JAPAN Press Magazine by Japan Press Magazine

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PRESS MAGAZINE

TO CATCH A PREDATOR?

TAKE COVER? or LEARN TO FLY! Bradley L. Bartz The message was received loud and clear. The Foreign community in Japan is in desperate need of an independent news outlet. JAPAN Press Magazine is part of our multi-media approach to getting news and information to foreign stakeholders of Japan. The Japan Press Network KK focus on our mission continues unabated. As long-termers in Japan there are certain things that we like to have handy. Our list is not exhaustive, but its a start. Each of our publications have pieces of these important facts and access information for life in Japan. Please send us your requests! We need your feedback to deliver what you want and need. Our list includes: Emergency contacts Food, beer and public toilets Safe EXplorations Jobs, classifieds and sayonara sales Sleaze and personals Immigration, VISAs and such Haircuts, salons and shaves Health and fitness Pools, baths and naked people, oh my. Weather Horoscopes Sports highlights Society and Black Tie events Fashion Religion, Churches, Temples, Mosques and Shrines Politics that affect foreigners Shinjirarenai (The Unbelievable) Crime and Security And so much more. Please be patient as we build this important body of knowledge for foreign residences and stakeholders of Japan. Real-time online, weekly and monthly in print. JAPAN Press Magazine thanks you so much! Thanks! Bradley L Bartz Publisher

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JAPAN NEWSMAKERS “There aren’t any foreign companies operating in Saga; that’s something we’d especially like to remedy.”

--Tatsuhide Soejima

Page 12

“The popular conception of drones typically sees them as tools of the military, but there is huge potential for peaceful applications.” – Joseph Song Page 18

“It’s especially good for people with joint pains and digestive disorders,”

--Takeshi Wakugawa

Page 37 “The Furbo allows owners to better understand the habits of their pets, and to ascertain if something might be wrong at home.” – Brian Lin Page 58

Page 36

“Horse oil used to be known as a kind of snake oil, and given the name ‘gama abura,’” explains easy-going Diara CEO Takashi Terauchi Page 40

“Aliens captured an imaginative sense of what might be possible to create in the future,” says company engineer Akinori Takechi. Page 14

Page 6

“Estee Lauder keeps the bar high for its products, and will not hesitate to recall anything that comes under legitimate scrutiny for side-effects or quality control,” he says. “We respect that as a good standard to keep.” Page 36 -- Michiyasu Hamada

“There are clear advantages to a fixed wing design, Page 24 including the long wing, which provides the lift necessary to keep the aircraft aloft for two to four hours at a time.” –Dr. Ryu Miura

“If the country can achieve an H2 reliance of just 2% to 3% over the next 13 years, the impact on business, and on the nation, will be huge.” -- Shigeru Yamamoto

“The industry needs drone pilots, but it also needs training in basic safety. It’s critical that we do both.” Page 23 -- Koichi Mizuno 3

Kawasaki Heavy Betting

Big on Hydrogen

By Brad Fujihara

Is Japan on the road to becoming a hydrogen-producing superpower? Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) is betting that it will. Japan’s energy industry remains abuzz following the government’s June 2014 announcement of its “Strategic Road Map for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells,” a sweeping

roadmap calling for the creation of a hydrogen-based society. In doing so, the nation aims to both ease Japan’s dependency on traditional fossil fuels, and do its part to help slow global warming. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) thus designated 2015 as Year One of the Hydrogen Age. In Japan, H2 fuel cells hit the domestic household market in 2009, while fuel cell vehicles made their debut last year. KHI is hoping for a nationwide rollout that envisions a number of H2 power plants, along with an infrastructure to support them. The abundance of hydrogen on the 6planet makes it an attractive resource.

As unlocking H2 from water (H2O) remains energy-intensive, brown coal (also known as lignite) is seen by many as the next best choice. “The main problems with lignite have been two-fold: sourcing and storage,” explains Shigeru Yamamoto, a senior manager at Kawasaki Heavy’s hydrogen project development center. “As an island nation, Japan does not have much lignite, while the high moisture content makes it susceptible to spontaneous combustion, which causes transportation and storage problems.”

The sourcing headache may already be solved, thanks to negotiations with Australia, which ranks among the top brown coal miners, but had heretofore banned its export. High-level talks between Aussie Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe last December have paved the way to allow for Japan to eventually to import the material from Down Under. Meanwhile, KHI engineers believe they can develop an efficient cleaning and drying process for lignite. They plan to liquefy the H2, using liquid oxygen (O2) storage technology already developed for Japan’s rocket industry and liquid natural gas (LNG), says Mr. Yamamoto. Liquefied hydrogen is about 100 degrees centigrade cooler than LNG, requiring advanced refrigeration technology.

The company is already experimenting with small liquefied hydrogen carriers. After that, the firm will scale up to deliver H2 in quantities large enough for power stations. Japan’s strategic energy policy calls for providing at least 30% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. This will include other alternatives such as solar, wind, geothermal, wave, and biofuels. Success in hydrogen will help remake Japan’s entire power infrastructure,

especially if utility providers make the leap to H2 fueled facilities. If that happens, an entire fleet of tanker transports will be needed. The industry has already come far; as costs for making hydrogen are already falling, Mr. Yamamoto points out. “Prior to 2014, hydrogen wasn’t even mentioned as a component of national energy policy, so the whole field is new and exciting,” he adds. “We’re still at ground zero. But if the country can achieve an H2 reliance of just 2% to 3% over the next 13 years, the impact on business, and on the nation, will be huge.”

“If the country can achieve an H2 reliance of just 2% to 3% over the next 13 years, the impact on business, and on the nation, will be huge.” Shigeru Yamamoto

Shigeru Yamamoto

Kawasaki Heavy’s conceptual large hydrogen tanker

No Place Like Japan for Wind Power By Brad Fujihara

There is no place like Japan for wind power makers. Thanks to a highly incentivized tariff system and abundant air currents, the country is fast becoming an industry mecca. Some might call it the new “kamikaze”--literally, Divine Wind. For Portland, Oregon-based wind turbine maker Xzeres, the opportunity is indeed heavenly. Established in 2010, the firm quickly seized on the announcement of Japan’s renewable energy policy in 2012 to set up shop in Tokyo. Since then, it has received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to build on 150 sites across the country, and has another 500 applications in process. “We’re busy in other places such as North and South America and the UK, but Japan is far and away our best market,” says Xzeres international business development manager Ross Taylor, whose company set up a sprawling booth at the 4th International Wind Energy Expo held in March in Odaiba. “Our goal is not just to sell into the market, but to nationalize the brand for the local market.” To do so the company is striving to set up a nationwide dealer/distributor network through which it can source investor funds to funnel into new projects. But the key to making the entire enterprise work is the government-set feed-in-tariff (FIT) rate, which currently sits at ¥55 per kilowatt hour for a 10 kW wind power generating system.

Start up costs for such a system are often higher than for comparable photovoltaic (PV) generating systems, but the corresponding FIT is almost double for wind. This allows the IRR (internal rate of return, or the payback of the initial investment capital) to average just five to eight years. Selecting an area with relatively high wind speeds can thus net a nice profit over the life of a 20-year METI contract. Other perks include a 17-year tax depreciation benefit. Xzeres’ machines also feature the ability to retract hydraulically in the event that extreme weather poses a risk to the survivability of the hardware. At the expo, the company announced a new kind of insurance policy which covers damages attributable to natural disasters, as well as loss of FIT revenue due to turbine down time. As might be expected, obtaining government approval for installing turbines is by no means quick or easy, requiring a long list of checkoffs, including long-term structural durability, and resilience to earthquakes and lightning. “Japan is very ‘by the book’ in that respect, and the government makes people jump through a lot of hoops in the approval process,” says Mr. Taylor. This includes Class NK certification, which is analogous to a UL accreditation for home appliances. In actual use, turbines can indeed be productive. Depending on typical wind speeds found in Japan of, say, six to seven meters per second, a 10 kW turbine could produce 28,000-38,000 kWh of electricity per year, enough to sustain five homes.

With Japan’s government dead set on meeting a target of sourcing 30% of the nation’s energy needs from renewable sources, the current incentive system for wind power is likely to remainin place, say many experts. Mr. Taylor reckons that the prime window of opportunity will remain open for another two years or so. “Japan’s 2011 (Fukushima) nuclear disaster brought the country to this point, and the country remains prone destructive climactic phenomena, so who knows what might happen with policy going forward?” he says. “In the end, it comes down to economics; the current IRR for photovoltaic is around 5% and people still see that as attractive, whereas wind power is at 16%. This market should continue to be good until saturation sets in, at which point FIT rates will begin to come down.”

10kW Windstation

“We’re busy in other places such as North and South America and the UK, but Japan is far and away our best market,” says Xzeres international business development manager Ross Taylor Ross Taylor.

India:

The

Future

King of Sovereign Solar?

By Brad Fujihara Basking in sunshine for an average of 300 days every year, the Republic of India may be set to become the eventual champion of solar power producing nations. Experts have put the nation’s theoretical solar electricity output from land sources alone at some 5,000 trillion kilowatt-hours annually, the largest sovereign potential in the world. Such tremendous upside is not lost on executives of solar power systems designer Wave Energy. From its base on the southern island of Shikoku, it has installed 1,179 solar generating units nationwide totaling about 580 megawatts. Less than a year ago, Wave hired Indian engineer Ajit Bhandari to help facilitate its Indian dreams. It has since set up an office in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern state of Telangana. The May 2014 election of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister of India may help facilitate the nation’s solar push, says Mr. Bhandari. India’s first 5 megawatts of solar capacity was installed only in 2011. “Modi seems very friendly to the idea of a nationwide solar buildout. The current goal is to spend the equivalent of $100 billion to achieve 100 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2022. It is hoped that Japanese solar know-how will help to make this a reality.” India’s plan is part of the Modi’s broader goal to modernize its infrastructure, ranking railways and highways among top priorities. In December 2015, Japan and India agreed to jointly build a bullet train system linking Mumbai and Ahmedabad in the country’s western region.

But the nation’s energy needs are even more chronic, and several regions cannot keep up with growing demand. In Mumbai, India’s most populous city with 18.4 million people, current power supply totals 3,416 megawatts versus demand projected to top 4,350 megawatts by 2021. The state of Tamil Nadu on India’s southern tip had set an ambitious goal to boost its installed solar capacity by 15-fold to over 3,000 megawatts by 2015, using a combination of tax rebates and other incentives for industries residential buildings.

It’s also a competitive market, with companies from China, Spain, the U.S., and others also jockeying to enter the country, says Mr. Bhandari. Still, if properly addressed, the solar energy available in India in one year could exceed the possible energy output of all fossil fuel reserves, studies say. “We are still collecting data, and plan to begin submitting solar power bids for projects from next year,” says Mr. Bhandari. “We are hopeful for success.”

In all, more than 300 million of India’s 1.3 billion people (23%) live without any electricity, while millions more have only spotty service from the grid. The Prime Minister has pledged to create dozens of “ultra mega solar power parks,” of 500-plus megawatts, while the National Institute for Rural Development has a program to bring rooftop solar panels to thousands of impoverished villages. India’s Assured Power Purchase Agreement guarantees the purchase of solar power by state and central governments. Plenty of obstacles remain, however. India is still coal-dependent. The amount of acreage required for utility-scale solar power plants puts a strain on available land resources. The infrastructure needed to carry electricity to villages and homes-let alone to produce it more cleanly and efficiently-needs to be built out as well.

Ajit Bhandari “(India’s) current goal is to spend the equivalent of $100 billion to achieve 100 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2022. It is hoped that Japanese solar know-how will help to make this a reality.” -- Ajit Bhandari

COOLEST BEACHES Chirihama Nishihama Tadanohama Hayama-Ishiki Onjuku Oarai Isumi Taito Araihama Uchiura Zushi Odaiba Kamakura Enoshima Miho Inamuragasaki Shonan

I come from the land of

ice and snow.

Unshaken Saga Hopes to Stir More Business Interest By Brad Fujihara

Saga Prefecture, located in one of Japan’s most southernmost regions on the island of Kyushu, sports the country’s lowest exposure to earthquakes. It may say something about a house party when the host boasts that attendees are less likely to suffer from building collapse than at any other gathering on the block. But the relative stability of Saga’s soil is nevertheless part of the state’s official pitch to attract more business. Saga recently sent a team of reps with that goal in mind to the 7th International Rechargeable Battery Expo, held March 2-4 at the Tokyo Big Sight venue in Daiba. Saga was the only prefecture among Japan’s 47 territories to send such a delegation to the event, which ran concurrently with eight other exhibitions during World Smart Energy Week 2016. The sprawling summit included the 1st International Biomass Expo and the 9th International Photovoltaic Power Generation Expo, and was largest combined event of its kind in the nation, attracting over 1,400 exhibitors and 63,000 visitors in all,

and are safe from major active fault lines, so companies needn’t worry about the risk of structural damage caused by the shifting earth.” To be specific, Saga features the lowest frequency to quakes of seismic intensity of 1.0 or more in the nation, and has a relatively good rating in terms of projected damage due to flooding. Such facts are hard to overstate around Japan’s highly volcanic archipelago, which experiences an average of over 1,500 quakes per year. In March 2011, a massive offshore tremor triggered a tsunami that wiped out whole villages in Japan’s northeast region, and triggered a nuclear mess that will take decades to clean up. Some 25,000 Japanese lost their lives in the catastrophe. Saga Prefecture is not alone among Japan’s rural communities in that it suffers from the flight of young people to larger and more dynamic metropolitan areas such as Tokyo. Like all of Japan, a low birthrate and long average lifespan means its citizens are aging rapidly. The population totals just 860,000, one of the sparsest in the country. Still, Saga’s government believes these and other realities can be spun into positives that could attract

according to coordinator Reed Exhibitions Japan. The effusive Tatsuhide Soejima headed the Saga delegation, handing out free bath salts and local delicacies to interested passers-by. “The earthquake issue front and center among concerns when companies consider setting up shop in any region in Japan,” he says. “In 12 Saga, we have no active volcanoes

more direct investment, including from abroad. Modern highways allow for convenient traffic access from central Saga to major ports such as Nagasaki (70km), while Saga International Airport links directly to Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul (all within 90 minutes). The ‘saga’ of Saga includes a rich history of international exchange,

including the import of ceramic technology from China and Korea 400 years ago. Importantly, land prices in Saga City

center are about 1/150 that of Tokyo. Office rental rates are half that of the nation’s capital, while average wages are 40% lower. The state offers the highest level of subsidy systems in Japan, generous deferred tax schemes, and boasts four of the “most livable” cities ranked recently in the Kyushu Top 20.

“Solar energy companies show a lot of interest in Saga due to cheap land prices, but we’d like to see more electronics firms, IT firms, medical de vice makers, and high-end

chemical manufacturers set up the prefecture,” says Mr. Soejima, noting that turnover rates are very low at regional entities. “There aren’t any foreign companies operating in Saga; that’s something we’d especially like to remedy.” Tatuhide Soejima

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What is the last thing a bug sees when it hits a shinkansen? 13

‘Alien’ Robot Technology Set to Invade Earth By Brad Fujihara

Wearable robots could finally be migrating from the movie screen to the workplace floor. If so, the task of lifting heavy objects may at last cease to pose a worry. Nara-based ActiveLink Co., Ltd. is one company actively behind the effort to commercialize such technology. Established in 2003 with seed money from Panasonic Corp. and trading company Mitsui & Co., the firm’s engineers are excited at the interest shown for their latest products, which began to be marketed in September 2015. The firm’s flagship device is its AWN03 Power Assist Suit, a lightweight, wearable, electrically powered machine that helps the wearer to lift and transport payloads. The suit acts principally to support the lower back region, where most of the stress of lifting objects is typically felt. It can reduce the sensed stress by up to 15 kg. It weighs 6.5kg without on-board batteries. The suit reflects a design evolution partially inspired by the 1986 science-fiction movie Aliens, in which the heroine, played by actress Sigourney Weaver, dons a futuristic, industrial-use exoskeleton suit in a battle to the death with a hostile reptilian space creature. “Aliens captured an imaginative sense of what might be possible to create in the future,” says company engineer Akinori Takechi. “The general concept behind our prototype Dual Arm Power Amplification Robot came directly from the robotic suit that was originally used in the film to move

things around in the cargo bay of the spaceship.” That prototype featured electromagnetic motor-operated arms mechanically connected with components that measured the magnitude and direction of force applied by the operator, allowing him or her to directly ‘feel’ the behavior of the robot. Through practice, this pioneering “Direct Force Feedback” technology enables the user to establish a ‘correspondence’ that allows for better manipulation of the machine.

“Aliens captured an imaginative sense of what might be possible to create in the future,” says company engineer Akinori Takechi.

Akinori Takechi

After studying the complex attributes of the system, however, engineers came to realize that for specific physical movements, all that hardware might not be necessary for the average user. “For the more mundane tasks experienced by workers involved in package delivery and at loading docks, it seemed that a full body suit could be replaced by a smaller, more portable unit,” says Takechi. The result was the development of a series of ActiveLink power-assisted suits four years ago, including the Power Loader Ninja and the Power Loader Light, both of which featured lower body support in addition to back support. The machines were also designed so that users could freely customize its software and hardware.

Power Loader Light

The smaller AWN-03 Power Assist Suit represents the latest, more simplified stage in the technology. At ¥1.3 million per copy, an ideal retail price point is likely at lower levels, but the firm has achieved a handful of sales for the AWN-03, which is at least a step in the right direction, says Mr. Takechi. “There seems to be a good deal of interest from package delivery firms and the like, but for now, renting the units seems to be the more attractive option.”

AWN-03 Power Assist Suit

Dual Arm Power Amplification Robot

COOLEST PALACES and TEMPLES

Himeji Castle Matsue Castle Matsuyama Castle Kumamoto Castle Shuri Castle Kinkakuji Meigetsu-in Temple 16

The Imperial Palace Tamozawa Imperial Villa Matsumoto Castle Nijo Castle Kyoto Imperial Palace Katsura Imperial Villa 17

Drones Over Tokyo? There’ll Be Nowhere to Hide By Brad Fujihara

The next buzz among Tokyoites may not be the latest cell phone app or chic fashion trend, but the sound of an overhead drone on the prowl. Considering Japan’s geography, demography, and fiscal debt, executives at General Atomics, the world’s dominant large drone manufacturer, think that day may come sooner than later. After establishing its first Tokyo office in 2015, the San Diego-based company has been aggressively touting its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where it sees a wide open local market. The use of drones for military missions is nothing new, but such applications merely scratch the surface of their potential. Increasingly, nations are making use of drones for a variety of missions, including policing, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, public safety, and border patrol. While sales to the United States government still comprise 90% of its business, he notes that the firm’s largest overseas customers, which include the UK, Italy, and France, are increasingly employing UAVs help to monitor their vast maritime borders. Ranking No. 5 in the world with nearly 30,000km of coastline of its own, Japan fits into this category. The nation’s problems are exacerbated by a population set to decline by one-third by 2060, as well as a soaring national debt, making staffing and paying for national security services ever more costly. Drone configurations vary according to need, but a typical medium-altitude, long-duration, non-military use UAV might 18 sport an 11-meter length,

a 20-meter wingspan, and a liquidfueled propeller engine efficient enough to keep it aloft for over 24 hours at an altitude of 25,000 to 35,000 feet. The key to a drone’s utility, however, is the electronic gear it packs. This might include an advanced multimode radar, and a real-time laser imaging system that provides full-motion video through foliage, clouds, and fog, as well as high-resolution 3D images for reconnaissance and mapping. The cost for all that tech? General Atomics’ latest Guardian Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol aircraft, typically outfitted, runs under $10 million per copy. But that does not include technical support, spare parts, pilot training, or the infrastructure to support a fleet of such craft. The price tag for actual flight operations runs about $2,000 to $3,000 an hour. Still, that may be a bargain compared to systems currently in place. Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (SDF) employs aging, manned Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft that cost several times as much to operate. “The international market is comprised of military and commercial segments, but the line between the two is becoming increasingly blurred as the spectrum of missions for defense-related agencies broadens, as we saw during the 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster in Japan’s northeast region,” says Mr. Song. “Internationally, the country must also address a whole host of issues, ranging from fishing rights to piracy and remote island surveillance.” Just one or two UAVs could allow for round-the-clock surveillance of hundreds of square miles of coastline or open ocean. Drones have come a long way since the company’s GNAT-750 made its debut in 1990, christening the market. The company has since produced

some 20 models over the last 25 years, gradually extending flight duration, operating ceiling, motor efficiency, payload capacity, and ease of pilot training. Going forward, Mr. Song sees continuing advances in aerodynamics as allowing for drone design to improve. For example, hydrogen-powered engines might allow for flight ceilings well above 50,000 feet where oxygen is thin. More efficient solar panels might also enable them to stay in the air almost indefinitely. UAVs might even fly themselves one day with improved artificial intelligence (AI). “Even given all that, the real gains are going to be made in electro-optics,: he says. “This is where Japanese companies like Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, and much of Japan’s high-tech industry excel. “Needless to say, working with local companies is going to make this an interesting space to watch.”

“The popular conception of drones typically sees them as tools of the military, but there is huge potential for peaceful applications,” says Joseph Song, vice president of international strategic development at General Atomics. JOSEPH SONG

Guardian Multi-Mission Maritime Patrol

Help Wanted: Skilled Drone Pilots By Brad Fujihara

Online and newspaper “Help Wanted” ads are likely to include a new kind of job listing in the near future: skilled drone pilots ready for immediate work on solar panel farms, fire stations, and even at old folks homes. Japan’s rapid solar panel buildout, combined with its rapidly aging population and mountainous terrain may indeed provide ample demand for such workers. Such is the hope of Tokyo-based Skyrobot Inc., which is among a small vanguard of companies offering training schools for tomorrow’s drone operators.

“Japan is experiencing a drone making boom, but who’s going to fly them?” says Satoshi Sumiya, general manager at Skyrobot’s IoT (Internet of Things) Division. “At the moment, very few people are qualified or experienced.” After receiving a number of urgent inquiries, the company set up a twomonth training course for fresh recruits beginning in April, 2016. Students will train on simulators before moving on to live operation of real drones, including DGI Japan’s Phantom 3 unit. Total cost for the course: ¥540,000, which includes certification. Skyrobot expects more than a dozen students in its inaugural class.

Drone-mounted thermal imaging allows for spotting trouble areas on solar panels.

ABC Solar installation via Drone footage at 300 feet altitude. ABCsolar.jp

ABC Solar Drone Pic

And graduates may not be left waiting long for job offers. The company sees job opportunities in its own flagship services, including a drone-assisted solar panel cleaning system that regularly scrubs away grime brought by rain, wind, snowfall, bird droppings and volcanic activity. Skyrobot reckons that solar panel yield typically falls by 10% or more annually due to accumulated pollen, dirt, sand, and volcanic ash. Flying overhead, drones can snap thermal images to pinpoint where output is being lost.

Scaling up the math, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that global solar power generation will rise 13-fold to 2,400 gigawatts by 2030. An across-the-board 10% average annual fall in output works out to the emission of 134 million tons of CO2 produced by traditional thermal power sources. Other jobs for pilots include locating missing persons. Statistics show that up to 84,000 people disappear in Japan every year due to kidnappings, outdoor accidents, natural disasters and the effects of mental illnesses.

“Traditional aircraft and helicopter search missions can put a significant burden on families, whether or not their loved ones are eventually found,” says Mr. Sumiya. The company’s wearable, lightweight, compact and waterproof SKYBEACON transmitter-receiver tag, used in coordination with its SKYRESCUE robot system allows for efficient location at a fraction of the cost, he adds. Looking at Japan’s demographics, the importance of affordable locator services may indeed be difficult to overstate. The country is home to 8.6 million mountain climbers at least 60 years of age, the ranks of which are rising as more people retire. Meanwhile, the number of patients with

dementia-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s already number 4.6 million--almost the same as the United States which has a population more than twice as large. “It’s great to have convenient products, but in the end, skilled people are still going to be needed to operate the equipment,” says Mr. Sumiya. “We think that offering both the pilots and the hardware could make for a ‘winwin’ situation for our customers.”

Big Bear Solar Observatory Drone Shot by ABC Solar

Motion

Sensors

‘Go Mini’ For

Drone Use By Brad Fujihara

Ambitious drone operators will soon be able to get their hands on high-tech goodies that only full-size aircraft pilots have been able to enjoy. Among them are motion sensors that enable pilots to graphically ‘see’ the drone’s attitude in flight, adding a real cockpit-like feel to the drone flying experience. Tokyo Aircraft Instrument Co. displayed the high-tech hardware at the first annual Japan Drone 2016 expo, held March 24-26 in Makuhari Messe, northeast of Tokyo. The 79-year-old company has long-produced a range of sensor gear for civilian and military aircraft that measure critical conditions such as location, temperature, pressure, airspeed, roll, pitch, and yaw. In recent years it has been involved in some big projects, including systems for the T-5 Intermediate Jet Trainer, as well as the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) UH-60 helicopter modernization program.

It has now miniaturized some of the same technology for the smaller flying vehicle market, which includes the exploding drone space. “Drones are subject to the same physical principles in flight as larger-scale aircraft,” says Kazuya Sumida, the company’s representative at the summit. “Shrinking the motion sensor technology by as much as 80% to drone specs means some of the bells and whistles had to be taken out, but the basic functions are enough to allow for safer and more efficient operation.” The company’s palm-sized sensors weigh less than 80 grams each. Strapped to the drone’s body or installed internally, a motion sensor operates in a 3-axis gyro stabilized platform, transmitting critical data about the craft to a control console. Software then interprets the data into graphic images that allow for a simulated picture of how the machine is performing. The company’s new CSM-MG200 motion sensor can be used on a variety of unmanned vehicles, including boats, cars and robots.

“Drones are already being considered for a variety of difficult missions, such as surveying, mapping, surveillance, and repair, requiring ever more sophisticated sensors and other gear to do their jobs,” says Mr. Sumida.

Kazuya Sumida

The new gear is in the final development phase and due for sales rollout starting in June 2016. At a likely cost of over ¥300,000 per unit, such technology may not be for the casual drone operator. However, it may eventually become indispensable in the industrial-use drone market. “Drones are already being considered for a variety of difficult missions, such as surveying, mapping, surveillance, and repair, requiring ever more sophisticated sensors and other gear to do their jobs,” says Mr. Sumida. Costs are going to go up as a matter of course, but having the right equipment on board could save money by ensuring that the task is performed efficiently the first time and that the drone returns safely, he adds. “We see the drone licensing program taking firmer shape in the years ahead. Much like a commercial aircraft or helicopter pilot, tomorrow’s drone operators are likely going to have to learn how to read sophisticated instruments and be licensed to do so.” Motion sensor in action

Catalina Island, California by Drone

Training Japan’s Aviators in

War & Peace By Brad Fujihara

From training fighter pilots to drone operators, Japan Aviation Academy (JAA) is moving to keep pace with the needs of the times. Japan Press Network met officials of one of Japan’s oldest pilot training schools at the first annual Japan Drone 2016 expo held at Makuhari Messe, northeast of Tokyo, on March 24-26. The summit welcomed 118 exhibitors and over 8,000 guests. JAA’s appearance at the event was symbolic of the changing times. Opened in 1932, the Yamanashi-based school took responsibility for training many of Japan’s first military pilots before the outbreak of World War II. It closed down in 1945 after Japan’s surrender, then reopened in 1960 as the country geared up for its economic revival. Today JAA operates a handful of campuses nationwide from the Kanto Area near Tokyo to Noto on the Japan Sea coast to Chitose in Hokkaido. It sports an English-education curriculum, hosts foreign students, and has support staff in China, Thailand, and Mongolia. Most of its techs, mechanics, and cadets go on to jobs at All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan Airlines (JAL), and other major employers. At its Niigata campus, the Academy currently hosts about 1,000 students. JAA managing director Koichi Mizuno puts the overall dropout rate at close to zero. “Students are committed to getting certified in their respective fields, be they cadets or mechanics or cabin attendants,” he says. “The certification process keeps them

motivated; they realize what’s at stake.” Costs for high school level dormitory students run about ¥1.8 million annually and about ¥900,000 for commuter students. JAA’s technical college also trains ground and various support staff, and offers internships with the major airlines as at a cost of about ¥1.2 million per year. Trainees practice on B-767 and YS-11 aircraft.

“The industry needs drone pilots, but it also needs training in basic safety. It’s critical that we do both.” -- Koichi Mizuno

In the months and years ahead, the Academy will also have its eyes on training drone operators, following fervent industry calls for more qualified fliers. In doing so, JAA joins a growing group of institutions offering qualification courses. DJI Japan, a unit of the world’s largest drone maker, began offering corporate drone training programs in early 2016, and plans to churn out 10,000 pilots over the next three years. JAA launches its first class in April, using a model loosely based on the nation’s automobile license “training school (“kyoshujo”) system”. Mr. Mizuno likens the urgency for good drone operators to the nation’s call for training crack fighter pilots back in the 1930s. “The industry needs drone pilots, but it also needs training in basic safety,” he says. “It’s critical that we do both.”

Koichi Mizuno

Military transport, circa 1944

YS-11 Trainer

Fixed-Wing Drones Own a Niche in Japan By Brad Fujihara

While the advent of the Drone Age has seen the proliferation of multi-rotor machines of various sizes and shapes, ‘old-style’ fixed-wing drones are still in demand. In fact, when it comes to setting up temporary communication links in remote, inaccessible areas, the tech gear of choice is clear for researchers at Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). The Yokosuka-based institute specializes in preparing for scenarios in which re-establishing telecom links in regions hit by natural disasters and other emergencies is important. Such an event occurred in March 2011, when a massive tsunami hit Japan’s nuclear power station in Fukushima Prefecture, cutting off whole communities from access to both electricity and phone use. The U.S. military moved in quickly under the auspices of “Operation Tomodachi” to deliver hundreds of tons of food and supplies to victims, as well to as to help set up comm services. Their answer to the communication problems was an innocuous fixedwing drone weighing just 15 pounds or so. “Operation Tomodachi was very instructive; without local power, not even the rescue teams could communicate,” says Dr. Ryu Miura, head of the NICT’s wireless network research facility. “The U.S. forces had a good, practical answer for this problem; the drone functions as a flying telecom tower, enabling radio waves to be transmitted back and forth.” Six years later, the 2.8 meter-long, U.S.-built Puma AE is the NICT’s

drone of choice for emergency duty. “There are clear advantages to a fixedwing design for this type of work, including the long wing, which provides the lift necessary to keep the aircraft aloft for two to four hours at a time,” says Dr. Miura. “This greatly exceeds the duration of any current multi-copter.” The Puma AE sports other advantages over more futuristic, multi-prop drone designs, including lots of cargo space for electronics. Its fuselage and wings are also composed of super-strong epoxy and Kevlar, and designed to partially come apart in the event of a rough landing, reducing the danger of critical damage. Most multi-copters can be wrecked by one bad touch-down. Dr. Miura and his colleagues are currently busy demonstrating the Puma and its capabilities to municipalities at high risk of exposure to earthquakes, landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters. But awareness is slow to come along, he says. “Technology like this is not going to be in high demand until something terrible actually happens,” he says. “But we are hopeful that by showing the unit to fire stations, police departments, hospitals and disaster relief organizations, they will know who to call if and when the time arrives,” At a cost of about ¥40 million ($357,000) per copy, the Puma AE is not cheap, but does come with software, training, and support service. Mr. Miura sees spot rental as the likely option for most clients.

Puma AE Drone

“There are clear advantages to a fixed wing design, including the long wing, which provides the lift necessary to keep the aircraft aloft for two to four hours at a time.” -- Dr. Ryu Miura

Dr. Ryu Miura

The Japanese market is always a surprise. Long strolls down concrete alleys can give way to new pathways. New paths that allow you to stop and enjoy the beauty and wonder that is Japan. Every soul in Japan should walk more. Japan Press Network is The Helping Hand for opening markets in Japan. But, our most important role is to give you the chance to see the real beauty of Japan. Touch the earth and smell life.

Lasers

Precision to Aerial Mapping

scan data via LAN-TCP/IP interface.

Bring

By Brad Fujihara

When mapping and surveying earth terrain needs to be perfect, there’s nothing like laser-like precision. Drone technology is also making it a lot easier. At Riegl Japan, an affiliate of Austrian RIEGL Laser Measurement Systems, salespeople have a keen focus on expanding sales. Well-known for its lineup of terrestrial surveying devices, the company showcased its flagship VUX-1 Lightweight Airborne Laser Scanner at the Japan Drone 2016 expo held in Chiba Prefecture last March. The VUX-1 is one of the most advanced machines of its kind, offering unparalleled topographical mapping capability. But its newer, lighter weight now also allows for transport by drone, a task formerly only fit for a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. “To be sure, continuous miniaturization over the years has helped the equipment to become more than twice as easy to transport,” says Riegl Japan representative Koichi Sasaki. “But when it comes to mapping, the texture of the earth is what everyone wants to see. Only a good airborne laser scanner can provide this detail; standard photographic mapping stops at the trees.” At just 3.5kg, the VUX-1 can be installed on a heavy-duty multi-copter, where it provides 10mm survey-grade accuracy at up to 200 scans per second, and a measurement rate of up to 500,000 times per second with a 330° field of view (FOV). The entire data set of a mission can be stored onto an internal 240GB solid state hard drive (SSD), or provided as real-time line

The company touts its machine as ideal for agriculture, forestry, archeology and cultural heritage documentation, as well as power line, railway, pipeline mapping and urban environment surveying.

“To be sure, continuous miniaturization over the years has helped the equipment to become more than twice as easy to transport,” says Riegl Japan representative Koichi Sasaki.

Mr. Sasaki displayed the results of the VUX-1’s work, a color-enhanced scan showing the fine gradations of land texture beneath a forest. In many overseas countries, industrial needs for powerful airborne scanners are constant, but big differences in land surface areas often make the job better suited for conventional aircraft, which can cover a lot of ground quickly. Riegl offers its own mapping software to process the images taken, but a plethora of custom software applications also exist.

Koichi Sasaki

“Here in Japan where the land is narrower and mountainous, customers want to be able to fit surveying equipment into a drone-sized package for relatively short missions. “That also means the scanner has to be fitted to a specially designed drone; you can’t just bolt it to the bottom of a multi-copter and take off.”. The VUX-1 is for professional surveyors, including large land developers. At a price of several tens of millions of yen per copy, the company has managed to sell only a few of the devices over the last few years, notes Mr. Sasaki. Rental is not currently an option. Still, he believes the future of the market is bright. “As drones become more powerful and onboard equipment continues to shrink and lighten, the applications for laser scanners will only expand,” he says. “In the end, quality speaks volumes in Japan.”

Riegl VUX-1 laser scanner

Topographical land laser scan

Crowd

Security Means Eyes in the Sky By Brad Fujihara

Surveillance technology is getting a facelift in Japan, as the need to maintain security among large crowds gains importance. The issue is especially pertinent for Tokyo, which is set to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.

At Secom Co., Ltd., the technical challenges to combat potentially dangerous threats are all too real. Traditionally operating in the surveillance market for factories, office buildings, and commercial property, the firm has taken advantage of both drone research and conventional airship knowhow to add some innovative solutions to its product line. In December 2015, Secom kicked off a drone-assisted surveillance service for its existing clients, featuring a 2.2kg four-prop multi-copter. Outfitted with laser sensors, a high-definition (HD) camera and LED lights, the drone compliments the efforts of security staff by standing ready to launch in case something goes awry on property grounds. At the press of a button, the drone can be released and fly on a number of predesignated patrol courses, snapping photo and video images of suspicious persons, faces, cars, or license plates.

Flying up to 5 meters off the ground it has enough battery power stay aloft for about 15 minutes. “As an inaugural system it’s relatively easy to manage since it doesn’t require any piloting skills,” says Secom public relations officer Tadashi Kajitani. “But it does help solve a ‘quick-dispatch’ need in case there aren’t enough personnel to address a situation, or if there is an incident that would take too long for guards to arrive in time.” As Japan faces chronic personnel shortages due to its steadily declining population, the system has already attracted a good deal of attention from existing and would-be clients, he adds . “As an inaugural system it’s relatively easy to manage since it doesn’t require any piloting skills,” says Secom public rela tions officer Tadashi Kajitani

Short-Distance Surveillance Drone

More recently, Secom has embarked on a larger project for crowd surveillance, designing a 20-meter airship outfitted with a sensor package, plus microphones, speakers, searchlights, and a 4K camera. Planned as a tethered unit, the blimp can stay airborne for several hours and monitor the ground from an altitude of up to 100 meters. It made its trial debut the 2016 Tokyo Marathon held on February 28, completing its mission near the finish line without a hitch. “The airship’s high-resolution camera allows for very precise crowd imaging, which should be a big plus by the time Tokyo is ready to host its first Olympic events since 1964,” says Mr. Kajitani. “The world is a vastly difference place, and the security technology needs to be up-to-date.”

Dronemeisters drone pilot directory creating buzz for master UAV operators Dronemeisters, a brand-driven drone pilot directory showcasing the world’s best UAV operators, has launched. The new drone pilot resource, with its edgy Dronemeister Wizard logo and pilot apparel, was designed to help top drone pilots stand out amongst the quickly growing crowd of UAV operators. With experts predicting that the market for drones will increase to more than $80 billion in the next decade, the sky truly is the limit for skilled UAV pilots. Yet those skies are filling up fast, due in part to the growing list (4000+) of commercial pilots being approved by the FAA. Not surprisingly, with such explosive growth, the drone industry is already experiencing the early stages of market saturation and confusion. “Brand recall and breaking through the clutter is everything in an emerging industry,” said Mark Slatko, Director of Marketing. “We asked realtors, builders and event planners to name a drone pilot directory off the top of their heads. None of them could. That’s what makes Dronemeisters branding so powerful. It’s provocative, unforgettable and establishes drone mastery from the word go.” Dronemeisters is putting skilled pilots on the map in more ways than one. With just a few clicks on the website’s geo-locator map, clients can quickly hone in on local drone experts. The entire process takes just a few minutes. To further its “You Fly. We Create The Buzz.” mission, Dronemeisters supports its pilots through an integrated marketing mix including engaging web ads, innovative SEO techniques, a robust social media campaign and even striking Drone Wizard apparel designed to draw attention to pilots - whether they’re having a Macchiato at Starbucks or filming

filming a coffee planation in Peru. “We’re not here to be passive,” said Alec Larson, Director of Business Development. “We’re disrupting the norm, grabbing mindshare, helping our pilots stay busy and having fun at the same time.”

Iran’s Maiden Flight by Carlo Munoz (UPI)

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, or IRGC, on Tuesday unveiled its newest aerial surveillance drone during large-scale military exercises in the western part of the country. Iranian media reports the drone, named “Hamasseh” or “Epic” in English, conducted its first ever surveillance flights during the exercise in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in western Iran. The drone flew as part of a three-plane formation and carried out several high-altitude reconnaissance flights, Iranian news outlet Press TV. The Iranian military’s smaller, tactical Mojahr-1 and Ababil-5 drones as well as the high-altitude Shahed-129 surveillance drone flew alongside the Hamasseh during the exercises, IRGC’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said.Aside from long-range surveillance operations, the drone is also reportedly designed to carry out airstrikes as part of its anticipated multimission package. The drone will continue to see action during the exercise in Kerman, South Khorasan and Homozgan, Pakpouradded. The drills are expected to wrap up on April 14th. On Monday, Tehran announced the first tranche of Russian-built S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems are en route to the Iranian military. The weapons transited to Iran via the Caspian Sea arriving this week, the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Jaberi Ansari said Monday.

Sagem supplying Patroller drones to French Army by Richard Tomkins (UPI)

Sagem’s Patroller unmanned aerial vehicle has been chosen for the French Army’s tactical drone system program. A total of 14 Patroller UAVs will be supplied to the French Army, which is to begin replacing its Sperwer tactical drones in 2018. The Tactical Drone System program is under the contracting authority of DGA, the French military procurement agency. “The French Ministry of Defense’s choice of the Patroller certifies its performance and quality, giving Sagem a major advantage in seizing export opportunities for surveillance drones,” said Martin Sion, Sagem’s chief executive officer. “Several countries have already expressed their interest in the Patroller, especially in Asia and the Middle East.” The Patroller is a medium-altitude long endurance aircraft and comes in three variants: The Patroller R for ground surveillance; the Patroller M for maritime surveillance; and the Patroller S for homeland security operations. The aircraft have an operating ceiling of 20,000 feet and a payload capacity of about 550 pounds. It is modular in design and can carry its multi-sensor intelligence payloads on its airframe and/or in pods. According to Sagem, its winning of the award will create about 300 jobs in France and also strengthen its partnership with Ecarys, the German company that supplies the airframe for the Patroller system. The announcement of the contract award was made Tuesday at a Sagem factory in Montluçon, France, during a visit by French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian.

LED’s Rekindle By Brad Fujihara

LED lighting is fast becoming more than just the wave of the future; it is also helping to revive the past. Marketers at lighting retailer ReUdo hope that Japan’s stubborn love for its ancient traditions will help to spark sales of its decorative low-power LED-fired lamps. The Niigata-based firm held court to cadres of interested onlookers charmed by its collection of flickering displays in a cool, dark corner of the recent LED NEXT STAGE Exposition, held March 8-11 at Tokyo’s Big Sight venue. The devices looked exactly like the kerosene and whale-oil lamps seen in old samurai drama films, bathing the space in a rustic, old world warmth. “I feel like I’m at old hot spring mountain resort,” says a nostalgic 60-something passer-by as he gazes into one of the floor-mounted LED units. Known as yuragi andon (“flickering paper lanterns”), the lights are part of ReUdo’s new lineup of fixtures that simulate flames while emitting just a fraction of the heat. ReUdo began importing the technology from China this year, and has begun to retail it locally.

“I feel like I’m at old hot spring mountain resort,” says a nostalgic 60-something passer-by as he gazes into one of the floor-mounted LED units. 28

Old World Warmth

“The key is the new kind of chip built into the LED bulb, which is programmed to mimic a variety of flame patterns. Placed inside a half-translucent shell, it creates a mild transfixing effect on the human eye much like a real flame does,” says Toru Suzuki, ReUdo’s product design chief. “We think these LED lamps will be a perfect fit for Japanese-style restaurants, inns, and playhouses that wish to create a really traditional looking atmosphere for their guests.”

We think these LED lamps will be a perfect fit for Japanese-style restaurants, inns, and playhouses that wish to create a really traditional looking atmosphere for their guests. -- Toru Suzuki

Toru Suzuki

A lot of the units could end up at ski resorts, parks, seasonal Japanese matsuri festivals where traditional dances and other rituals are performed, he adds, noting that the company has already fielded enquiries from a slew of designers and architects. The company’s MD-MVF-027 cylindrical lamp is wrapped in 99 small LED bulbs and fits into a traditional 100 volt AC socket, weighing just 0.5 kg. Depending on the setting, total power output ranges from 4 to 10 watts, resulting in very low heat emission. The operating cost for eight hours of everyday usage comes to about ¥800 a year. Currently, just a handful of bulb types, flame speeds/patterns, and colors are available, but at the pace that the technology is advancing, it is possible that custom programming to user specifications is not far away, Mr. Suzuki says.

The Coolest of Cool Japan

Space technology coverage for Japan Press Network began in 1992. Back then Simon Mansfield and Bradley Bartz were delivering news online via IAC-Online Bulletin Board Service in Tokyo. The natural language search engine of Metamorph was installed on the BBS. Mansfield and Bartz proceeded to contract with all English language news providers in Japan. “All” was the correct choice of words. By 1994 IAC-Online had daily feeds from The Japan Times, Nikkei Business, The Daily YomiuPrices range from ¥15,800 to yen ri, The Asahi Evening News and The Mainichi Daily news. Since then ¥25,800 per unit; ReUdo’s lineup is Spacedaily.com has been publishing daily hi-tech trade news. Over 20 also available via storefronts at Amayears of daily news. zon Japan and Yahoo Japan. Japan Press Network first started delivering Japanese Press Releases to Bloomberg News in 1993. Our news efforts have been non-stop ever since.

Japan First to Hit

80% less electricity, respectively.

Saturation Point?

These days, almost all of Japan’s new high rise buildings are 100% LEDequipped, while nearly half of the nation’s stop signals have switched to LED units. DNL Lighting specializes in an industry-leading, super-thin 8mm LED bulb that has found wide adoption around construction projects and for indirect ambient illumination in high-rise buildings and industrial parks.

LED By Brad Fujihara Light emitting diode (LED) lighting technology has taken the world by storm in recent years, but nowhere like in Japan. LEDs have, in fact, become so pervasive that the country may soon face a saturation point. High reliability, low power consumption, long life, low pollution, and falling production costs have enabled LED use to spread rapidly. By 2015, global market penetration was expected to reach 31%, according to industry news source LED Inside. In Japan, where LED industry policies began with the “21st Century Lighting Project” in 1998, the buildout has been even more dramatic, with penetration soon hitting 50%. That figure is seen at 70% by 2020; the government targets near 100% adoption by 2030. “The 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami (in Japan’s northeast) provided a big emotional kick to national energy policy, after the government asked the general population to cut household energy consumption by double-digits when all the nuclear plants were switched off,” says Eiji Fujiwara, senior sales executive at industrial LED-maker DNL Lighting. Faced with rolling brownouts in Tokyo and other big cities, this goal was accomplished almost overnight, he notes, as people rushed to replace fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. LEDs typically last four to five times longer than fluorescents (40-50 times longer than incandescents) and consume 40% to

Japan is no laggard in developing core LED technology. Three Japanese physicists-- Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura-jointly won the Nobel Prize in 2014 for the development of the blue LED, a revolutionary breakthrough that led to the white LED now used around the world. Improvements in luminosity and efficiency are constant. Recently, over 300 lm/W (lumens per watt) were measured for the most advanced white LEDs, compared with just 16 lm/W for traditional light bulbs and 70 lm/W for fluorescent lamps. Average LED lifespans approaching 100,000 hours are also within reach. Overall, LED luminescence has doubled over the last five years, while there is still plenty of room for manufacturing costs to fall, meaning that applications should continue to rise, says Mr. Fujiwara. “Ironically, the problem with LEDs is that they are not exactly ‘disposable’ like the old incandescent bulbs. Once installed, they rarely need to be replaced, meaning that once Japan goes ‘all-LED,’ there aren’t going to be many places left to sell them at home.”

Fortunately for LED manufacturers, overseas markets are primed for growth. A recent McKinsey report predicted that Asia will occupy 45% of the global general lighting market by 2020. China and the U.S. sport commercial LED penetration rates still in the low teens. Europe is also getting serious about LED conversion; the city of London was last seen on track to replace two-thirds of its 520,000 streetlights with LEDs by this year in one of the most ambitious public modernization projects in the world.

Eiji Fujiwara “Once installed, LEDs rarely need to be replaced, meaning that once Japan goes ‘all-LED,’ there aren’t going to be many places left to sell them at home.” -- Eiji Fujiwara

8mm LED lighting fixture

TRADE MEDIA NEWS 31

Plywood makes a good drawing surface for Mike at ABC Solar. The focus on this 12:12 pitch roof is safety! Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 45 degrees! ABCsolar.jp

Pocket Printing Has Never Been Easier By Brad Fujihara

Leave it to your big brother to bring home the coolest thing on the block. Brother Industries’ new mobile printers literally put the power of a print shop in one’s pocket. The company’s PocketJet series of machines, set to hit the retail market after April, 2016, allow for direct, black-and-white thermal printing at 300×300 dpi resolution, eight page-per-minute (ppm) speed, all at a weight of just 610 grams. They are the market’s first thermal printers to handle A4 size paper. The company proudly showed off its new technology at the recent Retail Tech Japan exposition held March 8-11, 2016 at the Tokyo Big Sight venue in Odaiba, often to a crowd of interested onlookers. Brother solutions group representative Dai Yamashita demonstrated the PJ-773 display unit with an Apple iPad using a wi-fi connection. The machine instantly produced a flawless business document. With a universal Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB connection, the printers can work with any modern operation system available on PCs or cell phones, including Microsoft, Apple, Linux, Android, and Citrix. “It makes it ideal for financial industry sales people and insurance agents who are often on the road,” said Mr. Yamashita. “They can produce contracts, estimates, and samples of securities products for prospective clients on the fly.”

An optional high-capacity Li-ion battery pack is also available. The top of the line PJ-773 sports a retail price point of about ¥80,000, while the lower-priced PJ-722 can print in 200 dpi resolution. The lineup has thus far generated a great deal of interest thus far, Mr. Yamashita added. Australian-based review site techradar.com reports that the New South Wales ambulance service has already put the devices to use. “Despite its great incredibly little of size and also lightweight in design and also style, the manufacturing and development process has been focused on creating a durable, professional printer which can be carried in a computer system or briefcase bag, or mounted in a car permanently,” said a recent online review by Central Printer Driver.

PocketJet MPrint mobile printer

The PJ-762, -763, and -763MFi models work with Bluetooth only. A 12volt optional automobile cigarette lighter adapter can also recharge the unit’s lithium-ion battery, affording complete portability. The unit has enough juice to produce about 600 pages of documents on one charge.

THE COOLEST TRAINS

Anwa line Biwako line Chuo line Furano line Gono line Hisatsu line Seto-ohashi line Sotobo line Takayama main line Tokaido shinkansen line

Panning for the Golden Complexion

By Brad Fujihara

If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, then perhaps gold is the stuff of ladies’ skin care. Such luxury is behind the thinking of chemists at health product maker Phiten, who have created a make-up removal product literally spun from gold. Phiten’s new Kyo no Oshiroi Otoshi makeup remover, set for April 2016 launch in Japan, contains a plurality of the elements gold, and also platinum and palladium at the nano-level in its base formula. The resulting liquid cleanser is similar to a traditional concoction long-preferred by professional maiko and geiko, elite, highly trained groups of performers of ancient Japanese song and dance. The teenaged maiko, and their elder geiko counterparts, wear a thick, delicately applied mixture of oshiroi--white makeup and paste-- before going out to perform before wellheeled audiences. The time-consuming makeup application routine covers the entire face as well as the ears, upper chest, and nape of the neck.

Elderly ladies in their 70s and 80s, as well as those with particularly sensitive skin, have also shown warm acceptance for the product in trial tests, he notes. Kyo no Oshiroi Otoshi is available in three thicknesses ranging from foamy to a rich creamlike application. A onemonth supply of the cleanser ranges from ¥2,000 for a 120 gram tube to ¥3,500 for a 150 milliliter bottle. Phiten is confident that once the product launches, ready adoption by highend cosmetics retailers should see Kyo no Oshiroi Otoshi on the shelves of more than 100 shops nationwide as early as end-July. While it is not inordinately expensive compared to its competitors, Mr. Hamada says that even high-priced cosmetic products can contain alcohol and great deal of cheap, even harmful ingredients. As such, he likens Phiten’s latest creation to U. S. cosmetics maker Estee Lauder’s lineup of goods. “Estee Lauder keeps the bar high for its products, and will not hesitate to recall anything that comes under legitimate scrutiny for side-effects or quality control,” he says. “We respect that as a good standard to keep.”

Of course, the material must also be removed after the performance is over. “The demands of such performing artists create a very high bar in terms of the quality of skin care products they will accept for regular use,” says Michiyasu Hamada Michiyasu Hamada, senior manager at Phiten’s cosmetics division. “We believe that their approval offers credible testimony for the average makeup-buying consumer. Our product also cuts the time required for makeup removal from an hour to just 15 minutes, which the performers really appreciate.”

Maiko dancer

Okinawa Shares Two Keys To Longevity By Brad Fujihara

While praised for its natural beauty, the island of Okinawa has never enjoyed an abundance of material assets or a robust economy. It is home to some of the longest living humans on earth, however, a fact that keeps customers interested in what is harvested and bottled in Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Okinawa Aloe hopes that more health-conscious folks will come around to the high-quality juices it makes on the island. Displaying its wares at the recent CareTEX 2016 expo held at Tokyo Big Sight March 16-18, company representatives dished out shot-glass sized samples of aloe vera juice to interested observers. A medicinal plant, aloe vera contains over 200 active compounds, including vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, enzymes, as well as polysaccharide and fatty acids. It has a track record of some 5,000 years of human use. The first aloe vera plants were brought to Okinawa from the U.S. 20 years ago, where industrial farming has been ongoing for the last decade. Okinawa is the only location in Japan where aloe vera can be grown, notes company executive Takeshi Wakugawa. He adds that his juice is 99.8% pure, contains no artificial ingredients, and can be kept for prolonged periods at room temperature. “It’s especially good for people with joint pains and digestive disorders,” he said, noting aloe vera’s anti-inflammatory qualities, and its use in cleansing the digestive tract. The plant has been used as a natural treatment for irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux.

The company aims to sell 30,000 to 40,000 bottles per year, distributing most to the Kanto Area region surrounding Tokyo. A 720ml bottle retails for ¥2,500.

Okinawa Aloe

Okinawa Aloe representatives were also busy offering samples of juice made from the shikuwasa, a citrus native to the island. Low-calorie, low-sugar, and vitamin-rich, the tart citrus is most often used by mainland Japanese as a condiment for sashimi, fried food, meat and fish. “Usually we’d dilute this stuff before drinking it!” said one middle-aged woman, wincing as she slugged down a thumb-size portion of the juice. “It’s incredibly sour!” One 500ml bottle holds the juice of 60-80 shikuwasa, retailing for ¥1800. “The taste is ‘aggressive’ so to speak, but shikuwasa finds appreciation among the elderly, as it is great for high blood pressure and diabetes,” says Mr. Wakugawa. “Usually we’d dilute this stuff before drinking it!” said one middle-aged woman, wincing as she slugged down a thumb-size portion of the juice. “It’s incredibly sour!”

Takeshi Wakugawa.

Soapless Bathing Coming to a Tub Near You

negative ions, provide a healthy stimulation for the skin.

By Brad Fujihara

Advances in the art of getting clean could mean that picking the right bar soap may soon no longer be a problem. In fact, there won’t be any need for soap at all. Such are the hopes of Osaka-based home products maker I Feel Science, which has developed a microbubble machine so efficient at removing grime that widespread adoption could redefine bathing as we know it. The firm’s salespeople were busy at the recent Caretex trade fair held at Tokyo Big Sight in mid-March. Crowds looked on as a bikini-clad model took intermittent dips in a tub without even using a washcloth. Immersing herself in a cloud of tiny bubbles spewed from a nozzle-tipped hose, she emerged after soaking for 10 minutes, refreshed and presumably cleaner. Unbeknownst to her admirers, she had been scrubbed and massaged by microbubbles not much bigger than one millionth of a meter in size. That’s about 1/70 the diameter of a human hair, and 200 times smaller than a normal water bubble. Microbubbles work in at least three convenient ways. Their negative ionic charge allows them to attract positively-charged particles such as dust and dirt and gently pull them away from the surface of the skin. Secondly, their small size allows them to reach into pores and hair follicles, allowing for a far deeper clean than an orthodox bath. Lastly, the microbubbles collapse under water pressure, creating tiny shock waves, which, combined with the 38

All of this is done using regular tap water; the temperature of the water is almost irrelevant. “The microbubble bath not only cleans far better that a traditional soap bath; it also allows the user to do away with the cost of soap, the cost of cleaning up soap scum, and of course the danger of having soap lying around on a slippery surface,” says Takeshi Tanaka of the company’s home sales division. The full benefits of the high-tech bath have not been completely researched, but before/after thermal imaging show that the human body enjoys as much as a 3.0oC rise in warmth 15 minutes after a microbubble bath compared with a normal bath, the company notes on its website.

experience. After soaking for just a few minutes, the skin feel squeaky clean, and appears noticeably brighter minus the excess sebum, dirt, sweat, and oil. Mr. Tanaka says the company is aggressively courting both domestic and overseas partners, and has thus far fielded strong interest from apartment developers and high-end home builders. With normal home use, the device can be expected to last up to 10 years, he adds.

Microbubble technology is relatively new, and is currently utilized in some ultrasound imaging applications in the field of medical diagnostics. But commercial applications are still rare. I Feel Science’s proprietary bubble making machine is about the size of a milk bottle, and installs easily in the tub’s pipe system either beforehand or as an aftermarket component. Marketing efforts began in earnest from October 2015. The single-unit price of ¥318,000 comes down dramatically as shipment volumes increase. Dipping one’s hands into a portable tub outfitted with the bubble machine is indeed a unique cleansing

“The cost can be leveraged over volume and over the life of the product,” he says. “We believe the microbubble experience could very well revolutionize the industry.” Microbubble bath

AN HOUR FROM TOKYO A WORLD AWAY ISUMI, CHIBA, JAPAN

Japanese Skin Cream is No Longer Horseplay By Brad Fujihara

In many corners of the world, horses are petted, ridden, raced, and even eaten. At Kanagawa-based Diara, Inc., workers even mass produce the animal’s oil. Established in 2000, Diara has become reknowned for a variety of nutritional products, beginning with horsemeat, which it markets as a high-protein, low-calorie, hypoallergenic alternative ‘raw food’ for dog and other pet owners. The company also works with zoos to satisfy specific nutritional requirements for the various of species of animals they keep. Diara also sells bashimi (horsemeat sashimi), a rare but established form of traditional seafood-based sashimi. Select regions of Japan, including centrally located Nagano and Kumamoto in the south, are renowned for consuming horsemeat; coincidentally, the two prefectures also boast some of the longest average life expectancies in the nation. But the company is especially keen on creating more awareness of its topical horse oil. At a booth set up at the sprawling CareTEX 2016 exposition held at Tokyo Big Sight March 16-18, guests were also able to sample small tubs of pure raw horse oil that Diara touts as an anti-wrinkle, anti-inflammatory agent. “Horse oil is easily absorbed by human skin, rate due to a fatty acid structure similar to that of human sebum,” says a Diara employee. “It is ideal for treating burns, scratches, and otherwise restoring human skin to its normal healthy state.”

Horse oil has a long history as a home remedy with roots to ancient Chinese equestrian civilizations. It is thought have been brought to Japan during the Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.). As a nation, Japan has for decades been one of the leaders of both horsemeat and live horses for consumption; Diara imports its horses from free-ranging sources in Canada where pesticide and hormone use is minimal or avoided. The oil is taken primarily from the neck region of the animal under its mane.

Horse oil tub

Horse oil is full of ceramides, which form a protective outer barrier around skin, helping to keep bacteria out while retaining moisture. Online skin care review site Skin & Tonics notes that horse oil began to soar in popularity as a skincare ingredient in Korea from last year. A plethora of horse oil added products have since come to market. Diara’s product is 100% pure, deodorized, and leaves no greasy feel. “Horse oil used to be known as a kind of snake oil, and given the name ‘gama abura,’” explains easy-going Diara CEO Takashi Terauchi, on-site at the company’s booth to field questions. “But there are some really good topical uses. Of course, you can still eat the horse’s meat, too.”

Takashi Terauchi “Horse oil used to be known as a kind of snake oil, and given the name ‘gama abura,’ but there are some really good topical uses. Of course, you can still eat the horse’s meat, too.” An 80g tub of horse oil retails for -- Takashi Terauchi ¥1080. Other health care products offered include 100% ‘extra natural’ horse oil shampoo, which sells for ¥1,944 for 400ml, and 50g bars of horse oil soap at ¥864.

TSUNAMI! My beach home is ... a beach home on the coast of Chiba in a sleepy little village called Isumi. Located an hour and a half door-to-door from Tokyo station by luxury express train, the Wakashio. The Ohara station stop is walking distance to the fishing port and a 15 km stretch of beach that is surfable with soft sand. As with any ocean front location in Japan all worries are on advanced warnings for tsunamis. From our beach home the escape route is 2 minutes on foot and 1 minute on bicycle to the lighthouse perched on the cliffs above. This shelter is a floating sealed boat to protect quick thinking citizens from certain doom from the rush of tsunami fueled waters. Would you buy one for your beach home? Maybe just build a bedroom that is the same? Sleep tight.

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50KW - 42yen FIT Yamanashi, Japan

Virtual Cash Meets the Virtual Cash Register

By Brad Fujihara

Now that bitcoin and other forms of virtual cash are here, it may be time for the virtual cash register to make a splash. Engineers at NEC certainly seem to think so. In a crowded corner of the busy Retail Tech Japan expo held March 8-11, 2016 in Odaiba, the IT solutions provider showed off its latest gizmos. A semicircle of interested onlookers surrounded an NEC employee methodically manipulating the overhead projection of an image of a digital cash machine on a blank countertop. The device simulated a supermarket grocery list, including individual pictures, descriptions and prices, as well as a final total. The touch-sensitive image smoothly and silently reacted to each of the ‘buttons’ she pushed like a mechanical machine, wowing guests.

Is this how supermarkets and convenience stores are going to look in the future? “Most of the technology--from the overhead projector to the touch-sensitive panel display-- is already ‘on the shelf’, so to speak, and just needs a little more tweaking before it’s ready to roll out on a commercial scale,” says Akira Kurabashi, a device researcher at the company. “As you can see, it will mean the end of the cash register as we know it.” Manpower-short Japan is already experiencing a proliferation of ‘self checking’ cash registers at many large chain retailers, where customers have the option of ringing up their own groceries using sophisticated scanning technology. Such devices are nothing new at some overseas forward-think ing companies, which have been employing them from the late 20th century.? As such, cash registers have from long ago ceased to be mere “points of sale,” but hubs that control ordering, inventory, cash flow, and customer information.

Mr. Kurabashi then performs another demonstration, manipulating a smartphone to photograph soft drink can. The image and the price of the item are automatically added to the shopping list projected on the counter. Just as easily, he is able to remove the soda from the list. It’s all accomplished by use of an app tied to the store’s inventory list. “These technologies will allow for further reduction in necessary staff at traditional stores, and make the whole retail shopping experience much easier for everybody involved,” he says. “The next step will be to tie customer accounts directly to the purchasing action, so that physical money is not even handled.” But that too, is well on its way; folks are already shopping online from home, and directly from their handheld devices, he notes. “With virtual money already coming into more widespread use, the only thing customers will need to do is wait for their groceries to be delivered.” Virtual cash machine

Coolest Drunk in JAPAN MOTOWN Rigaletto The Oak Door Tokyo Sports Bar Two Dogs The Pink Cow Wall Street Legends Propaganda GERONIMO (last man standing contest) Two Rooms R2 Any Blacklist Event And we haven’t left Roppongi Yet! What the Dickens! in Ebisu is drinking and dancing. Any Bar in Isumi, Chiba is great because we can walk home. Rule below is do as I say, not as i do! The barber shop after a matsuri is a dangerous place for the gaijin to get drunk. The testosterone of carrying a god thru the streets, a 3 ton god. With a bunch of screaming “virgins” in white along the parade route. Men in undies heaving and hoeing. Being a foot taller doesn’t help. Then the locals all gather to drink. Drink to oblivion. The challenge drinking. You will learn that Japan is one big bar. (Here’s a secret. If you want to stop drinking in Japan leave your glass full.) Go forth and drink, dance and do the ...

HUSTLE! We recommend one sober friend. Usually works out that way. But planning makes perfect ... 45

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Astronaut Kimiya Yui On the International Space Station

A Cautionary Tale, Yet Hopeful Look Forward

and India. However, the most shocking separation is that between North and South Korea.

respect and preserve our home planet and the need to continue to explore and inspire, especially among our youth.

The beauty of Earth from space is a matchless experience seen in IMAX, from the natural beauty of land and sea to the electric power of our world’s storms and natural occurrences. But the view from space is also a startling one as it depicts the impact humans have had on the Earth over time.

“Seoul, South Korea is one of the brightest, most vibrant cities on the planet,” Virts says in the film. “The whole South Korean country is lit up, and then there is this line of the border and this complete darkness of North Korea …

“I would certainly hope that particularly young people are curious about their surroundings on a broader scale, that they’re adventuresome in terms of space, not just science fiction and Star Wars,” Myers says. “I think it’s important that they know that there is real space exploration on a grand scale going on right now.

In “A Beautiful Planet,” Myers and her team capture the gradual depletion of the Colorado River Basin, which supplies water to 40 million Americans in seven states, according to the film. In fact, so much of that area has changed that parts of the valley have sunk 30 feet over the past 75 years. Other parts of the world are changing due to the effects of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In Greenland, ice sheets are melting, which have the potential to increase sea levels and threaten cities in low-lying coastal areas. However, measures are being taken to help prevent this from happening with 186 countries pledging to limit their contribution to greenhouse gases. Deforestation is another major concern highlighted in the film and its effects seen from space. Once covered in forests, the island of Madagascar is now brown; Brazil, too, has suffered significant losses as its immense rainforest — home to nearly half the species found on Earth — has been cut down and burned. Nearly half a million square miles have been lost over the past four decades. At night from space, the Earth shines with the light of civilization — a primary benefit of digital capture. The film shows the brilliant lights of some of our greatest cities, from Moscow and Tokyo to Rome and Tel Aviv. Myers points out the distinction of wealth and politics, both of which are visible from space and represented by borders separating countries such as Pakistan

”Additionally, the astronauts were able to capture nighttime footage of the Gulf of Mexico, with the surrounding areas lit up by thousands of oil and gas flares as another direct visualization of the distress humanity is causing on the planet.

“When you think of what we’ve achieved in such a short time on Earth, you can’t help but be optimistic,” Myers adds. “That’s what it is to be human.”

Virts, however, witnesses a positive change on Earth as the Chesapeake Bay in North America has been revived over the past decades. “That’s a great success story of conservation,” he says in the film. Lindgren agrees that sharing his experience is an important step forward in creating positive change. He says, “I think that’s why we spent so much time taking photos and sharing them on social media, and it’s a reason why we were so excited to be on the IMAX team — to be able to share that experience, that perspective on the bigscreen.” Beyond Earth, “A Beautiful Planet” offers a fascinating look at what life could be like if conditions were right on distant planets light years away. The film refers to what scientists call the “Goldilocks Zone” — a system not too hot, nor too cold for liquid water to exist. Myers singles out one system called Kepler-186, which contains five Earth-sized planets, one of which — Kepler-186f — is situated at the right distance away from its star to sustain water … and life? That is perhaps the thought among scientists, though for Myers, the potential existence of another Earth is foremost a reminder to

Narrator Jennifer Lawrence attend IMAX’s ’A Beautiful Planet’ New York premiere at AMC Loews Lincoln Square Publisher’s Note: I took my mom, dad and son to a special preview screening at the California Science Center. Mom said it best, “I hope they show this film everywhere.” Space exploration continues to deliver stunning results when NASA looks inward. We have A Beautiful Planet. Go see this movie.

Somewhere between

Earth and Mars Science Fiction Became Science Fact by Bradley Bartz

The little boy screamed at the top of his lungs when Bill Nye, the Science Guy, said standup and speak-up. A cute rambling question was deciphered as, yes, NASA can make you an X-man by an excited Dr. Alicia Jackson, CTO, Drawbridge Health, Inc. It seems a line of thought at NASA is to create artificial biology so only a tool set needs to be sent to Mars for colonization. A tool-set that is designed to mimic evolution by allowing the creation of life from 20 ingredients already on Mars. The simplified explanation of 3-D printing of amino acids had the crowd pleased. “The Martian” lovefest in Hollywood was to a standing-room only crowd of space geeks, NASA and JPL Scientists, and an astronaut to hear Ridley Scott, the director, Andy Weir, the author, and Drew Goddard, the screen writer on three panels of getting there, living there and colonizing. The panel members all seemed to be scientists typecast players, but in actuality they were some of the most advanced minds in our country. With Adam Savage of Mythbusters as the MC and Bill Nye leading a panel, a real mix of Woody Allen sarcasm banter was had. A large amount of time was spent on Safe EXploration (SEX) as a way to engage the audience. This was a live NASA version of a Go Fund Me page.

Andy Weir, writer of “The Martian”, loved his tautology of NASA scientists making cool stuff and then Hollywood making cool movies with that stuff that leads to more funding for new stuff. You get smart people together because lightbulbs happen. Neil Gershenfeld, Director, Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT has the vision to create the tools that will make the building blocks of life. The automation of biology gained greater steam when the little boy charged that gene editing with CRISPR can make him an X-man. Alicia Jackson, CTO, Drawbridge Health, Inc. used the example of curing blindness by putting a needle directly in the eye with new gene instructions. The light happened with another little guy (Dr. Gershenfeld) promoting AI biology chirped that he would design a new small compact body to carry his head. Small Body, Big Eyes... maybe a little green. So... that happened.

Time in the audience of this event allowed a lot of freedom of thought. The fun part was the expressions of the scientists and the fiction writers not knowing who is not real. I think Science Fiction writers are going to have to regroup. It is indeed the realistic fiction of “The Martian” that makes me ask what is next. I really want to know what is next. Not a documentary of what we already have. It is unlimited what the 20 building blocks can be trained to do. NASA cannot talk about sex in space. It wants to. “Scientists do it Repeatedly” the bumper sticker might say. But, NASA can talk about creating new life. Not just replicants printed on demand, but new life forms created in the lab. Somewhere between Earth and Mars, Science Fiction Became Science Fact. Science Fiction needs to step up its game.

Mars is indeed the logical target for mans next step. It has the 20 ingredients. Our lovely moon does not. Mans next step is a virtual one first. The key reason for sending man into space is to get that human moment standing on the edge of the impossible. The images of my fathers satellites were flat, pale and limited. Today, the Hololens of Microsoft is gleefully being adapted by JPL scientists. We are close to feeling Mars from home. The magic of space is its inexhaustible. Did we just hear the first ping of gravitational waves or are we about to be awash in blurry fluctuations of time? The fiction writer in me says yesterday a problem of the past resurfaced with fury today. I know that business has outside unknowns but time-flips are hard to navigate.

Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) finds himself stranded and alone on Mars, in The Martian. Photo Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Study reveals how the queen ant is crowned

OIST, said in a news release. “In particular, one should consider not just the individual genes involved, but what other genes they interact with.”

The variant also provides improved mobility, command, control, and repair capabilities while transporting troops and cargo from ship to shore.

A group of researchers in Japan recently set out to uncover the evolution of hierarchy inside ant colonies. Why and how did a queen come be crowned?

Mikheyev and his colleagues found the same genetic relationships that influence worker-queen disparity also determine the number of queens in a colony, worker sterility and whether or not a species is invasive.

BAE Systems said production of the AAVs will take place at its facility in York, Penn., beginning in August. Deliveries will begin next year.

by Brooks Hays (UPI)

How does the same set of genes produce two different classes of ants, worker and royalty?

The research was published this week in the journal Genome Biology.

To solve the mystery, scientists at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, the University of Helsinki and elsewhere surveyed the differences between workers and queens in 16 different ant species from around the world.

Japan orders amphibious

Instead of looking for genetic differences, the scientists searched for gene sets or patterns that were consistent among workers and queens from all 16 species. By sequencing each species’ transcriptome, or messenger RNA molecules, the researchers were able to identify 36 sets of similarly expressed genes.

by Richard Tomkins (UPI)

Because ants have evolved so many unique adaptations, their genome is constantly changing. But the evolution of hierarchy has been constant. For that reason, researchers believe common sets of genes, preserved by evolution -- like the 36 sets -- are more likely to hide the source of hierarchy. Researchers found almost all of the sets of genes they identified were associated with queen or worker traits.

assault vehicles Japan’s Ministry of Defense has contracted BAE Systems to supply it with 30 amphibious assault vehicles, or AAVs.

The financial value of the contract was not disclosed. The new contract for new AAV7A1 Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability/Rebuild to Standard (RAM/ RS) vehicles includes the delivery of tools and test equipment for maintenance and training aids. The AAV7A1 RAM/RS features amore powerful engine and drive train than earlier other variants, as well as an upgraded suspension system, allowing the new vehicles to meet or exceed original AAV7A1 performance.

The acquisition of the AAVs supports the ongoing development of an amphibious capability within the Japnese original equipment manufacturer of the AAV fleet, we have a strong history of supporting this platform.”

The research suggests the differentiation of queen and worker is inspired not by a specific gene, but by the interplay of these gene groups. “Our findings further highlight the importance of gene expression for the evolution of traits,” lead researcher Alexander Mikheyev, an ecologist at

For illustration purposes: An amphibious assault vehicle

NASA, Japan make ASTER earth data available at no

cost

Beginning this week, all Earth imagery from a prolific Japanese remote sensing instrument operating aboard NASA’s Terra spacecraft since late 1999 is now available to users everywhere at no cost. The public will have unlimited access to the complete 16-plus-year database for Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument, which images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet. ASTER’s database currently consists of more than 2.95 million individual scenes. The content ranges from massive scars across the Oklahoma landscape from an EF-5 tornado and the devastating aftermath of flooding in Pakistan, to volcanic eruptions in Iceland and wildfires in California. Previously, users could access ASTER’s global digital topographic maps of Earth online at no cost, but paid METI a nominal fee to order other ASTER data products. In announcing the change in policy, METI and NASA cited ASTER’s longevity and continued strong environmental monitoring capabilities. Launched in 1999, ASTER has far exceeded its five-year design life and will continue to operate for the foreseeable future as part of the suite of five Earth-observing instruments on Terra. “We anticipate a dramatic increase in the number of users of our data, with new and exciting results to come,” said Michael Abrams, ASTER science team leader at NASA’s Jet Propulsion

Laboratory in Pasadena, California, home to ASTER’s U.S. science team. ASTER data are processed into products using algorithms developed at JPL and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan. A joint U.S./Japan science team validates and calibrates the instrument and data products.

balance. ASTER data are now available via electronic download from NASA’s Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) at the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and from AIST.

ASTER is used to create detailed maps of land surface temperature, reflectance and elevation. The instrument acquires images in visible and thermal infrared wavelengths, with spatial resolutions ranging from about 50 to 300 feet (15 to 90 meters). ASTER data cover 99 percent of Earth’s landmass and span from 83 degrees north latitude to 83 degrees south. A single downward-looking ASTER scene covers an area on the ground measuring about 37-by-37 miles (60-by-60-kilometers). ASTER uses its near-infrared spectral band and downward- and backward-viewing telescopes to create stereo-pair images, merging two slightly offset two-dimensional images to create the three-dimensional effect of depth. Each elevation measurement point in the data is 98 feet (30 meters) apart. The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and changes over time. Example applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, monitoring thermal pollution, monitoring coral reef degradation, mapping surface temperatures of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat

In March 2016, ASTER captured the eruption of Nicaragua’s Momotombo volcano with its visible and thermal infrared bands. The ash plume is depicted by the visible bands in bluegray; the thermal infrared bands show hot lava flows in yellow and the active summit crater in white. Vegetation is red. Image courtesy NASA/GSFC/ METI/ERSDAC/JAROS, and U.S./ Japan ASTER Science Team. For a larger version of this image please go here. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/ details.php?id=pia20475

Kumamoto Earthquake, Japan

New study pinpoints stress factor of

mega-earthquake

off Japan

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego researchers published new findings on the role geological rock formations offshore of Japan played in producing the massive 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, one of only two magnitude 9 mega-earthquakes to occur in the last 50 years. The study, published in the journal Nature, offers new information about the hazard potential of large earthquakes at subduction zones, where tectonic plates converge. The magnitude 9 quake, which triggered a major tsunami that caused widespread destruction along the coastline of Japan, including the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster, was atypical in that it created an unusually large seismic movement, or slip, of 50 meters (164 feet) within a relatively small rupture area along the earthquake fault.

To better understand what may have caused this large movement, Scripps researchers used gravity and topography data to produce a detailed map of the geological architecture of the seafloor offshore of Japan. The map showed that the median tectonic line, which separates two distinct rock formations, volcanic rocks on one side and metamorphic rocks on the other, extends along the seafloor offshore. The region over the earthquake-generating portion of the plate boundary off Japan is characterized by variations in water depth and steep topographic gradients of about six kilometers (3.7 miles). These gradients, according to the researchers, can hide smaller variations in the topography and gravity fields that may be associated with geological structure changes of the overriding Japan and subducting Pacific plates.

“The new method we developed has enabled us to consider how changes in the composition of Japan’s seafloor crust along the plate-boundary influences the earthquake cycle,” said Dan Bassett, a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps and lead author of the study. The researchers suggest that a large amount of stress built up along the north, volcanic rock side of the median tectonic line resulting in the earthquake’s large movement. The plates on the south side of the line do not build up as much stress, and large earthquakes have not occurred there.

dramatic

There’s a ... This is a graphic of the gravity data off Japan where the 2011 magnitude 9 earthquake occurred. Image courtesy Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.

change in the geology that 54

parallels the earthquake cycle.

“There’s a dramatic change in the geology that parallels the earthquake cycle,” said Scripps geophysicist David Sandwell, a co-author of the study. “By looking at the structures of overriding plates, we can better understand how big the next one will be.” Yuri Fialko, a professor in the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps and Anthony B. Watts from the University of Oxford are also co-authors on the study.

Japanese map tracks the last moments of the victims of 2011

tsunami

The laboratory of Hidenori Watanave in the Faculty of System Design at Tokyo Metropolitan University and Iwate Nippo Co., Ltd have put together a digital archive tracking the evacuation patterns of Great East Japan Earthquake victims between the time the earthquake struck and the time the tsunami made landfall. It is exploring new possibilities in integrating digital technology with print media. The archive is titled We Shall Never Forget: Behavior Patterns of Victims of The 2011 Great East Japan Earthquakeand is being released five years after the disaster struck in March 2011. Various positional information was collected from surviving family members detailing the location of victims at 2:46PM on March 11, 2011 when the Great East Japan Earthquake struck as well as their location when the tsunami made landfall. The research team then constructed a 3D aerial photograph of the affected area and used it visually track the evacuation behaviors of the 1326 victims whose detailed locations are identified immediately following the earthquake. Permission was granted from the families of 687 victims to record their names and specific movements; these can be seen on the map as well. This movie shows the positions of earthquake victims as points on a map and then tracks their evacuation movements between the earthquake and the approach of the tsunami by showing

those points in motion. Blue points and trajectories are used to indicate males and red points and trajectories are used for females. The long lines show movement in a car or other vehicle. Points showing no movement indicate victims who died without evacuating after the earthquake. Also tells us that some people died when they traveled back to their homes or other locations after the earthquake and those ended up being submerged in the tsunami. With the permission of the surviving families, detailed information was added for some of the victims, which can be seen by clicking on the points. By integrating with the Google Street View function, viewers can also check the recovery status of each area. Google is a registered trademark of Google Inc. (USA) This movie tells us that many of the victims headed for the civic gymnasium in Rikuzentakata when the earthquake struck, and there lost their lives. We will make use of this archive to analyze evacuation behaviors - encouraging people, for instance, to avoid overestimating evacuation sites and head to higher ground.

Watanave assumed the post of visiting scholar at Harvard University in April 2016, plans to utilize the behavior record map in disaster archives of the university. By creating a visual record of these victimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; silenced voices, our team hopes to leave a record that can educate future generations on how to prepare themselves for earthquake disasters.

This movie shows the positions of earthquake victims as points on a map and then tracks their evacuation movements between the earthquake and the approach of the tsunami by showing those points in motion. Blue points and trajectories are used to indicate males and red points and trajectories are used for females. The long lines show movement in a car or other vehicle. Image courtesy Tokyo Metropolitan University. http://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/pub/113120.php

The Coolest of Cool Japan Space technology coverage for Japan Press Network began in 1992. Back then Simon Mansfield and Bradley Bartz were delivering news online via IAC-Online Bulletin Board Servcie in Tokyo. The natural language search engine of Metamorph was installed on the BBS. Mansfield and Bartz proceeded to contract with all English language news providers in Japan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Allâ&#x20AC;? was the correct choice of words. By 1994 IAC-Online had daily feeds from The Japan Times, Nikkei Business, The Daily Yomiuri, The Asahi Evening News and The Mainichi Daily news. Since then Spacedaily.com has been publishing daily hi-tech trade news. Over 20 years of daily news. Japan Press Network first started delivering Japanese Press Releases to Bloomberg News in 1993. Our news efforts have been non-stop ever since. 57

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THE COOLEST WALKS

Doggie Day Care Goes Remote

By Brad Fujihara

Dog owners worried about being away from their pets for hours at a time can rest easy. Advances in IoT (internet of things) technology now allow for all-day virtual communications with their furry friends, even when separated. Designers and programmers at Taiwan-based Tomofun hope their “Furbo” interactive dog camera catches on. The white, half-meter tall cylindrical unit connects with a cell phone app that lets owners see, talk, and even give treats to their pooches. Displaying the gizmo for the first time to crowds of interested onlookers at the Interpets Asia Pacific expo held March 31 to April 3 at Tokyo Big Sight, COO Brian Lin said the response has thus far been enthusiastic. “The Furbo went through seven different versions to arrive in its current form, after pet owners offered feedback on what does and doesn’t work,” he says. “We originally targeted dog-owning ladies who commute to offices, but all kinds of people seem to think it’s a great idea.” The Furbo runs on a standard USB power connection, and is equipped with a 120-degree wide-angle camera, HD quality video capability, night vision, and a two-way built-in microphone and speaker. The device can even dispense a bite-sized doggie treat at the owner’s command. All media can be saved, edited and shared. Furbo is Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capable, and offers a privacy mode that automatically shuts off power. The unit requires iOS 8.0 or later,

and is compatible with Android, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch products. Furbo is also capable of performing some light security duty. Its night vision feature allows for real-time surveillance, and is especially convenient for pet owners returning home late in the day. Furbo’s Barking Alert automatically notifies them whenever their pet becomes startled enough to make significant noise. “The product allows owners to better understand the habits of their pets, and to ascertain if something might be wrong at home,” says Mr. Lin. The company has already distributed about 500 of the units in Taiwan; sales in Japan kick off in April, and in May in the United States. It should be available by July through Amazon.com, Mr. Lin says. The company is eying a target price of about $199 for U.S. customers.

“The Furbo allows owners to better understand the habits of their pets, and to ascertain if something might be wrong at home.” Brian Lin

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Japanese-language site offers info about characters, storyline, staff, goods, studio, and more Japanese-language site offers info about characters, storyline, staff, goods, studio, and more www.tatsunoko.co.jp

T’s Atelier

Japanese painter specializing in painting portraits. Order by sending photographs of the desired subject. Japanese painter specializing in painting portraits. Order by sending photographs of the desired subject. www.mmjp.or.jp/tsatelier/index.html

Gay Net Japan

The oldest online community in Japan for gay people. The oldest online community in Japan for gay people. www.gnj.or.jp

EFL/ESL & Other Teaching Jobs in Japan English Village is seeking Full-time or Part-time native English teachers for one-on-one lessons, currently residing in Japan. Most students are adults. Sponsorship available for Full-time teachers. Competitive salaries for competent teachers. We have 13 schools in Tokyo and Yokohama. We also have a good reputation as an English school. We have interviews in Tokyo in person. [ E-MAIL WEBSITE ] (posted: 2016-04-01) http://www.english-village.net/ mailto:office@english-village.net EREV English school is looking for part-time teachers to conduct one-to-one lessons especially in Hiroshima, Kanagawa, Saitama, Osaka, and also in Nagoya, Tokyo, area. The lesson fee is 2,400 yen / hour. If interested, please send your resume by e-mail. [ E-MAIL ] (posted: 2016-03-31) mailto:recruit@erev.jp Tokyo YMCA International School (TYIS) seeks Math & Science teacher for Grade 7 starting Aug.29. Monday-Friday 12:30pmâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;3:30pm. 4,000 yen/hour. MUSTS: 4-year degree and state/provincial classroom license for elementary, middle, or senior high grades. Closest station: Toyocho on Tozai Line. E-mail resume to Principal. [ E-MAIL ] (posted: 2016-03-29) mailto:tyisschool@gmail.com Borderlink is seeking motivated, experienced ALTs living within Japan for positions in Toda city in Saitama. Please apply with a photo and resume with the title of Toda ALT. We are looking forward to working with you! (posted: 2016-03-30) mailto:anjason@borderlink.co.jp 64

IT & Technology Jobs in Japan Looking for a rockstar UI Designer with 3+ years experience. Must bi-lingual (English and Japanese). Good work culture. Great perks. (posted: 2016-03-18) mailto:tokyo@tigerspike.com Looking for Japanese Java developers with ex cellent communication skills. At least 3 to 5 years experience required. (posted: 2016-03-11) mailto:info@nextstep-inc.com Looking for Japanese language Support engineer with experience in deskside, server and networking areas. At least 2 years experience required. (posted: 2016-03-11) mailto:info@nextstep-inc.com

General Employment Jobs in Japan E-GAIKOKUJIN RECRUITING is seeking well-paid product testers. You can earn pocket money in your free time! We have assisted a growing number of leading Japanese companies for online surveys, home-use tests, group interviews, one-on-one interviews and product testing. NO sign-up fees and registration takes only a few minutes. (posted: 2016-03-25) mailto:contact@e-gaikokujin.com https://www.e-gaikokujin.com/monitor/ Part-time and full-time law firm administrative positions for native and near-native English speakers that are dependable, results-oriented, problem-solving, work independently, and are good written and oral communicators. To apply, send resume and cover letter as two PDF attachments. (posted: 2016-02-23) mailto:info@harrisfirm.net

Modeling / Acting / Entertainment Jobs in Japan Group Echo (Tokyo) French man, 40s to 70s, TV drama, Filming in March. Valid work visa is required. Tokyo: 03-6804-7677 (posted: 2016-03-04) http://www.groupecho.jp/

Bilingual Jobs in Japan ACEビジネス英会話スクール日本人ビジネス英会話講師、2,500円～3,500円/H＋交通費。大人対象。ビジネス英会話／英語指導。首都圏・大阪・名古屋の生徒宅/企業内/カフェで指導。略歴メール応募：(posted: 2016-03-24) mailto:biz@ace-school.com

DONT MISS THIS! Tokyo Speed Dating

6:15-9:15pm at Bar Quest in Roppongi. Meet 15-25 people in a series low-pressure five-minute dates. Manage your time and money efficiently by short-listing people for future second dates. Snacks and one drink included. Y1,000 discount for foreigners from Y3,500 ( foreigners Y2,500) Reservations recommended to assure a seat but walk ins are okay on a standby basis. (posted: 2016-04-20) mailto:info@tokyospeeddating.com http://www.tokyospeeddating.com/

CLUBS.CO.JP Camping in Six Trees

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Launching Soon! It’s Free, Funny and Freaky

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THE COOLEST ART Hakone Open-Air Museum A MUST VISIT Take it from Brad Fujihara after a hard day...

Otsuka Museum of Art Peace Memorial Museum Sapporo Beer Museum SCMAGLEV and Railway Park Sengukan Museum Shiraoi Ainu Museum Teshima Art Museum The Edo-Tokyo Museum The Railway Museum The Sand Museum Tokyo National Museum 68

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art Adachi Museum of Art Chichu Art Museum Chiran Tokko Museum Edo-Tokyo Museum Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum Ghibli Museum Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Inujima Seirensho Art Museum Kite Museum Kobe Earthquake Memorial Museum Kofukuji National Treasure Museum Kubota Itchiku Art Museum Meguro Parasitological Museum

Meiji Mura Miho Museum Minamata Disease Municipal Museum Mori Art Museum Mount Unzen Disaster Memorial Hall Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum Nara National Museum National Art Center Tokyo National Museum of Emerging Science National Museum of Western Art National Science Museum Okinawa Peace Memorial Museum Omiya Bonsai Art Museum 69

Booth Babes!

Selling Japan is just not that same as it used to be. The clients are older. The audience is moldier, but the Booth Babes are as hot as ever! Brad Fujihara has over 500 Booth Babe photos from years of attending Tokyo trade and car shows. Including: Tokyo Auto Salon 2008 Tokyo Motor Show 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon 2010 Tokyo Motor Show 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon 2011 Tokyo Motor Show 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon 2014 Tokyo Motor Show 2015 Tokyo Auto Salon 2015 Japan Done Expo 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon 2016 Care Technology 2016 Tokyo Franchise Show 2016 LED NEXT STAGE 2016 World Smart Energy Week 2016 Security Show 2016 International Auto Aftermaket Expo 2016 Interpets 2016 Brad is in Hong Kong this week covering Japanese companies marketing overseas. The excitement of his reports can be read next month! The Coolest of Cool Japan is on the road. Visit www.JAPAN.co.jp to see the Top Ten Booth Babes as voted by users. Booth Babes include great looking guys and mascots! So visit today and make your voice heard. Vote by watching!

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AVAILABLE ON AMAZON J/E and E/J Translation Services: 12 yen per word, more if highly technical Press Release Writing - From 50,000 yen. Press Photography - From 100,000 yen Advertsiing Design and Copy Writing - Starting at 12,000 yen per hour RePrint Service - 10,000 yen per article pdf for internal use. JPN Newswire - 100,000 yen per month for use of our original content in your media or company newsletter. Specific coverage reqeusts for media accepted. Videoography - From 400,000 yen for filming and post-production. TV Quality Capable. Japan Market Research - Starting at 15,000 per hour - drill specifically to your needs. Advertising Servcies - Cost +17.5% for the identification, placement and management of ads. Japan Market Entry Consulting - Starting at 36,000/hr

Coolest of Cool Japan

Welcome to Reef Break Retreat An Exclusive Ocean-Side Getaway

Situated in a small, terraced valley overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Reef Break Retreat is the ideal getaway from the hustle & bustle of Tokyo. Reef Break Retreat offers the opportunity to chill out in a beautiful Yurt situated in a glorious garden. Reef Break Retreat also includes a private Cabana and Bar as well as a large Rotemburo (Japanese hot tub). Relax to the sound of waves breaking on the reef, and awake to birds singing in the garden.Located near Ohara in Chiba Prefecture, only 71 minutes from Tokyo Station.

www.reefbreakresort.com

Japan Press Network publishes in Chinese at JapanPressNetwork.com Our daily news about JAPAN is continually focused on the Coolest of Cool Japan. We find the greatest technology and people in Japanese companies. Sometimes its the foriegn companies operating or originating in Japan that might indeed be the coolest of all. JapanPresssNetwork.com is published in English at www.JPN.co.jp

The Japan America Society of Southern California was founded in 1909 to build economic, cultural, governmental and personal relationships between the people of Japan and America. Join Today!

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Japan America Society of Southern California 1411 W. 190th Street, Suite 380, Gardena, CA 90248 tel (310) 965-9050 fax (310) 965-9010 email info@jas-socal.org

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Cinco de Mayo 2016 Osaka Event 01-MAY-16 26th ten thousand Kijo Festival Isumi-Shi 01-MAY-16 Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival Matsuri 01-MAY-16 Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival Matsuri 02-MAY-16 Cinco de Mayo 2016 Event 03-MAY-16 Meiji Shrine Spring Grand Festival Matsuri 03-MAY-16 7th Isumi children festival Isumi-Shi 30-MAY-16 Cinco de Mayo 2016 Event 04-MAY-16 Cinco de Mayo 2016 Event 05-MAY-16 Musashi-mitake Jinja Shrine Hinode Festival Matsuri 07-MAY-16 Kanda Matsuri Matsuri 14-MAY-16 Chaka Khan Concert 14-MAY-16 Roppongi Intâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l Party at Bar Quest Event 14-MAY-16 How Blockchain Technology Will Transform Our Financial Industry ACCJ Event 17-MAY-16 Tokyo Speed Dating Event 22-MAY-16 Genji pot evening Isumi-Shi 25-MAY-16 107th Anniversary Dinner & Gala Celebration Event 26-MAY-16

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