo/ Industrial Virtual Rearity Expo
----While lots of CAD software were exhibited, I am impressed by European CAD Software, Belgium BRICSCAD and Materialise and German TOSCA. And the software of EMPHAS-Project.(Engineering with Multi Physical Partial Simulation) from Prometec Software Inc. which is the start-up originated of Tokyo Univ. technology is interesting to me.
2008.6.24
Participating in Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship Platform (KIEP) Seminar
----As the integrated trial of Industry-Academy Collaboration, Incubating and New Business Creating from Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus, KIEP, established by Prof Kokuryo and other professors, had the second seminar. Prof .Kumasaka made the presentation regarding the thinking way of Individuals as a social being under the modern society IT and network-media ,so-called “Chatty Long tale”. Associate Prof Ougi made another presentation regarding the function of sensors which work for taking and analyzing movements of sportsmen and craft-men. And three start-ups from Keio-Shonan Incubator made presentations of business model.
2008.6.23
Participating in Manufacturing Work Shop by Yokohama Design Product Group
----Work Shop is hosted by President Hisano, 3TEC Corp, and supported by Yokohama City. IT-related and manufacturing firms, industrial designers and students　are joining. This time we tried to create new and possible ideas for original furniture with integration of Japanese traditional aesthetic feeling and modern simple life.
2008.6.20
Participating in a meeting of WAA Forum
---- Mr Kobayashi from Japan Development Institute made the presentation that he has been involved to establish basic, wide and trustful human-relations with head of developing countries, and support to make designs and plans of lots of development projects with such relations he made, giving advices not only developed-country governments but Japanese government in terms of ODA. The project of Industrial Complex of Africa Tanzania where Sumitomo Chemical Co.Ltd has a firm of mosquito net is one of Mr Kobayshi’s involved projects.
2008.6.19
Participating in Kuramae Venture Business Seminar at Tokyo Institute of Technology
---- Kuramae Association and Tokyo Institute of Technology co-sponsored KVS Seminar where panel discussion “The Real Role of Venture Capitalist” was held. Mr Shinoda from Agile Networks, Inc. and Mr Adachi form Itouchu Technology Ventures joined as panelists, and explained the role and limited part of VC in terms of VC’s supporting start-ups, putting money and making them EXIT.
2008.6.6
Participating in Suzukake Business Seminar of Yokohama Venture Plaza of Tokyo Insitute of Technology
---- Mr Ikeda from IBM Business Consulting Service Corp. made the presentation “ Solution for New Business Creation from Seed-Technologies ”. He explained the necessity of technology innovation that we lack now, and how entrepreneurs can make seed-technologies into concrete business projects, and how entrepreneurs should make strategic decisions at several stages, considering final demands that they expect to be from their seed-technology.
2008.5.22
Participating in Lecture Series of Information & Communication School of Meiji Univ.
---- As a part of Lecture Series by Mr Hirosawa in charge, I made a brief regarding the contradistinction of the development and current situation of IT industry in Silicon Valley and in Japan and mentioned the possibility of future development of Japanese IT industry. Especially, I highlighted the necessity to join the network between SV, India and China with English as our tool. And I expect young Japanese of IT industry arena to do such activities as global business.
2008.5.22
Participating in Business Communication Tokyo 2008
---- Simple IP phone systems that SMEs can introduce with small cost and allow to use plural receivers at one office were displayed. I saw IP phone system expanding at the bottom of users.
2008.5.22
Participating in Business Communication Tokyo 2008
---- Simple IP phone systems that SMEs can introduce with small cost and allow to use plural receivers at one office were displayed. I saw IP phone system expanding at the bottom of users.
2008.5.14
Participating in Embedded Systems Expo (ESEC)
---- It was a huge exhibition with simultaneously held several exhibitions and 120 thousand visitors. 3TEC Corp from Yokohama Design Product Group showed a wireless transceiving module responding to ZigBee. I was impressed by the software by DENSO CREATE Inc. that allow the management of man-hours and project at shop-floor to be visualized for Kaizen Activity, and the system by WindRiver Corp that allow to develop and optimize device-embedded software and make devices themselves efficient and trustful. I recognized several problems left and unsettled regarding Total System from CAD to SCM that Japanese manufacturing sector currently face and reckon that Versatile and Platform System that Japanese manufacturing sector currently lack and have to develop.
2008.5.13
Participating in Telecom Summit Wireless Tech. Park 2008　
---- This is the specialist exhibition of wireless telecommunication technology, held in Yokohama. We saw much software for R&D or performance confirmation. Among them, I was impressed by technologies of SYNOPSYS Corp. Those are simulation software and CAD software to progress effective development of IC devices and digital signal-processing algorithm. And those are not from Japan but from Silicon Valley USA.
2008.4.16
Participating in a meeting of WAA Forum
---- President Fujita from SOLPAC Corp. made the presentation that he started his company with his colleagues independently from IBM when he was 57 years old. He bas been making the best effort to supply services and make proposal of introduction of IT systems to SME as the first priority of his company .And he made to consider business partner’s merit at first the corporate philosophy and principle.
2008.4.16
Participating in FPD R&D and Manufacturing Tech. Expo & Conference
---- This is Flat Panel Display related exhibition. 3TEC Corp of Yokohama Design Product Group showed Ink-jet Printer Machine for OLED manufacturing from Korean UniJet Corp.　Production systems using ink-jet technology for semiconductor or OLED are standing out this time.
2008.4.11
Participating in CPhI JAPAN 2008 （Convention of Pharmaceutical Ingredient JAPAN 2008)　
---- This is the first time for me to participate a medical and pharmaceutical exhibition like this. We recognized the reality of globalization of this area, looking at Venture Firms which have advanced technologies of Synthetic DNA, Companies in charge of pharmaceutical ingredient productions by commissioning, Research and Analysis Corps of database of pharmacies, R&D Staffing Companies that retain Doctors.
2008.4.11
Participating in CPhI JAPAN 2008 （Convention of Pharmaceutical Ingredient JAPAN 2008)　
---- This is the first time for me to participate a medical and pharmaceutical exhibition like this. We recognized the reality of globalization of this area, looking at Venture Firms which have advanced technologies of Synthetic DNA, Companies in charge of pharmaceutical ingredient productions by commissioning, Research and Analysis Corps of database of pharmacies, R&D Staffing Companies that retain Doctors.