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2015 OCTOBER

vol. 25 The Wireless In-Wheel Motor is Changing the Future of Electric Cars

QUALITY REVIEW Enjoy the Authentic Taste of Smoked Food Cooked at Home with the Smoke Roast Oven The Healsio Ocha Presso incorporates Japan’s tea culture into everyday life

[Feature]

To Pay or Not to Pay When No One is Watching

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity (Part 3)

Ophthalmologist Continues to be the World’s Preeminent Provider of Cataract Surgery Takayuki Akahoshi (Mitsui Memorial Hospital)

jqrmag.com/en/

nt eve s ' onth m is Th

vol.25 (published on October 10, 2015) C OV E R

Torii Kiyonaga The Scroll of the Sleeve ／ International Research Center for Japanese Studies Collection

Seductive, Sensual, Erotically Humorous Edo Art

SHUNGA Exhibition Comes to Japan

Photography/Satoru Naito

C O N T E N T S 02

This month's event

SHUNGA Exhibition Comes to Japan

04 [Feature] To Pay or Not to Pay When No One is Watching

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity ● Unattended Vegetable Stands Use the Honor System ● The History of “Okigusuri” Medicine and its “Use First, Pay Later” Concept

● What is Office Glico's “Okigashi®” Business All About?

18 Keisei Eisen Abuna-e

The Tale of Genji

he SHUNGA Exhibition, which

Enjoy the Authentic Taste of Smoked Food Cooked at Home with the Smoke Roast Oven

The Healsio Ocha Presso incorporates Japan’s tea culture into everyday life However because the prints clearly

turned down the opportunity, until the

depict genitalia, until now they have

sponsors finally arrived at the Eisei

prints) by renowned ukiyo-e artists,

been deemed “obscene” and not

Bunko Museum.

including Katsushika Hokusai, Kitagawa

exhibited in Japan on a large scale.

This exhibition features around 120

Utamaro, and Utagawa Hiroshige, is on

Meanwhile, a shunga exhibition in late

prints, including 18 returned to Japan

display at the Eisei Bunko Museum in

2013 at the British Museum was a

from London. Don't miss this rare

Tokyo's Mejiro district until 23

huge success, attracting over 87,000

opportunity for a glimpse into the

December.

visitors. There were plans to stage the

bewitching, intimate world of man and

Shunga are an unmistakably Japanese

exhibition in Japan in January 2014, but

woman as portrayed by the ukiyo-e

art form, and are highly regarded.

every Japanese museum approached

artists of Edo.

contains 120 shunga (erotic

QUALITY REVIEW

Editor-in-Chief

Jun Shinozuka

Editors

Jun Nakaki Mariko Hatada

22 26

The Wireless In-Wheel Motor is Changing the Future of Electric Cars Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity (Part 3)

Designer

Wakako Kawasaki

Web

Motoki Nakae

Translation

Manabiya Inc.

JQR editorial department

Ophthalmologist Continues to be the World’s Preeminent Provider of Cataract Surgery

Takayuki Akahoshi (Mitsui Memorial Hospital)

2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-2270 JQR advertising department

2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0064 03-3518-4488

Guiding people around Japan Vol.3 Tourist information available in eight languages

TOMODACHI Automated Guide System

SHUNGA Exhibition

Translation / Kirsten McIvor

To 23 December, 2015 Venue: Eisei Bunko Museum (1-1-1 Mejirodai, Bunkyo-ku Tokyo) Hours: 9:30-20:00 (last admission: 19:30) *Sundays: 9:30-18:00 (last admission: 17:30) Closed: Monday (open on public holidays) Admission fee: 1500 yen *Please note admission is restricted to those 18 years and over.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi Hanagoyomi ／ International Research Center for Japanese Studies Collection

Contact Eisei Bunko Museum TEL:03-5777-8600 Translation/Kirsten McIvor

or those who want to see the sights of Tokyo

next spring. Offering different language options allows

as efficiently as possible, a Hato Bus tour is the

visitors from several countries to board the same bus

way to go. On the popular “'O Sola mio” double-

and enjoy the sights without any language problems.

decker open-top bus tour, a “TOMODACHI” automated

The audio guide is also designed to automatically adjust

audio guide system is handed out to everyone who

the length of the audio track when the bus is caught in

wants one. The system features a GPS-mounted

traffic. Overseas visitors have already given the system

palm-size receiver, which plays an audio track through

excellent reviews, saying that a guide in their native

an earphone as the bus approaches each sightseeing

language is much easier to understand than the English

spot. Starting this autumn the system will cater for

version. TOMODACHI is an outstanding information tool

English, French, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Thai and

for those who want to learn more about the Japanese

Indonesian speakers, and Vietnamese will be added

capital.

To Pay or Not to Pay When No One is Watching

[Feature]

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity You see heaps of fresh vegetables sitting on the roadside, and no vendor in sight. The situation seems to be dangerously tempting.

Yet, shoppers who use this unique system known as oki yasai, which literally means “leaving vegetables” at an unattended roadside stand, do leave the asking price in the money box, believe it or not. This method of doing business, known as senyou kouri or “use first, pay later”, was started some 300 years ago by medicine merchants from Toyama Prefecture who sold household drugs throughout Japan, something that continues to this day. Using a similar strategy, some snack-food manufacturers leave candy bars and other snack items in offices at no charge, on the understanding that payment for consumed items will be collected later when they come to replenish the supply. This business model, while limited to transactions involving small amounts of money, rests on the seller’s trust in the buyers’ honesty. Arranged by JQR Editorial Staff

2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

“Local residents buy from me because they trust me and my vegetables.” Yoshihiko Ishii

Y (Top) The farms scattered throughout Tokyo’s residential neighborhoods grow a wide variety of produce in their small plots of land. (Left) An unattended vegetable stand. It may be a familiar sight for the Japanese, but the more you think about the system, the weirder it gets.

Mutual trust between the seller and the buyer

Unattended Vegetable Stands Use the Honor System

Interview and text: Mariko Hatada Photos: Satoru Naito Translation / Daniel Beecham

ki-yasai is trusted by shoppers, who love the freshness of just-harvested vegetables and the assurance derived from knowing who produce them. One lady I met during my field trip informed me that she sometimes calls up a local farmer with an unmanned stand, telling him to leave certain vegetables she needs for the next day at the stand. Little did I know that you can also make a “reservation” for vegetables you want. But I guess the farmer will just “leave” the vegetables for you – unearmarked. What if someone else grabs the veggies before you do? The lady was all smiles when she told me of this secret, and I didn’t dare say anything skeptical to her for fear that I would rain on her

parade. The farms I visited for this article are situated in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward. Setagaya is known for its exclusive residential sections, but a limited number of farms and forests still remain. Over 80 percent of the farms in Setagaya are smaller than 50 acres. According to Satoshi Kaneko of JA Chuo’s Kinuta District, farmers in Setagaya typically produce small quantities of a variety of vegetables, which are mostly distributed locally through direct sales by the farmers themselves and group sales organized by local agricultural cooperatives. So oki-yasai is a source of income for farmers, but they are willing to leave their place of business unattended.

(Right) Customers tally up their purchases and place the exact amount of payment in the small box. No change is given, so bring plenty of coins. (Bottom) All vegetables on sale are harvested that very morning. Bright and lively colors abound. Sales end when the supply is sold out. Farmers do not replenish vegetables until the next day.

Patrons love the freshness and reasonable price of the local produce at the stand. Brisk sales begin as soon as vegetables arrive at the stand.

2015 vol.25

With no one watching over the merchandise or the money tendered, the system does not work unless the seller trusts in the honesty of strangers. The rate of collection is fairly high at 80 to 90 percent, but it is not 100 percent. To cope with theft, a growing number of farmers install vending machines styled in the fashion of coin-operated lockers. This guarantees money collection, but patrons complain that they do not get to touch and feel the vegetables before they buy.

oshihiko Ishii’s family has operated a farm for generations, ever since the Edo Period. When I arrived at his vegetable stand at around nine in the morning he was lining it with just-harvested vegetables. Passers-by immediately took notice and gathered around the stand. No sooner had he put down a veggie than a customer grabbed it. Ishii produces about 40 varieties of vegetable every year and his stand features four or five different vegetables each day. “When the crop I harvest and put up for sale on any given day is especially good, I receive compliments from customers the next day. Sales are a good gauge of the quality of the vegetables I produce.” Given the number of regular customers, I assumed a very high rate of payment

(Right) The vegetables available at the unattended vegetable stands are not secondary in quality or appearance to the vegetables distributed through the agricultural cooperative. (Left) Yoshiko Ishii insists on using organic fertilizers and uses the absolute minimum level of pesticides.

collection. According to Ishii, however, the rate of collection is about 80 percent. “It doesn’t mean that 20 percent of customers cheat,” Ishii said. “A very small number of motorists drive off after grabbing whatever is in sight.” I felt sorry for him, but at the same time I began to wonder why most customers still pay when no one is watching. “Apart from the fact that the Japanese are fairly honest, I believe the most

important reason is that my customers see me toil the soil every day and grow vegetables with love and care, and they appreciate my efforts.” Ishii informed me that farms are increasingly scarce even in this part of Tokyo. I truly hope he will continue to please locals with his delicious vegetables for many years to come.

Farmers Reveal the Stories Behind Unattended Sales “My vegetables soak up the goodness of the sun until the moment they’re harvested, and sharing them with others is my joy.” Michinori Saito

ichinori Saito sells 70 percent of the vegetables he produces through ordinary distribution channels and the remainder through his unattended sale stand. I was shocked to learn that he stakes 30% of his earnings on the honesty of complete strangers. Saito told me that thefts by motorists were frequent in the past, but the collection rate improved to 90 percent after he

moved his stand off the street and closer to his farm. I asked Saito the same question I posed to Ishii: why do people pay when no one is watching? “I had a customer who left a note in the money box saying ‘I don’t have small change now. I promise to pay you on my next visit’,” Saito said. “And sure enough, I found the exact amount this person owed me in the money box the next day.”

Selling vegetables on the honor system poses a special set of worries in addition to the worries farmers typically face, but Saito keeps on selling this way because it “leads to more business.” “If customers realize my vegetables are good, they will come back for more. This boosts my confidence in growing vegetables. I once received a letter from a customer who raved about how the edamame soybeans he bought from me were extremely flavorful. Being appreciated by customers for the vegetables I grow with utmost care is my greatest joy.” The pride and spirit of a farmer was clearly evident in Saito’s reply.

(Left) “Once I put the produce on the display shelf, I do not touch a thing,” says Michinori Saito. (Right) Every customer places money in the box, which doesn’t even indicate this is where payment goes. 2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

Originating in Edo-period Toyama…

The History of “Okigusuri” Medicine and its “Use First, Pay Later” Concept

Wicker trunks carried on the apothecaries’ backs

Medicine

“Toyama okigusuri” refers to a unique marketing system in which a vendor leaves a medicine chest of over-the-counter items at a customer’s home on a “use first, pay later” basis. The unique arrangement, which only requires payment for medicines used, dates back 300 years in Japan, and is now spreading to other nations. The “okigusuri story” whisks us back to feudal times in Japan… Text/Akifumi Homma, JQR Editorial Staff, Illustrations/Itaru Mizoguchi,Translation / Stephanie L. Cook

“Kakeba-cho” ledger

Typical Toyama itinerant apothecary Edo period wholesale apothecary

he “okigusuri business”

henceforth always carried some in

Hangotan’s principle effect

expanded. That business now claims

to their customers’ ancestors. Noting

for those medicines used in a crisis,

involved apothecaries

his pocket.

resembled that of today’s

a history of over 300 years.

the polite behavior and language of

absolutely delighted the consumers.

travelling the length and

In 1690 on a visit to Edo Castle,

multipurpose digestive remedies.

People were undoubtedly

the vendor, the homeowner would

No sooner did they discover that the

breadth of Japan, depositing filled

Lord Masatoshi encountered

Lord Masatoshi ordered Gen’emon

suspicious of a sudden visit from an

extend a welcome and lend him an

medicines worked than they were out

medicine chests at individual homes,

Kawachinokami Akita, a fellow

Matsuiya, an apothecary doing

unknown salesman. For their part,

ear. The apothecary would then

the door to spread the news, helping

and returning later to replace

nobleman from Miharu (in what is

business near Toyama Castle, to fill

the vendors always took pains to be

produce a medicine chest and depart

vendors increase their clientele by

depleted items and collect payment

now Fukushima Prefecture), who was

incoming orders for hangotan from

attentive and discreet when entering

without receiving any payment. He

word of mouth.

for products used. The system began

suffering from a terrible

feudal lords and their retainers.

private residences for initial sales

would return several months—or

As apothecaries thus made their

in 1683 when feudal lord Maeda

stomachache. Lord Masatoshi shared

Although the legend of Lord

calls.

perhaps a year—later to collect

pilgrimages across Japan, they would

Masatoshi, head of the second fief in

his hangotan remedy with Akita, and

Masatoshi may be unverifiable, there

payment for the items used.

also stage follow-up visits, estimating

Toyama, took a reinvigorating

the ailment vanished.

is no doubt that he encouraged the

In the Edo period, the common folk

when households needed their

“miracle medicine” known as

Hangotan’s curative power in the

cultivation of medicinal plants and

were not prosperous enough to

products replenished. Vendors

“hangontan” entrusted to him by a

“Edo Castle Stomachache Incident”

studied remedial powers of various

purchase an array of medicines to

accumulated data on types and

doctor named Jokan Mandai from

amazed the many daimyo who had

combinations. He subsequently

keep on hand for emergencies.

quantities of medicines used, and the

Bizen (in what is now Okayama

assembled from near and far, and

promoted nationwide marketing of

The vendors were careful to

However, they never knew when they

success rate of individual remedies,

Prefecture). The medicine worked so

they reportedly petitioned to acquire

the medicine, and the “okigusuri”

observe every courtesy, pausing

might fall ill. Thus, the “use first, pay

stocking up accordingly and working

effectively that Lord Masatoshi

the medicine themselves.

business run by Toyama’s merchants

before family altars to pay respects

later” okigusuri system, charging only

to deliver improved services to their

Trust in return for painstaking courtesy

※ Hangotan is sold even today, but its current composition differs from that of the Edo period.

2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

Souvenirs distributed to various households Medicine vendors of today “Old-tyme” packages are a big hit

Paper balloons a favorite among children

The globalized okigusuri system Conversing with the clients a key facet of the job

remedies and similar data, and

bottles, sake cups, teapots, ukiyoe

Thus, the role of the apothecaries

later” system workable, Mongolia

collecting payment and enjoying their

underscores how exceedingly rational

portraits, calendars, and their ilk

traversing the nation exceeded the

took on okigusuri as a government

monopoly on the “office

and advanced the okigusuri business

—considered as sales promotion

simple peddling of remedies.

project in 2012. With countries such

marketplace.” The okigusuri business

had become. As the ledgers also

tools in today’s world—were all

as Thailand and Myanmar also

may be old, but it is far from fading;

included credit checks made by the

stocked to keep customers happy.

welcoming the okigusuri system,

rather, it is a groundbreaking

vendors, they were more valuable

What pleased customers even more

what started as a unique Japanese

business model.

The itinerant medicine vendors

than the actual accounts receivable.

than the souvenirs was the chance to

worked in specified territories known

Since referencing old notebooks

chat at length with the roving

as “kakeba.” They kept track of their

would allow one make a quick profit,

salesmen, who brought fresh news

The okigusuri industry is entering

new “use first, pay later” business

customers in ledgers known as

vendors were apparently able to sell

chanced upon in the four corners.

the overseas market in response to

evolve in which snacks, vegetables,

“kakeba-cho,” reminiscent of today’s

them to finance their retirement.

The apothecaries produced news of

requests from governments

cosmetics, and other items are

databases. The notebooks specified

The “database” ledger was not the

the latest rice cultivation techniques,

worldwide. In Mongolia, grassland

displayed in offices, with payment

type and quantity of medicines

only progressive aspect of the

and occasionally even brought actual

nomads represent some 35% of the

collected at a later date. Consumers

utilized, family composition/health

system. Souvenirs for clients were

rice husks as well; both were said to

population. As remoteness from

may obtain the goods whenever the

status, and record of payment.

indispensable to the okigusuri

have stimulated development of

urban areas and infrequent income

mood strikes without leaving the

A single glance at a ledger reveals

business. Paper balloons, needles,

improved rice strains and cultivation

opportunities (arising a few times

office, even as the providers are

capital turnover, the district’s favored

lacquered chopsticks, Kutani ware

skills.

annually) render the “use first, pay

increasingly holding down the cost of

customers.

The “kakeba-cho” ledger corresponds to today’s database

2015 vol.25

References “Use First, Pay Later,” popular edition, The Roots of Toyama Medicine, The Kitanippon Shimbun (ed.), Kitanippon Shimbun, The “use first, pay later” business model, Keisuke Kiritani (author), Tomoyuki Miyazaki (author), Hisanao Ohashi (author); Chuokeizai-sha, Inc.

How the globalized “use first, pay later” system works

business model has now gone global. Meanwhile, modern Japan has seen a

Reference website The Kitanippon Shimbun http://www.kitanippon.co.jp/contents/appear/1/17.html

2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

What is Office Glico's “Okigashi®” Business All About?

Ezaki Glico Co., Ltd. Office Glico Promotion Department

Kotaro Kawabata

Part of the Office Glico business since 2000, and involved in the model's Tokyo rollout from the start, Kotaro Kawabata talks about how he also pounded his share of pavements, products in hand.

Office Glico is a system that allows individual employees to take confectionery, etc. when they want it and deposit payment in the attached money box. Glico covers the cost of installing cases, refrigerators, etc., and does not seek financial compensation for theft or the loss of products or cash. The project was launched in 1997, with the first sales center opening in Osaka in 1999. In 2002 Glico extended the system to Tokyo for full rollout. Glico has taken out a patent on the “Okigashi®” business model, and the service is available in metropolitan Tokyo, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Chiba, Saitama, Aichi, Osaka, Hyogo, Hiroshima, and parts of Fukuoka.

“Office Glico” is confectionery-maker Glico's unconventional “Okigashi®” business, which involves lending out “Refresh Boxes®” (see photo) and refrigerators at no cost, and placing confectionery, ice cream, beverages, etc. on company premises. Customers simply take what they want and leave payment in the money box in this Japanese take on the archetypal office snack box. Text: JQR Photos: Kazushi Toyota Translation: Kirsten McIvor

A “Refresh Box” containing Office Glico “Okigashi®”. Every treat is 100 yen!

2015 vol.25

Office Glico （http://www.ezaki-glico.net/officeglico/）

No keys or counters!

Just pay for what you eat ♡

anufacturers usually supply

lunchbreaks or after 6 pm, those sorts

take vending machines containing

their goods to retailers such as

of hours. What's more, direct sales

merchandise and cash for granted. My

supermarkets and convenience

prices are low, so the financial

own theory is that Japanese people

stores via wholesalers, and never sell

performance was terrible and we soon

learn gratitude from an early age, and

directly to consumers. Large

abandoned that mode of selling. Then

even if vegetables are just placed on

confectionery maker Ezaki Glico was

we hit on the idea of actually placing

an unmanned stall, they will picture the

no exception, until the company started

confectionery in offices.”

person who took all that trouble to grow

pondering whether it could instead deliver its products directly to the public, in a departure from the conventional system. Thus the

Inspired by Roadside Vegetable Stalls

the vegetables, and unconsciously assume they should pay the proper amount. So we decided that once people saw our staff delivering

“Okigashi®” business was born.

When it came to launching the

“Okigashi®” confectionery, we'd be

According to Ezaki Glico's Kotaro

“Okigashi®” service, one thing Glico

able to collect payment even with an

Kawabata, “Open any office desk

was firm on was having the individuals

unlocked box.”

drawer and usually you'll find some kind

using the service buy the products,

of sweet treat. But few people go off to

rather than having their employers pay

buy things like that during office hours,

for them. Glico looked at different ways

so it occurred to us that offices might

to obtain the cash from individuals, as

present a new business opportunity.”

opposed to collectively, and decided on

To turn this idea into reality, Kawabata

the same method used to sell

assembled a project team. The aim was

vegetables at unmanned roadside stalls,

to meet with customers in person and

which are a common sight across

help them become familiar with Ezaki

Japan.

Glico’s products, leading to purchases.

“To be honest, initially we weren't

The first sales technique the team

confident we’d actually collect all the

came up with was the “station lunchbox

money owed simply by leaving a money

style”, that is, having staff visit offices

box. During our early research, we

to sell confectionery directly.

canvassed farmers who sell vegetables

“But when we actually tried it, having

using an honesty box system to find out

people roaming around offices calling

what percentage of the amount owed

out 'Anyone for candy?' proved to be a

for their produce was actually paid.

nuisance for customers. In the end we

Most said it was at least 90 percent.

were limited to selling during

When you think about it, in Japan we

Popular Office Glico Treats

Of the several hundred items stocked, the most popular are those treats that “fill the gap” particularly well. In the “Bisco” biscuit range, the company receives many requests for the cultured butter and wheat germ varieties, as well as the standard recipe. The limited-time-only cocoa and chocolate chip versions of “Friend Bakery” biscuits, which combine size and irresistible flavor, also have a large following.

2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

Off on my rounds! businesses. However, companies can use our service to have food in reserve as part of their emergency rations, at no cost to them. Office Glico also visits regularly to replace any items past their best-by date. This means that people can access products on a day-to-day

Boxes on the cart are crammed with confections for restocking. Drinks and other foods may also sit on top.

basis, and also have a managed supply for emergencies. I suppose the easiest way to describe it is circulated stockpiling. In other words, merchandise control, obviously, and also quality control can be performed at no risk to those in the workplace.” Kawabata adds that the way people eat candy at work is also changing. “There are businesses where they bring out the box, usually kept in a corner of When they first started the “Okigashi®”

sales team, combined with other factors

the office, for everyone to share snacks

service, Glico experimented with

such as changes in workplace culture

at meetings as they talk. Casual

containers such as cane baskets and

due the growing number of younger

snacking on candy seems to make for a

candy jars for the products, but these

management staff in fields such as IT.

relaxed mood, and helps break the

had insufficient capacity and lacked visual appeal. Eventually the company chose the current three-tier B5-size cases that could just as easily hold

Useful Emergency Supplies

conversational ice between management staff and those working under them.”

Over 95% of Payment Collected

stationery: all the better to blend in to

Fourteen years after launching the

an office environment. Each case holds

Office Glico “Okigashi®” service, Glico

about 24 packets of candy, in roughly

now serves around 100,000

ten varieties. The frog money box for

businesses, supplying 120,000 or so

So what about collecting payment,

payments has become something of an

boxes. Initially the service offered only

which was initially such a concern? It

Office Glico mascot, but is actually an

confectionery items people could

turns out that over 95 percent of

off-the-shelf item.

purchase with a single 100-yen coin,

purchases are paid for, an even higher

“Most money boxes have an opening

but in response to frequent requests for

proportion than those roadside

for coins in the back. We figured that

“something a little more filling”, plus

vegetable stalls.

since we had to have something, it

drinks, the range has now been

“For example, we might find a case to

might as well be a box with the slot at

expanded to include ice cream,

be nine products down, but only 800

the front, which also added an extra

noodles, beverages and so on, at a

yen in the money box. But, next time

element of fun to purchasing a treat.

range of prices. Glico also supplies

our representative calls, there will often

We then found these frog money boxes

other companies' products, catering for

be 900 yen for only eight products.

that one of the banks was giving away

customer needs in categories outside

Presumably someone had gone to buy

to new account-holders. They just

its own specialization.

candy but lacked the small change, and

happened to be the right size as well

Following the Great East Japan

put the cash in later. The strategy of

(laughs).”

Earthquake, there is a heightened

leaving payment up to the customer has

Glico's “Okigashi®” service was not

awareness among companies about the

proved enormously successful, to the

instantly accepted. Glico salespeople

need for emergency supplies, and a

extent that we now have annual

visiting companies were frequently

growing number are using the

turnover of 5 billion yen. It's also great

rebuffed at reception without even a

“Okigashi®” cases as substitute

to see companies advertising 'Office

chance to talk about the service, let

reserves.

Glico on site' as part of their appeal to

alone exchange business cards. In

“In Tokyo, a by-law designed to cater

new graduates.”

particular, after the 9/11 attacks

for those unable to get home during a

Placing their trust in customers has

companies stepped up their security,

disaster requires firms to keep three

allowed “Okigashi®” to grow into a

often making it difficult to just get

days' supply of food and water for

huge business, despite the small size of

through the door. Despite this, the

employees, but procuring these supplies

the transactions. It would seem that

profile of “Okigashi®” gradually grew,

with no idea if or when they'll be used

sales techniques that stress

thanks to the dogged persistence of the

can be a significant financial burden on

communication are far from obsolete.

2015 vol.25

The carts contain candy, etc. sorted into boxes and delivered using stock data managed with a portable terminal.

The carts used to carry products are an original Office Glico design, customized to fit into small elevators. Customer premises within a 2 km radius are supplied by foot, with someone pushing the cart. 2015 vol.25

The Business of Having Faith in Humanity

Welcome to my patch!

ll it coin is a A single easy! takes –

Delivering Good Cheer Along with the Candy Each Office Glico center has about

According to Omiya-san, because

ten staff, and is easy to spot thanks

she does her rounds regardless of

to their bright red (Glico’s corporate

the weather, she often has people

color) uniforms and carts. Each

tell her it cheered them to see her

center has its own sales territory,

battling on through the wind and

visiting customers every 1-2 weeks.

rain. Omiya-san and her colleagues

“Each visit to a customer takes

thus actually provide more than just

5-10 minutes. As well as

snacks, in a tangible example of

replenishing and updating stock, I

how business is based on

collect request cards, and talk

communication.

Take a product and drop 100 yen in the box. That cheeky frog always raises a smile.

directly to customers.” (Omiya-san)

Office Glico addict here! Office Glico

Ryoko Omiya Omiya-san wears pouches around her waist, leaving her hands free for pushing the cart. Both pouches: one for the mobile merchandise control terminal, and one for a notebook and other miscellaneous items, are made to Glico specifications.

This recently added Staff are also asked for their recommendations. “All products are managed using the terminal. We also use request cards to track customer preferences.”

The fridge is crammed with a wide choice of beverages, including coffee, vegetable juice, tea, mineral water and nutrient drinks.

Foodison Inc. Using IT to inject new energy into the fisheries industry, Foodison has rebuilt the platforms used for distribution of marine products, building systems that connect producers with restaurants, retailers, and consumers.

“Uopochi” operations

Kazuhiro Nagakawa

Foodison has two Refresh Boxes and a refrigerator. Many staff confess that they can't resist taking a peek to see what's there after a restocking.

“We introduced Office Glico here a couple of months ago. It's useful when I feel a little peckish during breaks or in the evenings. Our office is on the ninth floor, so it's much handier than going out to buy something. Plus they take great care to vary the products, so you never get tired of what's on offer. It's wonderful to have a service that offers what you want to eat, when you want to eat.” (Nagakawa-san)

2015 vol.25

Ice creams are a popular treat in the office. Nagakawa-san says, “Especially on hot summer days, I often relax with an ice cream after my sales round.”

Items are restocked and regularly renewed, for example chocolate products are replaced with chocolate of a different flavor or texture. With confectionery alone around 150 different items are stocked annually.

Merchandise is updated regularly

2015 vol.25

QR 1

Quality Review

Smoker & Roaster KEMURANTEI

Smoke and Roast Oven Kemurantei NF-RT1000.

Smoker & Roaster KEMURANTEI

Enjoy the Authentic Taste of Smoked Food Cooked at Home with the Smoke Roast Oven Photos / Susumu Nagao Text / JQR Editorial Staff Translation / Alison Watts

Smoked food cooked indoors that produces a rich aroma but virtually no smoke.

first ever roaster oven to be fitted with

catalyzer that oxidizes the organic

smoking functions. Astonishingly, this

matter in the smoke odor and oils,

modestly sized oven can smoke food

which is then broken down before the

in roughly ten to thirty minutes.

gas is discharged from the oven.”

Unique Odor and Smoke Removal Functions

All Kinds of Food Can Be Smoked

“We were already making the

When the food is ready it has a lovely

moked food has its own unique

Kemurantei oven series, which can

light brown color and the unique

flavor and aroma. If you buy

roast fish or meat without producing

mellow aroma of freshly smoked food.

smoked products, however, they are

much smoke, so we took those

Besides the standard smoked cheese

often on the expensive side and have

capabilities and applied them to

or bacon, roasted chestnuts or sweet

already lost that appetizing freshly

smoking to create this new oven,”

foods like cookies are also said to be

smoked smell. At the same time,

said Fujiko Tanaka, of the Panasonic

ideal, so we decided to give it a try.

making it yourself involves a lot of

Small Appliances Products

The smoked roasted chestnuts were a

work.

Department.

perfect accompaniment for whisky,

First you have to find somewhere to

Smoking food with this oven is simple.

while the cookies seemed even

cook outside, because of all the

All you need do is put the wood

crispier and more aromatic than usual.

smoke produced in the process, then

smoke chips in the special tray that

Lightly roasted mixed nuts were a

you must master the art of burning

comes with the oven, arrange the food

particularly good choice. Different

wood chips for smoking food, and

on the wire net over the chips, cover

kinds of wood chips produced different

finally you have to wait several hours

with a lid of aluminum foil and put it

flavors, all with the same basic

before the food is ready. There are

in the oven. After five minutes of

ingredients.

many hurdles for anyone starting out.

cooking you will detect a faint aroma

With autumn approaching producing

The solution is the Panasonic

wafting out, but no smoke.

your own original smoked foods would

Kemurantei NF-RT1000, a smoke

According to Ms. Tanaka, “The oven

be a good way to enjoy it.

roaster oven that turns this outdoorsy

fan turns just before smoke is

cooking activity into something that

produced, forcing it through a 14 layer

can easily be enjoyed indoors. It’s the

filter containing a platinum palladium

Inquiries: Panasonic Customer Service Center 0120 878 365 (free dial) http://panasonic.jp

2015 vol.25

The oven also has excellent roasting capability. Fish and meat turn out plump and juicy as if cooked over charcoal.

How to Smoke 1

Put the smoking chips in the smoking dish.

Spread aluminum foil over the wire tray and arrange ingredients on top.

Put another layer of foil over the dish as a lid and place in the oven.

The roasting function automatically adjusts the cooking time according to the ingredient.

QR 2

SHARP HEALSIO OCHA PRESSO Sharp Healsio Ocha Presso (TETS56V) Dimensions: 233mm (W) x 225mm (D) x 296mm (H)

Quality Review

SHARP HEALSIO OCHA PRESSO

The Healsio Ocha Presso incorporates Japan’s tea culture into everyday life Photos: Susumu Nagao Text: JQR Editorial Staff Translation / Daniel Beecham

It recreates the tea made by the formal tea whisking method and delivers all the nutritional benefits of green tea to the body

The single most critical advantage

all the nutrients and other goodness

offered by the Healsio Ocha Presso is

contained in tea leaves to be

the elimination of the complicated

consumed. As a rich source of

process of grinding tea leaves, boiling

antioxidants, including catechin,

water and stirring, which are all

L-theanine and vitamins, green tea

handled automatically by this nifty

has recently attracted significant

gadget. You can experience the luxury

attention for its health benefits, but

of savoring freshly prepared, mellow

dietary fibers and many nutrients do

tasting tea at the touch of a few

not dissolve in hot water, so about

buttons.

70% of nutrients are thrown away

The mortar located at front right is

with the used tea leaves when tea

he art of making and serving

modeled after the stone grinders

brewed in the conventional way.

green tea, a quintessentially

traditionally used for making matcha

“To quickly produce a fine powder, the

Japanese form of hospitality, has

green tea powder. Place tea leaves in

mill should rotate at a high speed, but

been practiced for over six centuries.

the basket and press a button to grind

a rapid spinning action causes

The many steps involved in the tea’s

them into extremely fine powder.

friction, which in turn generates heat,

preparation, including stone-grinding

Transfer the powder to the “tea-

destroying some nutrients in the

tea leaves, boiling water and whisking

making” basket on the upper left and

process,” Yumi Yoshimoto of Sharp’s

together the powdered tea and hot

place a tea bowl or cup underneath.

Product Planning Division told us.

water, have been elevated into an art

Rotating blades at the bottom of the

“After much trial and error, we came

and a cultural event, whose intricacies

tea-making basket gently stir and mix

up with a ceramic mill that grinds tea

are studied extensively from a variety

hot water (supplied from the water

leaves into a fine powder at the slow

of angles. While the tea created this

tank at the rear) with powdered tea,

speed of 100 rpm, ensuring that the

way is known for its rich taste, the

simulating the whipping action of the

nutritional benefits of tea are better

lengthy process discourages people

bamboo whisk used in the tea

preserved. The rotating blades that

from making it on a regular basis. Last

ceremony. Freshly prepared, smooth-

stir the water and tea powder together

year, however, a new appliance came

textured tea will be poured into the

are also specially designed to deliver

out. The Healsio Ocha Presso makes

tea bowl or cup as you press down a

lump-free tea that goes down the

a great cup of tea with the full flavors

lever.

throat smoothly.”

that only elaborate preparation could produce in the past – but without the complex preparation. It is proving

Minimal Nutritional Loss

The Healsio Ocha Presso releases the full flavor and aroma of tea without sacrificing any of its nutritional

popular, as evidenced by the annual

Another great advantage of the tea

value. Make sure to enjoy the fresh

production of the Ocha Presso line

created by the Healsio Ocha Presso

scent that accompanies the steam

reaching the 150,000-unit mark.

lies in its form. Powdered tea allows

that rises as the tea is stirred.

Contact: Sharp Customer Center 0120・078・178 http://www.sharp.co.jp

2015 vol.25

The style and underlying philosophy of traditional Japanese arts and crafts manifest themselves in the shape and surface texture of the machine, as demonstrated by the woodgrain texture of the lid of the tea-making basket

The mortar is specially designed with grooves to facilitate the movement of tea powder beyond the rim.

The rotating blades switch between high and low speeds, producing a smooth tea.

The mortar mills tea leaves into an ultra-fine 15 to 20 micron powder.

JQR Select Japanese Technology T A K U M I

匠

ものづくりの現場から

Will Electric Cars Someday Recharge While Driving on the Expressway?

The Wireless In-Wheel Motor is Changing the Future of Electric Cars

JQR

Select

Japanese

Text and Photography / JQR Editorial Staff Translation / Aison Watt

V o l

技

TAK U M I

T echnolo gy

Hiroshi Fujimoto Associate Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo. Chair of the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan Electric Power Technologies Division. Research interests: control engineering, motion control, electric vehicle control, high performance control of motors and inverters, wireless power supplies.

One of the technologies used in

in-wheel motors in the rear wheels.

electric cars is the in-wheel

When the driver got in and stepped on

motor, a motor installed in the

the accelerator the car, looking rather

Merits of the In-Wheel Motor

car wheels themselves to propel

unfinished with its rear wheels exposed,

Applying a driving force directly to the

the vehicle. Such motors have

moved off smoothly. Since we were

wheels has the merit of being highly

the advantage of dispensing

inside university grounds the speed limit

energy efficient, and there has been

with the need for differential

was 30 km/h, but the car drove just

ongoing research on in-wheel motors

gears or drive shifts, but their

like any other, and being electric it

for the wheels of electric cars.

weak point is the cable between

hardly made any noise.

Controlling all four wheels individually

the motor and the battery. This

When the car stopped and we had a

according to the state of each makes it

cable supplies the motor with

look at the driving motor, we saw a gap

possible to reduce electricity

electricity, but is prone to

the size of a fist between the axle and

consumption and extend the maximum

breaking, which can cause a

body of the car. Apart from the joints

driving range. It also has the potential

loss of control in vehicles in

and suspension supporting the axle,

for better responses to skidding and

motion. Looking for a solution to

there appeared to be no wires or

other sudden movements. It is no

this problem, a team led by the

anything else connecting the wheels to

exaggeration to say that this will be a

Graduate School of Frontier

the car. This empty space seemed quite

vital technology in the future because

Sciences, University of Tokyo

bizarre. How could the motor run if it

of its safety and energy efficiency

has developed the wireless

wasn’t connected to anything? In fact,

benefits.

in-wheel motor. On August 4th,

enough electricity to

JQR observed a test drive of a

propel the car is sent

vehicle equipped with this

wirelessly through that

technology.

gap. According to

project leader he test site was located on the

Associate Professor

campus of the Graduate School

Hiroshi Fujimoto, “If

of Frontier Sciences, University of

you raise the voltage it

Tokyo in the city of Kashiwa, Chiba

can reach speeds of up

prefecture. Upon arriving at the site we

to 75 km/h.”

saw a parked electric car with wireless

2015 vol.25

Test vehicle with wireless in-wheel motors installed in the rear wheels.

Wireless In-Wheel Motor Specifications Maximum output

6.6 kW (two rear wheels)

Maximum speed

40 km/h ※

Maximum acceleration

0.14 G

Functions

Regenerative action possible

※ Can travel up to 75 km/h if motor voltage setting is adjusted. Can reach 105 km/h with motors on all four wheels.

The test site for the car with wireless in-wheel motors. It ran smoothly and was quieter than an ordinary car.

2015 vol.25

Development milestones ・Developed a motor that could transmit power wirelessly. ・Succeeded in creating the world’s first drivable electric car with wireless in-wheel motors ・Achieved a stable power supply through control technology ・Placed all driving equipment in the wheels

Previous in-wheel motors

(left) A compact conventional motor is contained in the silver part projecting from the tire. (above) There is a roughly ten centimeter gap between the transmission coil and receiving coil. A magnetic field forms around the coils, but is designed to avoid any adverse influence from other metal parts nearby.

Wireless in-wheel motors Wireless communication

Power wire

Signal wire

Transmission coil

Receiving coil

In earlier in-wheel motors, the battery and motor were connected by a cable, but the cable was prone to breaking due to rough wheel motions, preventing the technology from being used in ordinary cars. With wireless in-wheel motors, electricity can be sent wirelessly by means of transmission and receiving coils, thus eliminating the need for cables.

However, the tendency of the cables to

2012 they began to work on the

technology.

much power, the excess is stored in the

produces power during deceleration.

this is achieved, you would only need

break and disrupt signals and the

development of a wireless in-wheel

Because moving wheels always move

condenser and the voltage goes up.

Electricity generated by this method

enough power to get from your home to

supply of electricity from the battery to

motor with the cooperation of Toyo

irregularly, as mentioned above, the

Conversely, if not enough power is

must be sent to the car body, so a

the expressway, and then you could

the motor has been a long-running

Denki, a transportation systems

alignment of the power transmission

supplied the condenser voltage drops,

symmetric circuit for transmission and

keep driving indefinitely.”

impediment to practical applications.

manufacturer, and NSK Ltd., a bearings

and receiving coils is always shifting.

the motor stops and the car can’t move.

reception was used to facilitate the

This system of supplying energy

Safety is naturally the number one

manufacturer.

To solve this problem the team used

As a result, supplying just the right

transfer of power in both directions.

wirelessly from power sources in the

magnetic resonance coupling, a

amount of power, neither too much nor

technology being researched by Imura.

too little, and maintaining a uniform

Resonance capacitors installed on both

voltage are vital. This issue was solved

the power supply coil and receiving coil

with a circuit called the SiC converter

requirement for a car, and it is mandatory that all parts must be durable for a period of ten years or more. From this point of view the cables

The Impact of Wireless Technology on Electric Cars

more attention in future. The British government has announced that it will conduct its own tests later this year.

are a major weak point. Wheels in

After many challenges the team

created resonance that made it possible

circuit that controls power on the

motion are affected by bumps on the

completed a prototype. They held a test

to transfer power at over 90% efficiency

receiving side.

motor technology may make it possible

conducted in Japan, and in South

road surface and move irregularly,

drive and press conference on May 18,

over a gap of 10 cm or more.

Electric cars can also have regenerative

to recharge the car while in motion from

Korea buses with this technology have

flicking up stones. They travel over

2015, which was attended by many

If a motor receives even slightly too

braking systems, in which the motor

supply coils embedded in the road. If

begun trial operations in specified

asphalt that might be frozen by snow or

representatives from the media.

baked in the sun. It is difficult to

The most remarkable thing about the

“Improvements to wireless in-wheel

Basic experiments are already being

zones.

Potential for Recharging While in Motion

With the technology to control power transmission even when the alignment

develop cables that are guaranteed not

technology the team presented was

to break in such extreme and harsh

that it could propel a car using the

of transmission and receiving coils

conditions.

wireless transmission of electricity.

shifts drastically, the development of

While the technology to transmit power

electric cars can progress to the next

to Fujimoto that the problem could be

wirelessly to a battery in a stationary

level. The evolution of this technology

solved if the cables were removed. If

electric vehicle was already in

should be well worth watching.

power could be sent from the battery to

existence, as Fujimoto explains, “It is

an in-wheel motor the same way that

far more difficult to send electricity from

Wi-Fi operates with the internet, there

the body to the wheels of a moving car,

would be no need for cables.

and drive the motor with that power.”

Fujimoto immediately contacted

The two technologies that made this

Assistant Professor Takehiro Imura,

possible were a power transmission

who was researching wireless power

method known as magnetic resonance

transmission, and in the autumn of

coupling and SiC converter control

While pondering this issue, it occurred

Magnetic Resonance Coupling and SiC Converter

road will no doubt attract more and

2015 vol.25

Receiving coil

Research has begun on supplying power to cars in motion from power supply coils embedded in the expressway.

The main members of the group. “Working with Toyo Denki and NSK as a joint development group allowed us to create a car that could actually be driven,” says Hiroshi Fujimoto.

Hori-Fujimoto Laboratory Graduate School of Frontier Sciences The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba Tel: 04-7136-3873 (laboratory) http://hflab.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

2015 vol.25

赤

Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity

(Part 3)

長寿の時代と日本の名医［第 3 回］

星

Ophthalmologist Continues to be the World’s Preeminent Provider of Cataract Surgery Takayuki Akahoshi (Mitsui Memorial Hospital) On May 20, 2015, Mahathir bin Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, visited Japan. While his primary objective was to lecture at a Tokyo university and attend international conferences, he also had a more important, private agenda: to undergo cataract surgery at Mitsui Memorial Hospital, in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward. For that operation, Mahathir relied on the world’s leading authority on cataracts, Dr. Takayuki Akahoshi. Interview and Text/Hiromi Kihara Photos/Satoru Naito Translation/Stehpen Knight

What made this difficult surgery possible was a procedure developed

ataracts are a condition in

by Dr. Akahoshi in 1992 called the

which the lens of the eye,

Phaco Prechop method. As the name

which performs a role similar

indicates, this technique involves

to the lens of a camera, deteriorates

pre-chopping the phaco, or internal

and becomes cloudy with age, making

lens of the eye, prior to ultrasonic

it difficult to see. Because 90% of those

emulsification and aspiration. The

in their 70s suffer from cataracts,

surgery can be performed on an

they are sometimes considered an

outpatient basis with a minimal

inevitable part of aging. In Japan,

physical toll: it requires an incision

cataract surgery is usually available

of just 1.8 mm, can be completed in

on an outpatient basis, leading to the

three or four minutes, and results

impression that cataracts are a simple

in zero bleeding. Not only is it safe

matter. In fact, globally they are the

and effective, but no other cataract

leading cause of loss of vision, and

surgery results in less strain on

even today rob as many as 18 million

the body. This method enables Dr.

people a year of their sight. That said,

Akahoshi to complete surgery in less

why did a former prime minister feel

than a minute and a half for each eye,

it necessary to go a hospital outside

a boon for patients who have difficulty

his own country for surgery? Where

remaining in a prone position for

there no doctors in Malaysia capable

extended periods of time.

of performing the procedure?

Ordinarily, the procedure used in

In fact, there weren’t.

Japan involves applying ultrasound to

At age 90, Mahathir suffered from

the lens of the eye in its whole state,

diabetes, heart disease and a number

requiring a lengthy 10 to 30 minutes;

of other conditions, making even

this generates heat, which along with

straightforward cataract surgery

pressure on the eye during surgery

highly risky. At home and abroad,

creates a significant strain on the

every doctor he consulted turned him

cornea and the optic nerves. The

down, and the only one who agreed

incision can be as large as 3-6 mm,

to perform the operation was Dr.

and because it requires stitches, can

2015 vol.25

easily lead to distortion of the eyeball and post-operative astigmatism. Dr.

Takayuki Akahoshi

Akahori has succeeded in solving all of these problems with his procedure.

Twin Operating Rooms, The Ultimate in Ingenuity “For the patient, cataract surgery is a once-in-a-lifetime operation. We always do our best to eliminate anxiety, and to ensure that the patient is relaxed and able to undergo the finest procedure possible,” says Dr. Akahoshi. Part of that effort is represented by Dr. Akahoshi’s twin operating rooms. These were designed to enable him to move back and forth between them,

幸

Akahoshi.

隆

No One to Take on Surgery For an Ultra-VIP

safely and efficiently performing an astounding 60 cataract operations a day, and upwards of 9,670 procedures

PROFILE Takayuki Akahoshi Director of Ophthalmology, Mitsui Memorial Hospital Born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1957. After graduating from Jichi Medical University, served on the ophthalmology staff at the University of Tokyo Hospital and at the Japanese Red Cross Musashino Hospital, before assuming his current position in 1992. Renowned as the inventor of the Phaco Prechop Method, a new cataract surgical technique. Also serves as a visiting professor of ophthalmology at four universities overseas. 2015 vol.25

Cataract Surgery Developed by Dr. Akahoshi The Phaco Prechop Method process

a year (in 2014). The two units are

of an eye. “When I first presented

connected, with a pre-op preparation

the procedure at an international

room between them; each of the

conference in 2004, everyone was

units has the same equipment and

stunned,” laughs Dr. Akahoshi. “They

instruments arranged the same way,

were so surprised, they thought

and identically composed surgical

it must some kind of computer

teams stand by in each room.

graphics.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. A. Are you

After a few fine adjustments to the

nervous? Don’t worry, this won’t take

placement of the lens, the operation is

long.”

complete. The incision will heal on its

After a few gentle words to the

own without any need for stitches. In

patient laid out on the operating table,

the span of just three or four minutes,

Dr. Akahoshi begins surgery. Since

the patients once-cloudy vision has

only topical anesthesia is used, the

been restored to clean, clear sight.

patient remains awake and is able to

Thanks to this incredible speed, Dr.

talk.

Akahoshi’s procedure has earned the

First, using a specially designed ultra-

nickname “The F-1 of operations.”

thin diamond scalpel, the doctor

The faster and more accurately the

opens a 1.8 mm incision in the cornea.

surgery can be performed, the less

There is no bleeding. Next, he uses

strain there is on the eye. In this case,

a special tool called a prechopper to

the pursuit of speed is also a pursuit

quadrisect the lens, which is a cloudy

of quality. To ensure the best possible

white due to the cataract, before

operation without burdening the

using an ultrasound oscillating tool

patient, Dr. Akahoshi has developed

that looks like a microscopic vacuum

all of the tools needed to perform the

cleaner to break up the lens prior to

work, from the diamond scalpel that

emulsification and aspiration.

makes microscopic incisions possible,

Inserting a 6 mm Lens Into a 1.8 mm Incision

With the goal of ensuring the best possible operation, this operating room is designed down to the smallest detail specifically for cataract surgery. On busy days, Dr. Akahoshi will perform as many as 60 operations here. “With so many people waiting for surgery, I must perform as many operations as I can. Still, we never know what might happen, so I leave myself room to take on 10 more if need be.”

2015 vol.25

lens, the injector that enables him to insert a lens more than three times the diameter of the incision, and even

may feel a little weight, but it’s

the drapes that cover the patients face

nothing to worry about, okay?”

during surgery, leaving only the eye

Dr. Akahoshi continues to operate,

visible. This is because nowhere in the

constantly talking to the patient

world was he able to find instruments

to share his anxiety and reassure

that met his expectations.

him. His fingertips are unerring in

The revolutionary idea for the

their movements as he peers into

prechopper, one of these tools, came

his microscope. The microscope,

to Dr. Akahoshi as he was watching a

ultrasound output, and suction

movie on TV, and took note of a scene

pressure are all controlled by foot.

where dynamite was used to blow

The doctor is in his stocking feet to

up solid rock. “At the time, I thought

ensure he feels even the slightest

it might be possible to cleanly divide

reaction from the pedals as he works

the lens from the inside by inserting

them. He doesn’t wear sandals. He

a sharp pair of ultrasound oscillating

also listens carefully to the patient’

forceps into the nucleus of the lens (like

s breathing, and if he sense the

dynamite),” recalls Dr. Akahoshi.

the patient’s hand reassuringly.

As a Youth, Taking Apart and Reassembling Wristwatches for Fun

The cloudiness that had covered the

Growing up in a family that couldn’

eye is quickly removed. The climax

t afford to buy him plastic models,

comes after the entire lens is clear.

Dr. Akahoshi played by building his

The doctor uses a special instrument

own model trains, and taking apart

to compress a 6 mm intraocular lens

and then reassembling wristwatches.

to a size small enough to slide all at

The creativity that later enabled him

once through the 1.8 mm incision. The

to devise his revolutionary surgical

move takes place literally in the blink

methods was likely nurtured during

immediately tell his nurse to squeeze

(2)The quadrisected lens

to the prechopper used to divide the

“There’ll be some pressure, so you

patient is particularly nervous, he’ll

(1)Clouded lens is divided using the prechopper

(3)Emulsification and aspiration of the lens using ultrasound

(4)Intraocular lens inserted with an injector

A view of the interior of the eye displayed on a large monitor. The intraocular lens has already been fitted, and the eye is clear. 2015 vol.25

This year, Dr. Akahoshi was recognized for being the greatest contributor to cataract surgery in Jordan. Next to him is Jordan’s Crown Prince.

The prechopper, diamond scalpel, injector, and most of the other instruments used in the surgery were developed by Dr. Akahoshi himself.

Lecturing in Tehran, Iran in November 2006.

this development process.

to the eye doctor grew a dream of

as we can, so that we can operate as

the first doctor from Japan to operate

faces, and the local doctors proudly

One instrument he has been proud of

becoming a doctor who could cure

early as possible on as many patients

publicly at the international conference

report back on how their skills have

in recent years is his electronic toric

patients everywhere suffering from

as possible. That effort goes on 365

held by the American Academy of

advanced to where they can perform

marker. This tool is used to precisely

diseases affecting the eyes, like the

days a year.”

Ophthalmology, considered the world’

such a difficult operation. Nothing

measure and mark the direction of

doctors that treated him, and like

Oddly enough, the Phaco Prechop

s leading authority in the field.

makes me happier.”

astigmatism when inserting a toric

Dr. Albert Schweitzer, whom they

method has only a minor presence

Today, Dr. Akahoshi flies around the

lens, an intraocular lens used to

all admired. Dr. Akahoshi says that,

among ophthalmologists in Japan. Dr.

world to promote the dissemination of

correct astigmatism. In 2014, 37% of

“My hope is to spread these surgical

Akahoshi explains that, “When I first

his surgical technique, giving lectures

patients who underwent surgery by

techniques worldwide, so that even

developed the technique, I worked

and holding open surgeries. If invited,

Dr. Akahoshi were able to use toric

one more person at risk of losing their

hard at trying to disseminate the

he’ll even take the initiative to travel

lenses thanks to this instrument.

vision can be saved. If applying for

procedure by presenting my research

three days each way to the interior

Traditionally, marking is a

patents makes my instruments more

finding at academic conferences and

of the Amazon region or to regions of

troublesome process that requires

expensive, won’t that also make it

holding open surgeries. Not only

political instability. In fact, he has had

advanced skill, and as a result, few

more difficult for doctors and hospitals

was it not accepted—I was heavily

many experiences where he found his

if any ophthalmologists were willing

in developing countries to use them?”

criticized, the critics’ reasoning being

life at risk.

to use the toric lens. While machines

2015 vol.25

that ‘If the operation is too short,

procedure, they cost tens of millions of

Recognized Globally, A Minor Player in Japan

simple. That will lower its points for

Flying Around the World, Undaunted by Terrorism

yen apiece. By going to a camera store

Thanks to these efforts, the Phaco

insurance reimbursement, and cost us

“In Sri Lanka, a terrorist bomb

in Akihabara, picking up a level that

Prechop method has come to be used

ophthalmologists income.’ They weren’

exploded right in front of a building I

sells for about 4,000 yen, and using

in 66 countries around the world.

t reacting to the quality of the surgical

was just leaving. The blast blew me

its parts, Dr. Akahoshi succeeded in

Patients such as Mahathir who come

method itself, but to a completely

off my feet. The car I was supposed

developing a marking instrument that

from overseas are also, according

different issue. I’m disappointed in the

to get in was surrounded by pools of

was faster and easier than machines

to the Internationalization Office at

academic community in Japan.”

blood. That was a close one!” recalls

priced at tens of millions of yen, and at

Mitsui Memorial Hospital, “Increasing

While undeservedly getting the

Dr. Akahoshi.

a cost of just a few tens of thousands

at a pace well beyond the hospital’s

cold shoulder at home, globally, Dr.

Unintimidated, however, he never

of yen.

expectations.”

Akahoshi’s reputation only continues

thought to cease his activity. There

Dr. Akahoshi’s top priority is always

Naturally, they are also overrun with

to grow. He has been honored with

were so many seriously ill patients

to provide every patient with the best

patients from within Japan, and the

a great number of awards, from the

beyond the skills of ordinary doctors,

possible surgery. This is why he has

wait for surgery is now as long as six

American Society of Cataract and

and so many doctors hoping to get

not applied for patents for his marker

months to two-and-a-half years. “We

Refractive Surgery, an international

his personal guidance. Dr. Akahoshi

and most of the other instruments he’

get patient referrals from over 1,500

authority, and other institutions in

says that, “Once the operation is done,

s developed. As a boy, his eyesight

practitioners. We are working to be

the U.S., Europe and Asia. He is also

the patients have such smiles on their

was poor, and out of his frequent trips

creative and handle as many consults

were available to simplify the

（top）A patient goes home wearing plastic goggles to protect her eyes following surgery.（middle）Dr. Akahoshi instructs his nurse to hold the patient’s hand if he senses they are nervous.（bottom）The doctor is always in stocking feet in the operating room. He says it’s impossible to have fine control over the machines when wearing sandals.

A TV camera provided a live broadcast of a public surgery in Pakistan to an academic conference.

people will think cataract surgery is

Born in 1957, Dr. Akahoshi will be 60 in two years. He says, “As long as I’m healthy, I plan to spend my time teaching my operation around the world. Post-retirement, I hope to make cultivating skilled ophthalmologists my life’s work, primarily in developing countries in Central and South America, Asia and the Middle East. Of course, I’ll also continue providing patients with the best possible medical care.”

2015 vol.25