Unlock The Real Japan by Time Out Tokyo

THE REAL JAPAN A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

TOWARDS A BETTER TOMORROW

CONTENTS

A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

Welcome to issue three of Unlock The Real Japan, a special collaboration between Nikkei Inc. and Time Out Tokyo created to help Asia’s business leaders gain new insight into one of the most exciting countries on earth.

Inside you will find Nikkei Asia’s renowned insight into the business world combined with Time Out Tokyo’s knowledge of city life, ensuring that visiting executives can experience all sides of life in Japan.

6 BRIGHT IDEAS Nikkei Asia’s Christopher Grimes on Japan’s green opportunity

This issue is dedicated to looking into Japan’s past as well as its future, so we’ve asked experts to look both forward and back.

BACK 10 LOOKING TO 2011

Ten years after the Great East Japan Earthquake we report on the rebuilding efforts that have not only regenerated the worsthit areas but could also help others coping with natural disasters. We’ve also compiled a series of insights on Japan’s pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions and looked at how Covid-19 has driven innovation in the sports, technology, education and tourism sectors.

A decade after the Great East Japan Earthquake, we report from the area

FUTURE OF 14 THE THE ENVIRONMENT

Can Japan become carbon neutral by 2050?

20 UNLOCK KABUTO-CHO Exploring Tokyo’s answer to Wall Street

We hope you enjoy these visions for a bold new future.

FUTURE OF 25 THE SPECTATOR SPORTS Can technology help usher in the safe return of spectator sports?

FUTURE OF 29 THE DIGITAL SOCIETY How Covid-19 has ushered in an era of digital transformation

Editorial contributed by Christopher Grimes (Executive Editor, Nikkei Asia) Edited by Marcus Webb (Time Out Tokyo)

GETTY IMAGES | KATSUMI HIRABAYASHI | HACHIDORI DENRYOKU | KISA TOYOSHIMA

FUTURE OF 35 THE TRAVEL

Coordinated by Tabea Greuner (Time Out Tokyo/ORIGINAL Inc.) Genya Aoki (Time Out Tokyo/ORIGINAL Inc.) Shiori Kotaki (Time Out Tokyo/ORIGINAL Inc.)

Where tourism goes from here plus an exclusive guide to Tohoku

Directed by Akiko Toya (Time Out Tokyo/ORIGINAL Inc.)

FUTURE OF 39 THE EDUCATION

Nikkei Inc. 1-3-7 Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8066 +81 (0)3 3270 0251| nikkei.com Advertising and general enquiries: global.inquiry@nex.nikkei.co.jp

Bringing classrooms into the new digital age

42 ETIQUETTE GUIDE

How to experience the best of Japanese culture online While every effort has been made to provide correct opening times hours do vary, particularly around holidays. We always recommend checking with venues in advance.

Planned, produced and distributed by Nikkei Inc. Global Business

A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

INTRODUCTION

BRIGHT

ideas W

hen delegates gathered in Kyoto in late 1997 to hammer out the final details of a hard-fought climate deal, they were greeted with a note of encouragement by the city’s kindergarteners. “Kyoto people are praying for the success of this conference,’’ they wrote. “The future of all people, especially the children, depends largely on the outcome.’’ The children who cheered on the Kyoto Protocol are almost 30 years old now, but Japan – like most nations around the world – is still struggling to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases. In fact, Japan’s reliance on fossil fuels is even greater now than it was before the Fukushima nuclear disaster a decade ago. This has led to uncomfortable questions in recent years from environmentalists, who demanded to know why Japan has not reduced its dependence on coal by pushing harder into clean solar, hydro and wind power in the post-Fukushima era. The official response to such questions frequently came off as defensive, even if it was accurate: solar panels, dams and wind turbines are tricky, given Japan’s geography and terrain. But in December 2020, the tone shifted dramatically when Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga set out a “green growth strategy” that would see Japan’s net emissions drop to zero by 2050. Even

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environmentalists who have been critical of the government’s policies found the message encouraging. “I’m very cautiously optimistic,” says Mika Ohbayashi, Director of the Renewable Energy Institute. “I have to say that Suga-san is more serious about climate change than [Shinzo] Abe, his predecessor”. Some of Japan’s most important companies were more alarmed than

The nascent green energy industry requires the kind of advanced engineering skills that Japan is known for

impressed, however. One detail of the green strategy immediately seized the attention of Japan’s powerful car industry: new gasoline-powered vehicles are to be completely replaced by ‘electrified’ cars by the mid-2030s. That’s much sooner than it sounds. A rare public criticism of the plan came from none other than Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor’s president. “There is a risk that the automotive industry’s business model could collapse,” he warned.

Chief among Toyoda’s concerns is that Japan won’t be able to produce enough electricity to power all of these electric cars unless the country gets busy building a lot of new plants – and quickly. Nuclear power could generate much of this electricity without producing greenhouse gases, but it remains unpopular in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Another option – burning more coal – would run counter to the zero-emissions goal. Yet for all the uncertainty and worries, some observers see the clean energy push as an opportunity for Japan to regain its reputation as an innovator. Japan has been a laggard in the digital economy, prompting years of soul-searching about whether the country has lost its edge. But experts point out that the nascent green energy industry requires the kind of advanced engineering skills and long-term investment that the country is known for. So, there is hope that green energy could give Japan Inc. a new narrative – and a powerful new source of exports. “The internet, digitization, and the app economy have pushed innovation for the last 20 years, but they haven’t solved dire issues like global warming,” says Sota Nagano, a partner at Tokyo-based venture capital firm Abies Ventures. “These solutions require something coming out of a lab – engineering or actual science.” Nagano notes that Japan has been supporting basic research in new materials, robotics and other “deep tech” for decades through NEDO (New Energy

GETTY IMAGES

Christopher Grimes, executive editor of Nikkei Asia, asks whether Japan can innovate its way out of an energy and climate crisis

and Industrial Technology Development Organization), a government group that subsidizes work on new energy and cutting-edge industrial technology. “Now the government is pushing national universities to monetize patents and research in materials, quantum computing, mechanical engineering,” says Nagano. “It all adds up to contributing to this green energy plan. Many of the valuable assets in Japan haven’t been monetized yet.”

One charge, 500km

Japan has made two bold bets on green technology that it hopes to monetize in a big way. One is a push to turn hydrogen into a mainstream fuel for cars, trucks and electricity generation. The other is on a new type of electric car battery that promises to be far more efficient than the lithium ion models that power Teslas and other EVs on the road today. “Hydrogen and solid state batteries are the areas that Japanese companies have been focusing on as a competitive advantage,” says Kota Yuzawa, a Goldman Sachs analyst in Tokyo who follows the auto industry. He thinks the recent green push by Japan – plus low-carbon efforts by China and the Biden administration in the U.S. – will rapidly accelerate the move to electric vehicles. Toyota has been working on the new battery technology, known as advanced solid state, for more than a decade, and it is planning to roll out a prototype later this year. It’s easy to see why the company is excited: Toyota claims its battery can power a trip of 500 km on one charge – about twice the distance of typical EVs today. The batteries are smaller, allowing more legroom in the car, and are not prone to catching fire as can happen with lithium batteries. Solid state batteries will also be able to fully recharge in 10 minutes, much faster

than the 20 to 30 minutes it takes now with lithium ion batteries. “It’s more like the time it takes a gas engine at the filling station,” Yuzawa says. There are concerns, however. Chief among them is the possibility of leaks of sulphide gas, which is poisonous. And the cost of making solid state batteries will be higher than lithium ones until they can be mass produced. Although Japan already has a big presence in the EV battery market – Panasonic makes batteries for Tesla – it is far behind China, which has spared no expense pursuing its ambition to dominate the global market. Japan has sought to counter this by encouraging the development of the solid-state batteries, which it hopes will eventually become the standard. But this is still years away, with forecasters saying the market won’t really start to develop until the second half of this decade. You don’t have to wait that long to see a car running on hydrogen, a fuel source that has doubters but is a cornerstone of Japan’s plan for a carbon-neutral future. Toyota introduced the first commercial hydrogen vehicle, the Mirai (“future” in Japanese), in 2014. The second model of the Mirai came out in December 2020. The Mirai runs on a hydrogenpowered “fuel cell” that doesn’t emit CO2 and can be quickly refilled at a roadside

Hydrogen has its doubters, but is a cornerstone of Japan’s plan for a carbon-neutral future

station. But critics say the technology is too expensive, and point out that the process of producing hydrogen usually involves fossil fuels. Tesla founder Elon Musk calls them “fool cells” and has said hydrogen-powered cars are a “mindbogglingly stupid” idea. Even if Musk turns out to be right about hydrogen cars, experts say it is still worth investing in the technology. “My impression is hydrogen is not really for passenger cars, but large trucks,” Yuzawa says. “When you think of a heavy-duty (cargo) truck, it would have to carry a heavy lithium battery all the way. So, hydrogen is a more efficient way to move large cargo across long distances.” Ohbayashi believes that hydrogen will have a role to play in reaching the zero net emissions goal, but she thinks it’s more important that the government focus on renewable energy like wind, solar and geothermal. At the time of the Fukushima disaster, she says, renewables accounted for 10% of Japan’s electricity mix. Now it is about 20%. “The trend of increasing renewables is very rapid,” she says. “If we have the right policies in place, I think renewables can even reach 50% of the country’s electricity needs by 2030 and 100% by 2050. But we need the government to set these high targets and encourage the market.” Her view that Japan could be powered entirely by renewables is not widely shared in government or business, where many are hoping for a revival of the nuclear industry. But it does reflect a renewed sense that Japan – a country with very few energy resources of its own – is capable of ending its dependence on imported fossil fuels. With that spirit – along with some innovative engineering – perhaps those Kyoto kindergarteners will see the world they envisioned by the time they are 60.

TOYOTA

l Toyota’s Mirai became the world’s first commercial hydrogen vehicle when it was introduced in 2014.

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A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW

LOOKING BACK TO 2011

A DESIGN

for life

How did you start to help? A few days after the earthquake I received a phone call from one of my friends, who is also an architect. He was based in the Tohoku region, which had been badly damaged. We started to talk about how we could support the area as architects, to help build new homes and shelters for the people who had lost everything. I reached out to other architects that I knew, and we made a small group to share information and ideas. This was the start of ArchiAid. It grew very quickly, we soon had a network of almost 300 architects.

When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in 2011, award-winning architect Manabu Chiba was determined to help those affected. He did so by co-founding ArchiAid, a collective that worked towards rebuilding the area. He talks to Marcus Webb about rethinking housing, the importance of connection and how cycling can help a community

What were the goals of ArchiAid? Our objective was to be a platform to connect the people who needed help with those with the expertise to help. We wanted the local people to be included in the discussion about how to rebuild. After the Great Hanshin earthquake, in 1995, architects had tried to help, but they acted individually – everyone had their ideas for the future and they didn’t work together to actually support the area affected. That’s why we organized this network, so that this time we would work together and with the community.

people who lost their homes. Usually this is a process that architects aren’t involved in; the government asks big prefabrication companies to make temporary houses. They are really cheaply made, usually with no consideration for the community, spatial quality or how people use their space in daily life. In 2011 architects proposed how the layout of this temporary housing could be organized to improve the quality of life, despite the use of these inexpensive prefabrication materials.

Did you personally visit the area? Yes. I had broken my leg just before the earthquake, so I couldn’t move around easily at the time, but I just thought that I should go there to see what was happening anyway. What I saw was terrible. I went to Ishinomaki and areas of the city were completely destroyed – you couldn’t drive on the streets; they were so damaged. But I could see the beauty of the natural landscape and those villages beneath the rubble. The experience of that day deeply moved me to help support the recovery process of the disaster area. How do you begin the rebuilding process in a place so badly hit? There are phases. The first phase is that the government builds temporary housing for

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l Chiba-designed emergency housing in Tenjin, Fukuoka

What were the next steps? After the temporary shelter stage, the city prepared more long-term housing for those who lost their homes. But things take time and in some cases it was already three years after the earthquake before work began on these more permanent homes. I worked on a project in Kamaishi city – my mother’s hometown, where I faced some resistance by the community to architects being involved. There was a perception that architects were more concerned with designing fancy buildings that would cost a

©CHIBA MANABU ARCHITECTS

What are your memories of the Great East Japan Earthquake? The day of the disaster I was in the university where I work in Tokyo. It took me eight hours to get home, there were cars everywhere and people were on the streets panicking. Slowly we started to understand what was happening in the eastern part of Japan and we realized just how serious it was and that we had to do something to help the people impacted.

l Manabu Chiba photographed in his office, January 2021

KISA TOYOSHIMA

lot of money than something that worked for the people. I wanted to change that preconception, so I worked with a big prefabrication company to make these new houses within budget and on schedule. Many architects thought that it was foolish of me to do this: I couldn’t choose nice materials, create nice details or a beautiful structure, but I thought that even with constraints, there must be something that architecture can do to help. What was the process like? It wasn’t easy. The structure system was already decided, my choice of materials was often limited to one and they asked me to use only prefabricated industrial windows, etc. But despite these difficulties, I believed that there must be something that architects can ‘design.’ I started by considering the distance of these units and how they relate with each other. We were building a new community with these buildings and that’s very delicate. People want privacy, but they also want to feel like they’re part of a society. It’s important to create that balance. It was another important lesson from Hanshin. A lot of

the houses built after the 1995 earthquake had no relation to each other. They were dealing with people who have undergone a huge trauma, sometimes resulting in mental health issues. Sadly, the suicide rates in these buildings were high, and I believe some of that is because people felt that they were no longer connected to each other: they couldn’t build up a new community in those housing complexes. That was in my mind throughout; I had to make a place in which – even though you have your own space – you Pottering can still be connected Oshika to others. What had the reaction been? It’s been very positive, people seem very happy to be there. One thing that has been popular is the color. The city’s symbolic flower is called Hamayuri; it’s quite beautiful and blooms strongly on the rocky beachside, so we made a color palette based on this flower for the reconstruction housing. I thought it would be nice for the city; that this recovery process can be remembered in the future by the color of a flower blooming.

Do you still visit the area affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake? Yes, I organize an annual bicycle tour of the region, called Pottering Oshika (potteringoshika.wordpress.com). I thought that it would be nice to start an event which would bring people to the Oshika Peninsula to support the small economies of these local villages. It’s a great event; we enjoy this beautiful landscape, visit local restaurants or buy locally made lunch boxes and take it all in. Cycling is the best way to get to know an area – you actually experience the landscape. Many architects think that the best way to offer support is to build a beautiful building, but I thought that maybe this recovery process would take a long time. So many businesses were destroyed; the fishing industry was particularly badly hit, and people had to rethink their livelihood because they were displaced from the waterfront. But it’s not just about people changing where they live; they have had to change their entire way of life. The disaster and the recovery work revealed to us how delicate our way of living with nature is, and it should make us rethink how we do this. The tour is a way to remind us of this, commemorate the process of recovery, and to help encourage its continuation. A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

LOOKING BACK TO 2011 a May 2011, Higashi-Matsushima “After the tsunami caused by the earthquake in 2011, many ships were found washed up far away from their home port. It was incredible to see.”

b August 2011, Higashi-Matsushima “Months after the tsunami, the town looked as though it had just been struck. This wooden building was damaged so badly you couldn’t even make out its original structure. It’s unsettling to think about the people who may have been inside when it collapsed.” c December 2011, Yamada “All the boats that washed ashore were eventually collected and discarded. I often wonder how the people who once sailed these are doing now.” b

LIFE THROUGH

a lens

Since 2011 Katsumi Hirabayashi has been documenting the impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake. He talks us through some of his most memorable photographs 12

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d May 2011, Ishinomaki “The national flag isn’t something you come across every day, but it is often raised in places that have been struck by disaster as a display of people’s strong spirit.” e April 2014, Naraha “This was shot in an area with restricted access [due to the nuclear accident]. Even with high levels of radiation, the cherry blossoms still bloom every April.” f May 2014, Soma “When you’re in a disaster zone, you’ll often see birds circling the sky. I wonder how the devastated area looks to them.” g

November 2019, Ishinomaki “For years after the disaster it was impossible to fish in certain areas due to f

h September 2015, Koriyama “Nuclear power isn’t the only form of energy that Fukushima produces.” i May 2017, Kesennuma “This is a message from the people of Kesennuma to those who helped after the disaster. It says ‘We won’t forget, thank you.’ Even today, the feelings of hope and gratitude are still palpable around Tohoku.”

Katsumi Hirabayashi’s ‘Haru Light & Letters: 3.11’, a photography book documenting the impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake is published by Soshisha at ¥3,960.

ALL IMAGES: KATSUMI HIRABAYASHI

the damage caused by the tsunami, but recently the salmon fisheries have been gradually reviving in Ishinomaki.”

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THE ENVIRONMENT

NEW POWER

Minna-Denryoku

Minna-Denryoku is the first company in the world to deploy an ‘electric power traceability system’, allowing corporations to choose exactly who produces their electricity and how. Those who sign up can pick from around 290 contracted power plants, including a biomass power plant that uses wood-based waste generated in cities, a state-of-the-art wind power plant that floats on the sea, and a solar power facility built on a plot of land that was damaged by the tsunami. As households sign a contract with the company only when they are satisfied with the people, location, and principles behind its energy production process, it makes it possible to lead a life that’s supported by renewable energy. The company’s efforts to forge strong relationships between people and power were recognized with an award at the 4th Japan SDGs Awards, which recognizes companies and organizations in Japan that have made important contributions to achieving sustainable development goals. Suntowers Center Building 8F, 2-11-22 Sangenjaya, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo minden.co.jp 03 6805 2228 2

Hachidori Denryoku

generation Green energy is revolutionizing Japan. Here are four companies that are taking renewables to the next level to aid the government’s plans to get to net zero emissions Another one percent of bills is set aside in the “Hachidori Fund” to invest in the construction of new renewable energy power plants, allowing users to invest in the future of our planet simply by continuing to use electricity as usual. hachidori-denryoku.jp 3

Power company Taiyo Jyuken is taking on the problem of Japan’s increasing numbers of abandoned properties and turning them into mini power plants. Its Solar Crew renovates abandoned homes, transforming them into community centers while also installing solar panels to provide renewable energy for the local population. These new power-pumping centers even double as emergency evacuation shelters in case of natural disasters. Taiyo Jyuken proactively employs people with disabilities and involves local residents throughout the planning and conversion process to create places that work both for the community and the planet.

Hachidori Denryoku is an electric power service started in April 2020 by Borderless Japan, an organization that is working to address social issues in 13 countries around the world. It provides electrical power generated from renewable and environment-friendly sources and also lets its customers donate one percent of their electricity bill to one of the many non-profit organizations Borderless Japan supports around the world, helping them tackle a wide range of education, poverty and environmental problems. Hachidori Denryoku

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Taiyo Jyuken

4-1-30 Nakahara, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa prefecture solarcrew.jp 045 325 7133

Akatsuki Brewery Japan Hachimantai Factory

This unique brewery is based in Iwate prefecture, one of the most famous hot spring areas in Japan. Akatsuki uses Taiyo Jyuken the region’s natural assets to produce fantastic beer using geothermal power for 99 percent of its energy needs. The company aims to make as little environmental impact as possible, recycling the used malt generated as a waste byproduct of the brewing process into livestock food and agricultural fertilizer for local farms. The Dragon Eye series, four types of organic beers produced in the stunning setting of Hachimantai, is designed to reflect the wonderful people and natural beauty of the area. The geothermal power-evoking Dragon Eye “Magma’’ is an organic IPL brewed with local mineral water to produce a satisfying drop that mixes a sharply bitter flavor with the refreshing fragrance of the hops. 1-474-6 Matsuoyoriki, Hachimantai-shi, Iwate prefecture akatsukibrewery.com 03 5452 1337

21.2% energy derived from renewable energy sources

Hydro 6,310GWh

14%

GWh

total energy derived from renewable energy sources

October 2020

Solar 6,750GWh

16,141

Combustible Renewables 2,228GWh

Wind 653GWh

The Japanese government is aiming to achieve up to 24% renewable energy share by 2030.

Geothermal 200GWh

36% decrease in CO2 emmisions

hybrid and electric vehicle sales

2019 greenhouse gas emissions were 1.21 billion tons, down 14% from 2013

In 2020, hybrid and electric vehicles accounted for 36% of passenger vehicle sales. The Japanese government has set a goal of 100% hybrid and electric vehicles in new passenger car sales by the mid-2030s.

INFOGRAPHIC: JAMES LADBURY

By 2050...

The Japanese government has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero SOURCES: INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA) MONTHLY ELECTRICITY STATISTICS IEA.ORG; MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (PRELIMINARY FIGURES) NIES.GO.JP; JAPAN AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION JADA.OR.JP, JAPAN MINI VEHICLES ASSOCIATION ZENKEIJIKYO.OR.JP. ALL DATA CORRECT AS OF OCTOBER 2020.

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THE ENVIRONMENT

thought How work at the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field is paving the way for a renewable-fueled future

“G

lobal warming could easily be solved if we all stopped using energy,” says Eiji Ohira. “If we stopped moving around, going on trains, cars, using electricity, and went to bed when it got dark at 8pm... We could go back to the Edo period [1603-1868].” Ohira, it must be emphasised, is not recommending such a strategy for tackling climate change. As director general of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Group at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), he’s interested in rather more sophisticated solutions to the challenges of moving to a renewables-fueled, net-zero future. One of the biggest of these challenges is energy storage. Solar and wind power plants are becoming ever more efficient, but when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow they are useless. Conversely, if the sun shines too brightly and the wind blows too hard when electricity demand isn’t high, excessive production can end up overloading power grids. One extreme leads to blackouts, the other to breakdowns.

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Power-to-gas technology Happily, Ohira and his team of engineers are now working on technology that could help iron out the peaks and troughs in energy delivery, to make renewables dependable. “As a method of tackling the difficulties associated with our transition to renewable energy, the concept of ‘powerto-gas’ has started to be explored around the world, especially in the context of converting excess electricity into hydrogen,” says Ohira. The idea is straightforward: when you have excess capacity in renewable energy – at particularly windy or sunny times – you can use it to create hydrogen (see infographic opposite for details). This then acts as stored energy which can later be used in hydrogen cells, delivering emissions-free electricity to vehicles, homes, offices or city streets. “If there is a big difference between the amount of power generated and demand in summer and winter, electricity should be stored during periods when plenty of it is generated, and used in other seasons,” says Ohira. “And when it comes to using energy, hydrogen is better than storage batteries.” Ohira’s group has set off down the path of making power-

Scaling up The success that the FH2R system has had in producing hydrogen at speed is, says Ohira, “unprecedented worldwide”. But it’s just the beginning – FH2R is still on an experimental rather than a practical scale, and the 10 megawatt system will eventually have to lead to much bigger versions. “Our goal is to have six gigawatts of water electrolysis by 2025 and 40 gigawatts by 2030,” says Ohira. Scaling up is only part of the picture. “Since we are assuming that it will be

GETTY IMAGES

FUEL FOR

to-gas into a workable reality. “In 2016, we determined that there was a need for a technological development project aimed at building a ‘hydrogen energy-based society’ that is larger in scale than the one we had launched initially, and we accepted applications again under various themes,” says Ohira. “One of the companies that indicated their interest was Toshiba, which proposed to conduct research here in Fukushima in the future with us.” And so it came about that in 2020, the Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R) was launched. Its aims were not just to develop the technology behind power-to-gas, but also research the business model behind it. “We saw a need to develop a system equipped with a water electrolysis apparatus running on 10 megawatts that is capable of producing 2,000 cubic meters of hydrogen per hour,” says Ohira. Fukushima was chosen in part because the prefecture aims to generate at least 100 percent of its energy demand from renewable energy sources by around 2040. “This would probably result in a large influx of renewable energy into the energy grid of Fukushima prefecture eventually, which would make any issues associated with grid constraints apparent before the rest of Japan, even if such issues were to be localized in Fukushima,” says Ohira. The process begins with water. “NEDO basically uses Japanese tap water as the water itself, and puts it through a purification system,” says Ohira. “This removes impurities such as chlorinated lime. In electrolysis, you simply select an electrode, add it to the water, and let the electricity flow, which releases oxygen and hydrogen. For this system, hydrogen is generated in a purely alkaline solution, specifically a liquid in which potassium hydroxide is added to make it easier for ions to pass through.”

The potential of R-hydrogen

Hydrogen is clean energy, with CO2 emissions removed from each stage of the process

150 households per month

H2O

A green start Electricity produced from a sustainable source powers an electrolyzer.

O2 H2O

Production The electrolyzer is used to produce hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) through the electrolysis of water. The only emission is water which can be reused in the electrolyzer.

an energy base, it would be troublesome if there are disruptions, so we need to develop technology to maintain reliability,” says Ohira. “On top of that, we will need to work out the cost. How much will the initial cost, operating cost, and maintenance cost add up to, and will

INFOGRAPHIC: JAMES LADBURY

Becoming carbon-neutral is not something that can be done in one fell swoop

the operation consume fewer resources and reduce energy consumption? In the future, there will be a lot of things to address, such as challenges to cost efficiency, policies like special incentives for using hydrogen cells, and compatibility with smart power grids. I think we need to clarify those sorts of things.”

The team has run small-scale tests to see how their output will fit into the whole new hydrogen ecosystem. “We have had hydrogen transported to the Azuma General Agricultural Park in Fukushima city, to J-Village, and to the Roadside Station in Namie town, and used there,” says Ohira. There is another, more high profile, potential use on the horizon too. “We were planning to use large amounts of hydrogen at the summer Olympics venues,” says Ohira. In the original plan, hydrogen from FH2R was going to be utilized as fuel for the ceremonial Olympic Cauldron featuring in the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies, and provide official fuel cell vehicles to transport competitors and officials between events. “Unfortunately, the Games have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he continues. “We hope that the rescheduled Games can still be a showcase for a hydrogen-based society.”

The future of power In order to expand the field of power-togas operations, Ohira says an international

Transportation The hydrogen is used in a fuel cell. Electricity is produced through an electrochemical reaction between the supplied hydrogen and the oxygen in the air. The only thing emitted is water.

Use The Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field can produce enough hydrogen energy per day to serve about 150 households per month.

approach is needed. “We do need to work together with others,” he says. “The hydrogen field is gaining a lot of momentum overseas, and I hope we can work with one another to advance our understanding of its potential.” However, while power-to-gas at FH2R is a groundbreaking project with global potential, it’s not the only way that NEDO is helping to address the challenge of net zero. “Another initiative undertaken by NEDO is Carbon Capture Utilization & Storage (CCUS), which involves capturing the carbon dioxide emitted when fossil fuels are burnt and reusing it as a carbon resource,” says Ohira. “We also engage in carbon recycling and eco-friendly initiatives, as well as energy conservation, renewable energy and smart grid technologies. There’s no silver bullet when it comes to net zero,” says Ohira. “Becoming carbon-neutral is not something that can be done in one fell swoop,” he concludes. “We need to look at combining a lot of different options and integrating a number of different technologies to realize the energy systems of the future.” A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

AREA GUIDE

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Kabuto-cho Your indispensable guide to one of Tokyo’s hippest neighborhoods GUIDE: SHIORI KOTAKI

nce known as the “Wall Street of Japan”, Nihonbashi’s Kabuto-cho neighborhood has shed its stuffy, formal reputation to embrace contemporary culture and become one of the most exciting districts in Tokyo. Here are some of the hottest new cafes, bars, restaurants, shops, and galleries in the area.

Visit a hip former bank K5 No venue better epitomizes Kabuto-cho’s recent transformation than K5, a former bank turned into a chic boutique hotel, brewery bar, third-wave coffee shop, and cutting-edge eatery. What was once the Daiichi National Bank, which was the country’s first bank when it was constructed in 1923, is

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now home to the dimly-lit B bar, run by Brooklyn Brewery, Caveman – an innovative restaurant whose globe-trotting menu focuses on seasonal ingredients and cooking methods such as smoking and fermentation – and Switch Coffee, renowned for its large variety of single origin drip brews. Yard Works, meanwhile, offers a gorgeous selection of plants, which are artfully arranged to create a kind of urban jungle. A boutique hotel occupies floors two to four.

French cuisine. Staff are on-hand to guide you through the vast wine menu which features over 200 bottles. 8-1 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo instagram.com/neki_tokyo 03 6231 1988 11.30am-3pm (last orders 2pm), 6pm-10pm (last orders 9pm), Mon-Sat

Indulge in a cream pastry Pâtisserie ease

Ease by name, easy by nature, this impeccably Neki stylish pâtisserie from 3-5 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, award-winning young pastry chef Chuo-ku, Tokyo Keisuke Oyama is a haven of calm in k5-tokyo.com/en bustling Kabuto-cho. The specialty here 03 5962 3485 is the Amazon cacao choux a la creme, Varies, hotel check in from 3pm, check out which benefits from the fruity flavor and until 12 noon refined bitterness of Amazon cacao. The Enjoy fine seasonal fare counter seats offer a great view of Oyama preparing the 15 types of cake that go on Neki sale each day. Some of his treats are only Chef Kyohei Nishi, formerly of Shibuya’s available to eat in, but if you are taking Roijura bistro, is the culinary mastermind the pastries away Oyama has you covered. behind this ambitious contemporary In his pursuit of excellence, he has paid bistro, where the food is characterized by close attention to his packaging, which attention to detail, as well as a focus on is specially designed to ensure the food’s seasonal ingredients and natural wines. freshness is retained. Soak up the cool, casual vibe and grab 9-1 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo a seat at the counter, earning yourself patisserie-ease.com a front row seat as Nishi and his team 03 6231 1681 prepare their singular take on modern 11am-7pm (last order 6.30pm), Thu-Tue

KEISUKE TANIGAWA | KISA TOYOSHIMA

Human Nature Omnipollos Tokyo

Drink Japandi-style SR This import from Sweden – the name is an abbreviation of Stockholm Roast – joins the K5 micro-complex in the local ‘Japandi’ (a composite of Japanese and Scandinavian) style scene. Occupying a renovated antiquated unagiya restaurant in Kabuto-cho, SR keeps locals happily caffeinated with some of the best cups of joe in the Japanese capital. After 5pm the coffee bar morphs into a sophisticated evening venue where the staff mix up potent coffee cocktails and serve craft gins (just ask the staff if you fancy such a tipple during the day). 9-5 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo stockholmroast.jp 03 6434 0353 8.30am-11pm Mon-Fri, 1pm11pm Sat, 1pm-6pm Sun

Sip natural wines

KISA TOYOSHIMA

Human Nature Sharing an old unagi restaurant with SR (see above) and Omnipollos SR Tokyo (see right), this cozy bottle shop and bar wasted no time in developing a stellar reputation for its vast selection of natural wines, mostly from Italy and France. According to many oenophiles, natural wines – with nothing added, and nothing taken away

– are the real deal, but to the uninitiated they can be an acquired taste. Therefore, newbies should consider ordering one of the 5-10 varieties by the glass before plumping for a whole bottle. 9-5 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo instagram.com/human_natureeeee/?hl=ja 3pm-10pm daily

Enjoy a beer in trippy surroundings Omnipollos Tokyo SR isn’t the only hip Swedish import housed in the famed former unagi (eel) restaurant, Matsuyoshi. A cross between a craft brewery and an experimental art project, Omnipollo was founded by brewer Henok Fentie and artist Karl Grandin in Stockholm in 2010. While the traditional exterior with its elegant wooden beams has been preserved, the interior is a trippy, topsy-turvy delight with the walls appearing to melt away and clever use of light and color. The offbeat and playful nature of the design extends to Fentie’s brewing process. Looking around the world for unlikely inspiration, Omnipollo take flavors such as peanut butter cookies and mango lassi as inspiration for their IPAs, pilsners, pale ales, wild ales, and stouts –

expect to find 11 rotating beers on tap, and on a hot day don’t miss the frozen beer, which tastes better than it sounds. 9-5 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo instagram.com/omnipollostokyo 3pm–11pm Mon-Fri, 1pm-11pm Sat, 1pm9pm Sun and national holidays

Go office shopping Nisshokan Here’s one for architecture buffs – or historians of the Japanese banking industry. Built on the former site of the estate of Shibusawa Eiichi, considered the father of Japanese capitalism, this famed structure has carried the history of the securities industry on its shoulders. Today it is rented out as a leased office space – but it’s well worth a look even if you’re not in the market for a workspace because the classic exterior from the time of its completion in 1928 remains in fine condition today. 1-10 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

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Get ready for the sprawling Kabuto One Kabuto One Scheduled to partially open in summer 2021, this sprawling complex will mix business with pleasure with a combination of shops, conference halls, and business lounges. By 2022 it is hoped that the complex will boast a direct link to Kayabacho Station on the Tokyo Metro. 7-1 Nihonbashi Kabuto-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (probable address) heiwa-net.co.jp/en/urban_development/ kabuto_cho/

Venture further afield to a spectacular food hall Commissary

BnA_WALL

Remote work in sumptuous style

Commissary

Cafe Salvador Business Salon

Tokyo Shoken Kaikan 1F, 1-5-8 Nihonbashi Kayaba-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo cafe-salvador.com 03 5623 3107 7am-10pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Sat, Sun and national holidays

Explore the home of financial startups FinGATE Kabutocho and nearby Kayabacho are fast becoming Japan’s primary launchpads for

UNLOCK THE REAL JAPAN

Nihonbashi Life Science Building 2 1F, 3-11-5 Nihonbashi-honcho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Hours vary by store

Sleep in style at a hotel dedicated to art BnA_WALL financial startups. At the moment around 50 companies call the neighborhoods home, but with the Japanese and Tokyo Metropolitan governments’ vocal desire to transform Tokyo into Asia’s leading financial city that number will need to grow. Enter FinGATE, a new business incubator that aims to support the growth of financial startups including independent asset management companies and fintech companies. FinGATE supports the companies’ growth by providing secure and convenient office infrastructure as well as business ‘matchmaking’ services which introduce like-minded startups and more established companies to help turbocharge growth. fingate.tokyo/en

Located across the street from the Commissary, BnA (short for ‘Bed and Art’) WALL is part of a micro-chain of boutique hotels. Like staying inside an art gallery, each of the 26 rooms is unique and designed by one of 14 different local artists and creatives including collective magma whose room is pictured above. The bar lounge in the lobby offers original lu rou fan (minced pork rice) and gyoza dumplings, seasonal sake and a wide variety of non-alcoholic cocktails – all of which can be enjoyed while taking in the huge muralled wall that gives the hotel its name. 1-1 Nihonbashi Odenma-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo bnawall.com/en 03 5962 3958 Hours vary, hotel check in from 4pm-2am, check out until 12 noon

KEISUKE TANIGAWA | KISA TOYOSHIMA

Resembling an upmarket airport business class lounge, Cafe Salvador is taking full advantage of the current trend for remote working. It’s a simple system – you pay ¥300 per 30 minutes or ¥1,800 for the whole day, and for that you get access to desk space, unlimited drinks, comfortable and spacious sofas, and a library full of books to get your creative juices flowing. There are also larger tables available for groups. In addition to the inclusive drink selection, a number of light meals are available such as salads, sandwiches, and simple curries. And, if the weather’s nice, the outdoor terrace is the perfect spot from which to watch the world go by.

There’s something for everyone at Commissary, a stylish new food hall where five restaurants offer their delicious dishes to an appreciative crowd. A short walk from Kabuto-cho, here you’ll find pizza by the slice from, ahem, Pizza Slice, authentic Mexican tacos from Kitade Tacos, Chigaya Bakery’s justly famous donuts, Our Craft’s experimental beers, and Mind Spa’s first-rate coffees.

SPECTATOR SPORTS

PLAYING

safe

Hidekazu Kido, the Japan Sport Council’s National Stadium Service Division Manager, tells Genya Aoki his plans to make the arena Covid-secure

JAPAN SPORT COUNCIL

pectator sports did not have a good 2020. As Covid-19 infections rose, sporting events were either postponed, canceled or played behind closed doors. The most high-profile casualty was the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which was delayed for a year – and questions remain about the feasibility of holding an international event safely in 2021. Hidekazu Kido, the Japan Sport Council’s National Stadium Service Division Manager, acknowledges that it is a difficult time, but also believes that the communal atmosphere sport can create is much needed in the world. “I feel that expectations and interest in watching real, top-level sports are increasing,” he says. “We would like to play a role in bringing it back.” Plans to revive spectator sports are focusing on the Japan National Stadium, a 60,000-capacity arena that should

l Japan National Stadium was set to host the opening and closing ceremonies of Tokyo 2020

have been packed for the opening and closing ceremonies of Tokyo 2020, before Covid-19 left it silent. Kido has been working tirelessly to bring fans back safely. “Stadium and event organizers need to take appropriate measures to keep infection in check,” he says. “Each event organizer is implementing their own procedures.” So far those measures have included temperature checks for staff, the thorough ventilation and disinfection of areas throughout the stadium, and the introduction of a zone system to prevent temporary crowding. The efforts were rewarded in January 2021 when over 20,000 soccer fans returned to the stadium to watch the 2020 J. League YBC Levain Cup final between Kashiwa Reysol and FC Tokyo. In preparation for the match, originally scheduled for November 2020 but postponed due to Covid-19 infections within the Reysol team, sensors measuring

the concentration of carbon dioxide were installed in 37 spots throughout the stadium to measure air stagnation and evaluate the effectiveness of ventilation. These investigations showed that there was essentially no air stagnation in the bleachers. However in other places where spectators gathered in large numbers over short periods of time, such as the washrooms and by the entrance gates, the concentration levels were higher, leading to further improvements. According to Kido, the key to holding future events on the scale of the Levain Cup final is making sure that both stadium and event organizers make appropriate use of what they have learned so far and continue to place sufficient emphasis on preventing infections. “Building on the insights we gained in January, we are working together with experts and event organizers to provide a better and safer experience for all spectators,” he says. “The specific measures that need to be taken

We are working together with experts to provide a better and safer experience for all spectators

vary by sport and event, and we do our best to share knowledge gained at past events with each organizer.” While Kido and his team are working toward reopening the stadium for largescale spectator events, the Japan Sport Council’s point man at the nation’s centerpiece venue is not one to rush things. “We recognize the concerns many still have about masses of people gathering in one place,” he underlines. “I think assuring people that they’ll be safe is paramount. While it isn’t possible to pack the stadium with 60,000 spectators right now, we offer video tours on our website that let people take a look inside from home.” When athletes can again take to the Japan National Stadium to deafening applause is unclear. But once that happens, it will be the result of an extraordinary team effort by sportspeople, scientists, officials, and administrators – and they will deserve the loudest ovation of all. A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

SPECTATOR SPORTS 2

GAMES

changer Keiichiro Yamamoto, Senior Manager of NEC talks to Kaori Hori about the potential of facial-recognition systems to save Tokyo’s Olympic and Paralympic Games

ince 1999, NEC Corporation has been leading the way in developing facial recognition systems. The company’s cutting-edge technology has been used worldwide for fighting crime, preventing fraud, and improving public safety and has ranked the best in the world five times in technical evaluations held by the United States’ National Institute of Standards and Technology. During the coronavirus pandemic, the system has been redeveloped to keep people safer. “NEC has provided an infection prevention and control solution in the form of facial recognition technology and thermal camera screening to five major airports in Hawaii,” says Keiichiro Yamamoto, Senior Manager of NEC. “We have also paired up with Star Alliance to offer a biometrics identity verification platform at Germany’s Frankfurt and Munich airports since November 2020.” When the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were delayed until 2021, many wondered if the Games would need to be held without spectators or possibly cancelled altogether. Yamamoto believes that with the use of facial recognition technology Tokyo’s summer of sport can go ahead safely. “The challenge for the committee is how to implement sufficient infection prevention and control measures in order to create a safe environment while maintaining the level of hospitality that will make people want to attend,” says Yamamoto. “Through the use of NEC’s facial recognition system,

Social distancing is another proven method for reducing the transmission of the virus. It’s a difficult feat in a sports stadium with thousands of spectators moving around, but NEC can help. “We have created a system for real-time monitoring of congestion levels around kiosks and washrooms,” says Yamamoto. “The system will also detect when the congestion of a monitored area reaches a critical level and guide staff members to it so that they can prevent crowds from forming. In addition, technology for directly informing attendees of congestion via their phones is under consideration.” 3

Mask detection

Throughout the world, the wearing of facial coverings has shown to reduce coronavirus transmission rates, so it is important to ensure that individuals wear masks in congested areas. NEC’s system will ensure that everyone in the Olympic stadium complies with the rules. “Via the use of telephoto cameras, we have made a system to detect people who are not wearing a mask,” explains Yamamoto. “A trial of the system was carried out in November 2020 at Noevir Stadium KOBE. Staff members were dispatched to encourage the wearing of masks after their non-use was detected by the system.”

Unmanned reception desks

To reduce congestion in stadiums and eliminate bottlenecks, NEC is creating systems that lower the number of staff on site. The starting point is the media reception desk. “By using facial recognition technology for members of the media who have pre-registered, their entrance to a stadium can be performed in a smoother, contactless manner,” says Yamamoto. “The use of thermal camera screening will add a further level of protection, warning of those displaying a high temperature.” 4

and other innovations, both of these goals can be made a reality.” Here Yamamoto outlines how NEC, which is a Gold Partner of Tokyo 2020, plans to help ensure safe stadiums this summer.

Congestion monitoring

Faster payments

To avoid queues at kiosks, NEC has been devising a contactless payment system. “Since 2020, a facial recognition system has been implemented for the payment of food and sale of merchandise at home games of NEC’s women’s volleyball team, the Red Rockets,” says Yamamoto. “Once registered, attendees no longer need to take out their wallets for payment nor show their membership cards for discounts. Sales have actually increased since the system’s implementation.” 5

Contactless lounge access

“By registering their facial information upon arrival at a stadium, VIPs can access their premium members-only lounge without the need of staff to check their credentials,” says Yamamoto. “In addition, a personalized welcome message can be shown on large digital signs. This functions both as hospitality for the attendees and as a measure to limit contact with staff to a minimum.” A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

DIGITAL SOCIETY

ENGINEERING A BETTER

tomorrow

screen to change color based on whether or not your mind is being stimulated. “There are many brain training programs out there, but we wanted to provide something that would help Japan’s aging population,” says Kawashita. “Cognitive function training not only staves off dementia, but can improve work performance, study efficiency for students, and even intelligence.” active-brain-club.com

LOVOT

When we think of the role of robots, we usually imagine them doing arduous human tasks, to Three Japanese welltech innovations spare us the time looking to improve the way we all live and tedium of a GUIDE: AYA HASEGAWA job that could be automated. But LOVOT, designed can join free sessions on LiveRun, while a by robotics startup LiveRun monthly fee of ¥1,000 is required to join Groove X, is designed Club Member Sessions. LiveRun offers to do nothing but show LOVOT seven to ten sessions a day, with activities us love. “We have used like running, walking, yoga and strength technology not to improve training. “Exercise is one of the best ways convenience or efficiency, but to to enhance people’s health. The issue is enhance levels of comfort and feelings to keep people motivated,” says Takada. of love,” says Groove X CEO Kaname “It can be boring to go on a 30-minute Hayashi. “Our goal is simple: to create a running session alone. We thought hard robot that makes you happy.” about how to keep people motivated to Each LOVOT – a portmanteau exercise habitually. Our solution was to of love and robot – is equipped with provide a sense of community, a gamea microphone, a 360° camera, and like feeling of entertainment, and an ease thermographic sensors to identify whether of joining from any location. Users feel they are facing a human or an object. Call he coronavirus pandemic has like they are taking part in an your LOVOT’s name and it accelerated the pace of digital interactive radio show.” rolls to you for a hug. Hold it transformation around the in your arms, and it feels warm. liverunapp.com world and led to the rise of Tickle it, and it laughs. “With Active Brain Club so-called ‘welltech’ – wellness technological advances we have The man behind the 2005 technology. Here, three leading Japanese seen a growing gap between Nintendo DS hit ‘Brain Age: tech firms explain how they hope to help our lifestyles and our emotional Train Your Brain in Minutes people’s mental and physical health. engagement and sense of a Day!’ is back with another satisfaction. LOVOT was made LiveRun innovative item of mind-gym to help bridge that gap,” says Imagine your own personal trainer technology. Inspired by research Hayashi. Each LOVOT, which providing words of encouragement directly showing that brain function costs ¥318,000 plus additional Active Brain Club into your ear as you exercise – that’s the decreases after adolescence, Dr. monthly maintenance costs, idea behind LiveRun, the world’s first live Ryuta Kawashita, a professor at Tohoku is unique with customizable eyes, voices commentary workout app. “Participants University who has been researching the and features. According to the developers, can join the session from their desired brain for 30 years, has helped develop the LOVOTs remember interactions with location and begin running simultaneously Active Brain Club, a micro brain activity people, allowing for relationships to when it’s time to start,” explains LiveRun’s sensor and app. Join the club and you’ll develop organically. Since first shipping CEO Tomoyuki Takada. “The trainer receive a brain activity sensor and phone in December 2019 LOVOT has spread provides running tips and broadcasts realapp to measure the activity of your brain an awful lot of love and there is currently time status of the leaderboard based on the and give it a workout. The ultra-light a three-month waiting list for new distance participants cover, saying things sensor, which uses weak near-infrared light customers. It’s clearly getting lots of like ‘A is currently running in first place’ or to measure changes in blood flow to detect love back. ‘B is set to beat their personal best’.” People brain activity, triggers your smartphone groove-x.com

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inya Tagawa has built a global reputation on predicting the future and designing solutions for it. Takram, the design agency he co-founded, is the creative force behind an eclectic range of products, from interactive art to software. And Tagawa has won plaudits for diverse innovations such as Tagtype, a ten-button keyboard device for Japanese characters that was initially developed for disabled novelist Ransei Eto, and which now sits in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art. He’s also the brains behind Afterglow, a type of laser drawing system, and he designed the user interface for Toyota’s NS4, an earlygeneration hybrid car. The coronavirus pandemic, meanwhile, has led him to consider a new design project, a new future and a new set of solutions. He now seeks the answer to a key question: how do we rewire the way we work?

DIGITAL SOCIETY

WORKING

smarter Kinya Tagawa, head of international design agency Takram, shares his plans for a new world of work with Io Kawauchi

Individuals will design the way they work “Our company had already fully shifted to remote work from the middle of February last year, over two months before the first state of emergency was announced [in Japan]. Not much was known about the coronavirus at the time, and there was a lot of fear about what would happen next, so we had all colleagues work strictly by remote. When we first started working fully by remote, most team members felt that their homes were more comfortable, and they loved it. There was even a sense that it might be better to not go to the office anymore.”

But the office is not dead...

KEISUKE TANIGAWA

“After about three months, however, everyone grew tired of working from home, and we found that people’s productivity and wellbeing had suffered. A few studies have shown that the tendency we saw at our company was occurring at others, too. There were also many other issues with working primarily online, such as how to foster trusting relationships between team members who work in groups, as well as the challenge of onboarding new members.”

So, the future is hybrid working “What we learned from this is that it is not a binary issue of working from the A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

“If every individual seeks to work in the way that’s most comfortable for them, then teamwork may become impossible. So, I plan to ask team members to aim for both what’s best for them and what’s best for everyone else. The organization will decide minimal guidelines, and simply ask colleagues whether they can explain why their judgment is beneficial to both themselves and their colleagues. The person who ultimately decides whether the work style is good on both fronts will be the colleague. If they put ‘me’ ahead of ‘we’ too much and cause inconvenience, then they will pick up on that fact from those around them. The colleague can then make adjustments accordingly. “This is connected in spirit to the DX [digital transformation] that Japanese companies need to push toward. When people hear DX, they might imagine a change from analog operations to digital operations, but that’s only what’s on the surface ... What is the essence of DX? I believe it is empowering colleagues. In management and organization theory, the fundamentals of empowerment are often said to be successfully securing transparency of information and the transference of authority. With digital tools, it’s easy to share information and grant authority.”

JAPAN UNLOCKED

“When work is concentrated online, the time spent working alone increases for everyone. I’m conscious of the need to maintain relationships when people don’t feel so free to chat socially to each other. Working online has the side effect that everything becomes very purposeful. Zoom has this metaphor of a meeting room, but really digital spaces are like conference rooms, without the margins and free spaces of an office. We need to

Japan and the world are right in the middle of an extraordinarily massive shift at this moment... coronavirus has opened a one-way door with no turning back

make a conscious effort to revive that. The question of how to create room for non-purposeful conversation in the online work experience is a very important one.”

The design of the future will eliminate the button “Since the spread of the coronavirus, there has been what I call the ‘redefining of the doorknob’. Until recently, doorknobs were something everyone would touch without hesitating, but now we are all more aware of the danger of contamination, and as a result attachments have appeared for opening doors with your elbows and legs. When the sense of crisis around infection has really taken root, there won’t be any more buttons on ticket machines or elevators. It will all be contactless. I think things will be 3 designed in such a way that the user interface will be incorporated into an individual’s smartphone,

and the smartphone and public facilities will just interact together. “Offices were invented between around 1800 and 1850, so they’ve only been around for 200 years or so. When mass production began in the first industrial revolution, clocks became popular to increase efficiency, while rules for clocking in and out also appeared. As a way of working, offices originated in mass production. Present pandemicinduced constraints, combined with the fruits of the third industrial revolution – the IT revolution – will bring about the reinvention of the workspace.”

No one is sure what change is coming, but there will be no turning back “After a natural disaster occurs, we soon enter a period of recovery, but with coronavirus, the number of infected people rises and falls, swinging back and forth like a pendulum. There appears to be no end in sight, and the impact is totally unlike any natural disaster. Moreover, we can expect the strain of the economic blow caused by the pandemic to emerge three or four years down the road. That is what happened after the 2008 financial crisis. In this sense, Japan and the world are right in the middle of an extraordinarily massive shift at this moment. Whether to try to endure the storm and maintain the status quo or to ride the wave and take it as an opportunity to change oneself depends on the individual, the organization, and the values of society as a whole. But the only certainty is that coronavirus has opened a one-way door with no turning back.”

l Kinya Tagawa’s Tagtype can be seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York

PRODUCT DESIGN: SHUNJI YAMANAKA (LEADING EDGE DESIGN) SOFTWARE DESIGN: JUN HOMMA (FLX STYLE) PHOTOGRAPH: YUKIO SHIMIZU

And that can empower colleagues …

One of the biggest hurdles to overcome in this new world of work will be loneliness

TAGTYPE: PROJECT LEAD: KINYA TAGAWA (TAKRAM)

office or working from home. The issue is more layered and complex than that. Comfort, for instance, is closely tied to an individual’s biorhythm and the season, and even if one grows tired of working from home and goes to the office, a packed train is sure to be uncomfortable, and commuting itself increases the risk of infection. Also, the assumption that we will commute to the office limits the areas we can live in. “We have had lively discussions within the company about what would become of offices moving forward, and what the ideal styles of working and living are. As a result, we are now talking about how to give our team members the freedom to choose where they work and more flexibility with their working hours. More specifically, I think it might be possible to bring it to a point where each individual designs and curates their own work style. Everyone has to think for themselves about what their ideal work style is in the coronavirus and post-coronavirus era.”

TRAVEL

TALKING

travel Hiroyuki Fushitani, Tomoe Makino and Takahiro Saito discuss the future of Japan’s tourism industry

he coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented changes to the way we travel, but does the crisis offer an opportunity for Japan to rethink its tourism industry? In February 2021 a special meeting was held between three leading figures from the travel and entertainment industries to discuss what comes next. Here is an edited transcript of that conversation.

The panel

Hiroyuki Fushitani: President of Time Out Tokyo and Representative Director of the Japan Organization for Regional Globalization

Tomoe Makino: Japan Tourism Bureau (JNTO) Digital Strategy Advisor and Representative Director of the Foundation for Meta Tourism

CHANTAL LIM/UNSPLASH

Takahiro Saito: Lawyer and Representative Director of the Japan Nighttime Economy Association Hiroyuki Fushitani: For the past few years, I have been working with Mr. Saito, Mr. Makino, and others to figure out how to improve tourism, but nothing could have prepared us for the events of 2020.

Takahiro Saito: The Japan Tourism Agency was established in 2008 when the decision was made to promote tourism as one of the key pillars of the economy. The weak yen and the easing of visa rules helped increase the number of foreign visitors to Japan fivefold between 2009 and 2019, but then the coronavirus pandemic came along… Fushitani: Before the coronavirus, we were experiencing ‘over-tourism’ in places like Kyoto, with too many people visiting one place, which caused trouble for residents. When people start traveling to Japan after the pandemic, will Japanese people think of tourism as a benefit to their lives? Tomoe Makino: Tourism in Japan so far has mostly used a maximalist stance, where a single element, like a castle in Kyoto, would attract a million people. My idea is to shift to ‘meta-tourism’. We need to turn less well-known places into tourist attractions. Historic sites, Instagrammable spots, movie locations, pilgrimage destinations for anime fans… Metatourism doesn’t need to be large scale. If you can think of 100 things that each attract 10,000 people, you get a million visitors in total.

time economy could be really attractive for foreign tourists. For the past two years, the Agency has been working to encourage more night-time activity, but due to the pandemic, the night-time economy itself has disappeared. It will need help to recover in the right way. It’s a field in which culture is born and where new value is created. If we focus only on numbers, we will just end up creating a lot of standardized, mass-tourism products. But is that the only value of nightlife? Fushitani: It comes down to what kind of society and values we want to emphasize. We need to move away from the travel agency-led mass tourism of past decades and let individuals think and travel on their own. It’s not just about seeing the sights – it’s about experiencing the culture and having it impact your own life. Makino: Meta-tourism will increase our options. It will become possible for 100 people to travel for 100 different purposes. Fushitani: I feel like the development you described is what enriches our lives. A steady stream of visitors can make sustainable tourism possible. The Japan Organization for Regional Globalization, which I recently established, aims to help regions appeal internationally while retaining what makes each area special. Saito: The Japan most foreign tourists have seen until now is only one hundredth of this country. After the pandemic, I think people will really be able to experience what’s great about Japan.

Fushitani: Mr. Saito, you helped open up new possibilities for night-time tourism by easing the restrictions of Japan’s Entertainment Control Act, right? Saito: The Japan Tourism Agency gradually began to think that the night-

l Fushimi Inari, Kyoto. The city suffered from over-tourism before the pandemic A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

TRAVEL

UNLOCK

Tohoku Five ways to savor an area bouncing back from disaster GUIDE: NORIKO MANIWA AND MATTHEW LEE

en years have passed since the disaster of 11th March 2011 and the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake continue to make progress. The resilience and dedication the people of Tohoku have demonstrated by overcoming hardships and rebuilding their lives is a source of inspiration to many. A key part of the rebuilding project involved reopening Tohoku to tourists and ensuring that visitors can fully enjoy this captivating part of Japan. From new museums and memorials to pioneering restaurants and sake breweries, many local initiatives have been created to help tourists get to know the treasures of the region. Here are our highlights…

Experience the unique folklore of the coastal region Rias Ark Museum of Art

Rias Ark Museum of Art, 138-5 Akaiwa Makisawa, Kesennuma-shi, Miyagi prefecture rias-ark.sakura.ne.jp/2/en 0226 24 1611 9.30am–5pm (Last entry 4.30pm). Closed Mon & Tue, and day after hols except Sat & Sun. ¥500, university students ¥400, high school students ¥300, elementary and junior high school students ¥150.

Rias Ark Museum of Art

You’ll need a good few hours if you’re going to take in all the art and artifacts at this popular museum located high in the hills above Kesennuma. While the exhibitions on regional folklore and local coastal life are fascinating, if you’re pressed for time you should head straight to the first floor exhibition on

the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Centered around poignant pieces of debris and wreckage from the disaster, it’s an intensely emotional experience, with the everyday items on display such as broken children’s toys and destroyed refrigerators giving a sense of the devastation wreaked upon people’s lives. The subtle, sensitive curation and the photos taken by locals do a fantastic job of conveying the enormous physical and emotional toll experienced in the aftermath of tragedy.

UNLOCK THE REAL JAPAN

Remember and help rebuild Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum & Takata Matsubara Memorial Park

This memorial site is a place for contemplation, remembrance and sharing the lessons learned from the 2011 disaster. Located at a picturesque spot on the coast of Rikuzentakata, a city almost completely

Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum & Takata Matsubara Memorial Park

destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami, the museum’s mission statement is to warn future generations about what went wrong in 2011 and work towards, in its words, “a society that is strong against natural disasters”. Over its four zones – ‘tracing history’, ‘learning the facts’, ‘learning lessons’ and ‘moving towards reconstruction together’ – visitors will learn about the background to the disaster, get a sense of what it was like living here in the aftermath, and better understand what can be done to protect lives in the future. Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum & Takata Matsubara Memorial Park, 180 Dotekage, Kesencho, Rikuzentakata-shi, Iwate prefecture iwate-tsunami-memorial.jp/en 0192 47 4455 9am–5pm daily (Last entry 4.30pm). Free entry.

Michinoku Coastal Trail

Hike along the Sanriku coastline

Michinoku Coastal Trail

Enjoy exciting French cuisine HAGI French Restaurant

Connecting Hachinohe in Aomori Chef Harumoto Hagi leaves no stone prefecture with Soma in Fukushima unturned in his efforts to offer fresh, prefecture, this mind-blowingly gorgeous local and seasonal food to his customers. 1,000km-long coastal trail has been The owner of this brilliant farm-to-table garnering a fair amount of attention inside French restaurant regularly travels around and outside of Japan for years. Named the prefecture, meeting local farmers, after the ancient term for Tohoku, before settling on his lunch and the Michinoku Coastal Trail evening menus for the day. takes in the stunning A tireless advocate for the rock formations on region’s food-makers, Jodogahama Beach, the Chef Hagi can often mountain ridges near be found on social Onagawa, the charming media extolling cats of Miyagi, and the Fukushima’s produce, colossal ancient trees which he believes is of Hashikami, although as good as anything that’s barely scratching else the country has the surface. For much to offer. But most of HAGI French Restaurant of the route, you can soak the time he’s found in the up majestic views of the Pacific kitchen of his compact, cozy Ocean stretching towards the horizon. restaurant, cooking up the kind of If you don’t have at least a month and bold, innovative Franco-Japanese a half in which to tackle the path in its cuisine that visitors to Fukushima will entirety, head to the official website of remember for a long time after their the Michinoku Trail Club (see below) final bite. for a selection of recommended shorter HAGI French Restaurant, trails. There are several train stations and 171-10 Onigoe, airports situated along the route, so it’s Uchigomidaisakaimachi, Iwaki-shi, easy for visitors to tackle shorter segments Fukushima prefecture – and dream of conquering the entire hagi-france.com 1,000km in the future. 0246 26 5174 Michinoku Trail Club m-tc.org

Lunch from 12noon, dinner from 6.30pm daily. Reservations required.

Sample world-conquering sake Suehiro Shuzo Kaeigura In operation since 1850, the Suehiro Shuzo Kaeigura sake brewery in Aizuwakamatsu, Fukushima prefecture, is a fantastic place for visitors to sample a drink that has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries. When the brewery is open (check for possible Covid-19 closures) it runs tours that allow guests to observe the traditional sake brewing process. It’s a memorable experience: the wooden brewery, built between 1892 and 1922, boasts the traditional orbs made from cedar leaves seen at sake breweries for centuries, but Suehiro Shuzo Kaeigura looks to the future as well as the past for inspiration – all the latest sake-brewing technology can be observed here. Its signature Yamahai Junmai Ginjo Suehiro, which can be purchased at the onsite shop, was served to world leaders at the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019, and under the steady guidance of Shinjo Inokichi, its seventh generation president, the brewery now exports its drinks throughout the world. Suehiro Shuzo Kaeigura, 12-38 Nisshinmachi, Aizuwakamatsu-shi, Fukushima prefecture sake-suehiro.jp 0242 27 0002 9am-5pm daily. Free entry. Suehiro Shuzo Kaeigura

A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

EDUCATION

CHANGING

schools Akihiro Arai and Tetsuhiro Arai from the Konosu City Board of Education explain to Kaori Hori the need for a quantum leap in Japan’s classrooms

apan’s twentieth century ‘economic miracle’ was built on education. Within four decades, Japan’s education system went from the ruins of war to outperforming most in the world. High school attendance rose from 43% to almost 100%. University attendance went from 10 percent to almost half the population. These graduates went on to found some of Japan’s biggest companies and turbocharge its economy. Yet despite being ranked as one of the best education systems in the world by the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) benchmark, there’s a worry that Japan’s education system is falling behind in the 21st century. “Many Japanese people are worried that high student performance might no longer translate into success in business and in life,” wrote Andreas Schleicher, a special advisor on education policy at the OECD Directorate for

Education and Skills, in a recent report looking at the future of Japanese education. “Where, they ask, are our Nobel Prize winners? Where are the people with the kinds of breakthrough ideas that could create a new Microsoft or Apple, or even a new Sony or Nikon, or give rise to whole new industries to harness Japan’s brilliance in robotics?” One explanation is that, whilst Japan remains synonymous with technological progress for many around the world, its education system has focused more on traditional methods with very little tech found inside the classroom. In an attempt to combat this, at the end of 2019 the Japanese government launched its Global and Innovation Gateway for All (GIGA) program to try and spark a technology revolution in its Akihiro Arai

classrooms. Over $2 billion was allocated with the aim of making sure every pupil had access to a tablet or a computer that was connected to a comprehensive teaching network. A few months after it was announced, the world was rocked by the global Covid-19 pandemic. But that didn’t hold back one local government body, the Konosu City Board of Education in Saitama prefecture, which has taken the idea and run with it. In 2020 the board announced that its entire Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure will be plugged into the cloud, and promised a computer for every student and teacher at Konosu city’s 27 schools. “ICT is now available at home, work, and in the city but still remains overwhelmingly rare at schools,” says Konosu City Board of Education member Tetsuhiro Arai. As Arai explains, most classrooms still rely on the old method of a teacher writing on a blackboard, with pupils copying lessons down. “The only thing that has changed in the look of a Japanese classroom since the Taisho era [which ended in 1926] is the clothes being worn,” he says. “Are we OK with things remaining as they are?” This plan, which the board has dubbed “Like Pencils and Paper” and is being designed by educational infrastructure experts Uchida Yoko Co., Ltd, isn’t just about getting computers into the classroom, but also creating a secure network that allows pupils and children to share almost every facet of school life online, including teaching, homework and grades. The sensitive data will be handled by directly connecting the Science Information Network (SINET) with Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing system. “Our plan’s highlight is the fully cloud operational concept, allowing children to learn anytime, anywhere,” says fellow board member Akihiro Arai. “This is the first time Japan has seen such an endeavor from the Board of Education.” A pilot scheme began in five Konosu city schools at the start of 2021. It will take time for the ideas to percolate through Japan’s school system. If it’s a success, it will likely be followed by other local education boards. But Konosu city has a head start. Perhaps the next Google, Netflix or Apple, will trace its birth back to here, rather than San Tetsuhiro Arai Francisco. A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

EDUCATION and are worried about embarrassing themselves by making mistakes. The use of avatars lowers those psychological hurdles. VR learning has the potential to encourage students to speak – which, after all, is the only way to improve your English. It’s really important to make learning fun.

A DIFFERENT

class

Kentaro Sugawa and Yoshihisa Tomonaga, directors of Global Sky Education, talk to Io Kawauchi about how virtual reality could help reshape Japan’s education system

ike most other countries in the world, Japan’s education system has been significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with classrooms closed and teaching carried out in the digital world. This has led to the emergence of virtual reality (VR) learning services, including those provided by Global Sky Education. We sat down with Kentaro Sugawa and Yoshihisa Tomonaga, the company’s directors, to find out what opportunities VR technology opens up for education.

KISA TOYOSHIMA

In November 2020, you launched Virtual Global Gateway, an experiencebased VR service for learning English. How was this service developed? Sugawa: When the pandemic forced education online Tokyo Global Gateway (TGG) – a Odaiba-based startup that works with the Tokyo metropolitan government to provide English programs – came to us asking about a virtual realitybased language learning service. They said ‘We really need this now!’, so we helped TGG develop Virtual Global Gateway (VGG) as a joint project. It’s fantastic to see the impact it has had.” Virtual Global Gateway lets learners experience a wide range of scenes – from airport immigration to a restaurant and a European city street – in virtual reality. Why develop such a sophisticated program? Sugawa: Online learning has become the new normal during the pandemic, but seeing your teacher and classmates’ faces

l Global Sky Education’s Virtual Global Gateway in action

in rows on Zoom is different from real life; you could try role-playing an airport immigration scene all you want, but it wouldn’t feel real. With VR, on the other hand, you get the feeling of being there. You organized a VR prototype class at Kanazawa University. How did the students respond? Tomonaga: The students participated much more actively than we had expected. I think this is because they use avatars, 3 characters representing themselves, to Kentaro Sugawa enter the VR world. Many Japanese people are not used to speaking English

Do you think VR lessons could be of use outside of language learning too? Tomonaga: Of course. In February 2021, we taught a VR class to students with developmental disorders at the Tokyo Gakugei University special-needs school. A large part of teaching children with developmental disorders is having them experience everyday situations outside of the classroom, but that has become difficult to do during the pandemic. With VR, we could give a virtual class in things like buying everyday items. Our scenario recreated the experience of paying at a register so the students could get used to that situation. Practicing with VR helped them gain the confidence they needed. With all the advances we’re seeing with VR, will real-world education still retain its importance? Sugawa: I think we’ll see a hybrid of real-life and virtual reality education, since there are some things you just can’t achieve with digital technology, no matter how advanced. Tomonaga: With VR, you get to choose from so many different worlds. You get to pick the scenarios you’re excited about and what you learn will hopefully be of use in the real world. It’s important to remember that VR education is merely a bridge to something else. After our VR class at Kanazawa University, many students said the experience had made them excited about actually traveling overseas. The great thing about VR learning is that it can help you realize how important experiences that engage the senses and further Yoshihisa Omnipollos Tomonaga Tokyo communication really are. It shouldn’t – and won’t – replace real-world experiences. A SPECIAL MAGAZINE BY NIKKEI ASIA

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

ETIQUETTE GUIDE:

SAVOR JAPANESE CULTURE DIGITALLY Good etiquette is all about understanding other cultures, but it’s difficult to develop cultural awareness when travel is restricted. To help make the right impression when you finally reach Japan, take a crash-course on the country’s culture from the comfort of your own laptop GUIDE: MARCUS WEBB

Watch the cherry blossom bloom

Master Japanese business

Spring is the prettiest time of year in Tokyo as cherry blossoms, or sakura, turn pockets of the city a beautiful shade of blushing pink. The ongoing pandemic has meant that hanami (flower-viewing parties) are going virtual, meaning anyone can join in. Instead of hosting one of Tokyo’s largest cherry blossom festivals, the banks of Chidorigafuchi Moat are instead being live streamed on YouTube. If you want to really steep yourself in the season, Weather News (weathernews.jp/s/sakura/vr/index. html) has compiled a list of the best videos of previous bloomings, including virtual reality options so immersive you can almost smell the pollen.

Learn to speak ‘crazy Japanese’

Learning Japanese is an intimidating undertaking that involves three different alphabets, a mix of formal and casual grammar rules, and a mastery of pitch levels that would flummox Mariah Carey. To help make learning fun, Fuji Television has released ‘Mind Blowing Tips! Crazy Japanese Lessons’ (fujitv. com/whats-new/crazyjapaneselessons), a free series of two-minute videos each featuring a new ‘crazy’ phrase that can be used in everyday conversation. Hosted by comedian Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, the lessons cover everything from insults to expressing your heart’s desires, and are so laugh-out-loud funny, you’ll forget that you’re improving your language skills along the way.

UNLOCK THE REAL JAPAN

If you want to do serious business in Japan, you’ll need to understand what makes the country’s companies tick. Online learning company edX’s business leadership course (edx. org/course/japanese-businessmanagement) will do just that. Under the careful instruction of Professor Jusuke J.J. Ikegami from Waseda University, you’ll learn about some of the biggest and most enduring Japanese brands, such as Toyota and Softbank, as well as their management styles, business strategies, and performance over the past few decades. All from your executive seat on the couch.

Become a master chef

Bentoya Cooking (bentoyacooking. com), is an English-language Japanese cooking school in Tokyo that has temporarily moved online via Zoom, meaning you can join in from anywhere in the world. Students learn to master a range of Japanese staples including soy sauce ramen, rolled sushi, bento boxes, and okonomiyaki – but with a twist: all of the recipes are vegan. Private classes cost ¥4,400, which include a 90-minute lesson and a recipe to help you re-create the meal yourself. Profits are donated to a Japanese organization supporting orphaned children and families with financial difficulties, making Bentoya’s dishes the ultimate comfort food.

Take a virtual tour of a museum

Just because you aren’t able to travel to Japan doesn’t mean you can’t visit some of its greatest museums and art galleries. Some of the country’s cultural institutions have teamed up with Google to put their exhibits online. You can take a virtual saunter through the 150-year-old Tokyo National Museum (artsandculture.google.com/ partner/tokyo-national-museum), the excellent Yamatane Museum of Art (artsandculture.google.com/partner/ yamatane-museum) or the quirky Sand Museum (artsandculture.google. com/partner/the-sand-museum) and its impressive collection of sand sculptures. All will leave you desperate to book a ticket and make your way to the country as soon as conditions allow.