Germany’s Industry 4.0 is a well-known buzzword. Japan has now introduced Society 5.0. Is this a mere one-step-ahead game, or is there more behind? Industry 4.0 As the name already indicates, Industry 4.0 is looking mainly into industrial production. Its main idea is the information exchange between companies down to the machines and processes. Nowadays, not only machines but virtually […]
By Hiroyuki Arie, General Manager, Business Stream Systems at TÜV Rheinland Japan Fire, typhoon and earthquake resistance of buildings has long been of paramount importance in Japan. This is partly because for a long period of time, the majority of structures were lightly made of wood. If a house caught fire in the Edo period (1603–1868), firefighters often chose […]
Japan’s trade balance last year marked its first surplus in six years, according to the recently released Global Trade and Investment Report 2017 by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). At the same time, the country’s outward FDI stood at record highs, while inward FDI from Asia to Japan continued to grow. Global trade declines 3.1%, downturn for two straight […]
The Japanese Cabinet is setting aside 46 billion yen ($416 million) in planned subsidies for SMEs, small enterprises or other entities in fiscal 2017, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The subsidies are part of the government’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and geared toward business activities based on R&D results. Subsidies for SMEs The […]
