Cool Japan: Housing

 ■Cool Japan: Housing

NHK Cool Japan: The "Housing" episode.

The importance of "staying at home" has become paramount due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to one survey, more than 70% of Japanese people said they have spent more time at home in the past year.

Furthermore, more than 60% of people said that their stress levels have increased as a result of spending more time at home.

Is the home where we spend so much time comfortable? Are Japanese homes cool?

"Storage"

In the past, Japanese homes had fewer possessions and furniture.

Storage space was limited, so a wardrobe was part of the bride's trousseau.

As we became wealthier, we accumulated more possessions. We started showing them off, and things became chaotic.

These days, it's actually considered smarter to keep your home tidy.

Furthermore, the coronavirus pandemic has increased the amount of time I spend at home.

I'm currently re-evaluating my family's lifestyle from a hardware perspective.

"Share house"

This is a row house from the Edo period.

A lifestyle where wells, tools, and food are all shared within a single town.

In the modern era, life became centered around the workplace, and communities became more fragmented.

For generations that have grown accustomed to smartphone sharing services, a lifestyle of sharing and living together in a relaxed and enjoyable way has become natural.

with the decrease in person-to-person interaction due to the COVID-19 pandemic , I think this is a lifestyle worth paying attention to.

"Subscription"

Subscriptions are familiar to the smartphone generation.

I think that working from home during the coronavirus pandemic is less about forcing people to stay indoors and more about giving them the freedom to be wherever and whenever they want.

An era where people can live anywhere. A service that anticipates this.

In Japan, the problem of vacant houses is becoming serious due to an aging population and depopulation, and some estimates suggest that by 2033, approximately one in three houses will be vacant.

Furthermore, it serves as a means of matching people with new ways of working and living.

This could be seen as a more accessible way to revitalize a region than relocating, and it's likely to attract attention.

"Traditional construction methods"

Currently, the mainstream method of house construction is the "pre-cut" method, where lumber is processed by machines rather than by the hands of craftsmen.

Because carpenters only need to assemble pre-processed lumber on-site, traditional construction methods like hand-cutting are steadily declining.

This program often shows foreigners struggling to preserve Japanese traditions, but I think we Japanese should realize the importance of the wisdom we have passed down through generations.

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Coronavirus, Ukraine, and the Future: Academic Conference @ iU

 ■Coronavirus, Ukraine, and the Future: Academic Conference @ iU

I am the chairman of the International Association for Public Economics (CIRIEC).

Its headquarters are in Belgium. It is an international academic network.

We held our first academic conference at iU . Welcome!

Symposium: "Coronavirus, Ukraine, and the Future."

"In recent years, the world has faced two challenges: COVID-19 and Ukraine."

While the virus threatened human lives and devastated the economy, it also spurred digital transformation, such as teleworking and distance education.

The 14th-century plague is considered a contributing factor to the Renaissance, but what will the 21st-century epidemic produce?

"The conflict initiated by Russia involves modern nations still engaging in infantry battles over territory, while also incorporating digital warfare such as cyberattacks and disinformation. And now, fighting is also erupting in Israel and Gaza."

The world has entered another period of war. What legacy will 21st-century warfare leave behind?

The coronavirus and Ukraine. This double challenge, a combination of natural and artificial factors, is a pivotal event marking the turning point of the era.

What kind of changes await us after we overcome these challenges?

Some will develop, grow, and become larger.

Some may decline, be suppressed, and become smaller.

How should we respond?

And what are the challenges that public economics faces?

Panelists

Hiroto Fujii, Mayor of Minokamo City

Monte Cassem, President of AIU (International Christian University)

Naoto Kikuchi CIRIEC Director

Hiroshi Osaki, Chairman of the Expo Organizing Committee

Professor Nanako Ishido, KMD

Kang Hanna

Professor Noriyuki Yanagawa, University of Tokyo

Shinichi Yamaguchi, Associate Professor, International University of Japan

Everyone has a completely different background.

Politics, cities, music, comedy, education, society, economics, the internet.

As expected, the comments were all over the place.

However , if we try to interpret it forcefully,

This change will continue (Osaki), the entrance (Yanagawa).

The impact of AI (Ishido and Yamaguchi) may, conversely, lead to a return to the nation and nature (Kang).

using a different yardstick than growth or evolution ( Osaki ), and requiring well-being (Yanagawa) and satisfaction indicators (Yamaguchi).

"Festivals" are important (Osaki), and micro-communities and connections with people are being re-evaluated (Yanagawa and Yamaguchi).

That's where it all came together.

However, what's important, on top of all that, is "gardening" (according to Osaki) and "romance" (according to Fujii).

That might be the case.

International public economics is a broad field of study that deals with macroeconomics.

However, when specialists gather together, a tendency towards tunnel vision comes into play.

Embrace big changes, break down assumptions, and focus on the micro.

I think this is very important right now. Thank you.

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iU President Gachon: Prof.Masaru Sugiyama

■iU President Gachon: Prof.Masaru Sugiyama

He is a professor at the University of Tokyo and the director of the RIKEN AIP Center. In other words, he is at the top of AI research in Japan.

It's amazing that he became the top leader at the age of 41, and the government that appointed him deserves credit for that .

◆ AI research in Japan

There are a certain number of brilliant people conducting world-class research. However, their numbers are small, and the pool of talent is thin.

The RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project will continue basic research for 10 years, but to do so, we need a solid team of talented people. Therefore, we invite researchers not only from within Japan but also from overseas.

◆Singularity

It cannot be said that the era when AI surpasses human capabilities will not come. Indeed, AI is already surpassing humans in various aspects. We are in the midst of the beginning of the singularity.

◆Gap between researchers and users

Researchers enjoy developing technology because they understand its inner workings. On the other hand, ordinary users worry that their data is being collected without their knowledge, that they are being monitored, or that they will be controlled by AI. This gap is difficult to bridge. I would like to explain this from the perspective of a researcher.

◆ Let's make use of our technology

I personally like working in isolation. I'm comfortable working alone from home. That's fine when I'm developing technology, but when it comes to actually getting people to use it, I need to communicate with various people around me. I want to convey the possibilities to many people and connect them to actual applications, even if only a little.

◆ Research Institutes and Universities

RIKEN is a research institute, so it's mainly staffed by postdoctoral researchers who have earned their doctorates. Universities, on the other hand, are mainly staffed by graduate and undergraduate students. The age range and the degree to which research is dominated by different groups are different. There is value in doing both. If you do it right, you can get the best of both worlds.

◆Today's students

They are always excellent. Today's students know a wide range of things. They possess knowledge that we don't have, so we can learn from them.

◆ Working with companies

It's fun. Universities have students, RIKEN has researchers from public institutions, and companies have lots of people with the drive to actually turn that into a business. When you go there, you're just a newbie in your first year. You get all sorts of stimulation. You learn from that and use it as the seed for basic research.

◆Time Management

It depends on the time. My main job is at a university and research institute, so I only act as a corporate advisor in my spare time.

◆Student days

I didn't have a particularly fulfilling student life. I didn't really like school. I studied in class to some extent, but nothing more, nothing less. I spent my time at home playing on computers and video games. I'm from the Famicom generation. Programming came naturally as a result of that.

◆The reason I decided to pursue a career as a researcher

Without any hesitation, I chose information engineering. However, once I entered university, programming suddenly became less enjoyable. I didn't study very hard during university.

In my fourth year, I joined a research lab studying mathematical theory. I had a great professor, and working with him there made me realize how interesting it all was. After entering graduate school, I started researching machine learning. That's when I finally understood the meaning of coming to university. As an undergraduate, I thought I was done with studying since I was just attending lectures, but as a graduate student, I realized that output is what's required. That's when I understood that I had been studying in order to produce output. In my first year of graduate school, I realized how necessary it was, so I started attending first and second-year undergraduate classes. That's when I first found it interesting.

◆Motivation to learn

I'm trying my best to convey to first and second graders that even the seemingly boring math lessons they'll be taking are actually useful, but it's difficult.

◆Japanese Education

We're always adding things, wanting to do this and that. We need to subtract. Time is limited. Let them find something they love and enjoy studying it. We can create new things, but we can never destroy them.

◆A message for you

There's no need to rush. Life is long. You might feel anxious when you see young people who are very successful, but you can start new things even at 22, 30, or 40. Don't get discouraged; just enjoy it at your own pace. The world is constantly changing, so trying to keep up will be exhausting. It's important to focus on doing things that don't change much.

★Postscript

He apparently didn't study much at university. Then something clicked, and he rose to the top of academia and management at a young age. But he doesn't seem to give off any sense of gravitas . I admire him. Though, even if I admire him, I could never imitate him!

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My number one recommendation for a Kyoto book: Ken Ariga's "Kyoto"

■My number one recommendation for a Kyoto book: Ken Ariga's "Kyoto"

I've read all sorts of books about Kyoto, from history and culture to the Kyoto School of Studies, long-established businesses, and people who love or hate Kyoto, but this is the Kyoto book I would recommend as number one.

A senior alumnus of the Faculty of Economics at Kyoto University re-examines Kyoto's industry, culture, society, and infrastructure from the perspective of its modern development, based on applied economics.

This is a dense and insightful book.

There are stereotypes in books about Kyoto.

A town that is both old and new, represented by Nishijin weaving and companies like Nintendo and Kyocera.

The coexistence of conservatism and innovation. The contrast between closed-off, conservative societies and radical student movements/punk.

And then there's the sense of chosenness among the people of Kyoto and the disconnect from those outside the city.

This book will unravel its secrets. So that's how it is.

The conclusion, as stated in the final chapter, is that "Kyoto failed to achieve what Tokyo and Osaka did" because "the city and society of Kyoto could not completely break away from the cities and societies of the early modern period."

low mobility .

First, there's the outdated and closed-off nature of the heart of Kyoto.

The "rice field" district in central Kyoto is home to traditional industries such as Nishijin weaving.

The "townspeople," who are small and medium-sized self-employed individuals involved in handicrafts such as silk weaving, are the ones who hold society together.

This shows that while the culture is preserved, the economy is stagnant and hollowed out.

The area known as "田の字," or the district that supports the Gion Festival, is called the "former school district" of the Bancho Elementary School, which was established after the Meiji era.

The exclusive system of self-governance among the townspeople is depicted.

I live in the former school district of "Honnō Elementary School," where the burnt-down Honnō-ji Temple once stood.

I participated in the Gion Festival's "Kamakiri-yama" float procession as a former member of the Honno school district.

Until the Meiji era, Kami-Kyo, Naka-Kyo, and Shimo-Kyo wards were part of the city. Sakyo, Ukyo, Higashiyama, Kita, and Fushimi were outside the city, and low-income residents migrated to these areas.

Population trends since the modern era and the perception of regional divisions have also been analyzed.

The author's impression of the Shirakawa area around 1970 as a rural town inhabited by shabby old people resonates with me, as I spent my childhood in that region.

Meanwhile, industry grew in the suburbs and southwest.

High-tech companies such as Nintendo, Kyocera, Murata, Omron, and Nidec are located in the southwest and experienced rapid growth in the latter half of the Showa era.

These isolated companies, primarily B2B parts manufacturers with limited business relationships with other companies, have ventured into the global market.

Its location, due to its proximity to the Hanshin Industrial Zone and excellent transportation access, meant it was separated from central Kyoto.

In central Kyoto, people were cautious about market transactions, and the financial industry did not develop.

Kyoto Bank is the only bank headquartered in Kyoto. This is a difference from Osaka.

There is also a lack of venture capital firms, securities companies, and other entities that act as "guides to the market."

The city also has a weak incubation function, which the author calls a "cradle city."

Another characteristic is the lack of urban infrastructure.

It has particular peculiarities in its railway network.

While the city's streetcar system was abolished and subways were built to the east and west, the Keifuku and Eizan Electric Railway lines are essentially dead ends.

From Kyoto towards Osaka, there are the Keihan, Hankyu, Kintetsu, and JR lines, but the coordination between them is poor.

The city center is practically empty, while there's a lot of waste in the outward-facing areas.

We will also touch upon Japanese cuisine, particularly Kyoto cuisine, which has now become a central part of tourism.

Originally, Kyoto was known for its extravagant clothing and Osaka's extravagant food, but it wasn't a city of food.

A town with no fish and food that's too expensive for ordinary people.

I wonder if the emergence of restaurants like Osho and Tenkaippin was a reaction to that?

There's an interesting analysis using web data from sites like Tabelog that shows the majority of popular restaurants were founded this century.

The comparative analysis of Boston and Paris is also interesting.

Boston was an old industrial city centered on the textile industry, with universities such as MIT and Harvard concentrated there.

After its decline, it revived in the 1990s and beyond through strengthened incubation programs and urban redevelopment.

The finance and consulting industries, as well as the IT industry, are strong, and venture businesses are also thriving.

Insightful.

And Kyoto aims to be the city that comes closest to its ideal, which is Paris.

"A city of culture, art, and cutting-edge industry."

However, Paris's prosperity is also a mirror image of France's extreme centralization, and some argue that Kyoto has no chance of occupying a similar position.

Besides Kyoto and Tokyo, I've also lived in Boston and Paris.

Both cities are sister cities of Kyoto. Let's learn from our sister city.

Now, the two policy recommendations stand out.

First, the "rice field" district will be redeveloped to have two lanes.

Destroy the city center. It's reminiscent of Haussmann's redevelopment of Paris.

In addition to the circular subway system, the plan includes extending the expressway into the city and converting it to an underground expressway.

It's reminiscent of the redevelopment of Boston.

Bold.

It has also been pointed out that Kyoto lacked power within the central political system.

Finally, the topic of digital defeat will also be mentioned.

The loss of international competitiveness in the ICT sector is attributed to a failure of central government policy.

My ears hurt.

Furthermore, they are placing their hopes on creating a cluster of ICT companies that can rival Tokyo.

I too closed the book, feeling a sense of hope.

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Cool Japan: Motorcycles

■Cool Japan: Motorcycles

NHK Cool Japan: The "Motorcycle" episode.

All four of the world's major motorcycle manufacturers are Japanese.

Recognized for its high quality, it has achieved a global market share of 50%.

While the motorcycle itself is appealing, there's also a whole range of related cultures that can be called motorcycle culture.

"Various Motorcycles"

Motorcycles have developed in Japan because they are well-suited to the Japanese environment.

Due to the narrowness of the roads, it has been highly valued for practical purposes such as transportation and delivery.

In rural areas with limited public transportation, some universities and even some high schools allow students to commute by motorcycle.

Securing a parking space for a car is difficult, but a motorcycle doesn't take up much space.

This is likely why there's been an increase in the variety of motorcycles available to suit a wide range of uses and age groups.

Furthermore, this has given rise to a unique culture, which could be described as a form of "Galapagos syndrome," particularly in fashion.

Classic cars

When I was young, the epitome of cool things were electric guitars and motorcycles.

The motorcycle, in particular, was an integral part of the hero's character.

Moonlight Mask and Kamen Rider. I admire them.

However, things that made such loud noises were also symbols of delinquency. Biker gangs.

Even though I longed for it, it was expensive, and adults weren't allowed to do it, so I missed my chance.

Having grown up and let go of his children, the uncle rekindled his old dream and once again embraced motorcycles.

"Police motorcycle"

In Japan, where roads are narrow and winding, police motorcycles are effective for enforcing speed limits.

In Japan, where there are many mountain roads and fallen trees during disasters, the role of off-road units is highly anticipated.

A cool vehicle that zooms along at high speed.

On the other hand, the image of police motorcycles these days is that of people leading marathons and ekiden (long-distance relay races).

It runs slowly and steadily, ensuring safety. A gentle presence.

Recently, the number of female members has increased and they are playing an active role.

They're cool and kind. The role of motorcycle police officers is also expanding.

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Arizona State University, making its first appearance.

■Arizona State University, making its first appearance.

Low and sparsely covered with cacti, Arizona's Phoenix is a place for that.

Sunday morning, quiet. Lots of homeless people .

The Diamondbacks must be disappointed after losing to the Rangers 4-1 in the World Series.

growing city that's ranked 5th in the US .

TSMC is apparently setting up a factory there. I wonder if everyone will become rich like in Hsinchu City.

The whole town is filled with Arizona State University (ASU) buildings.

It has six campuses and 50,000 students. It is considered a world leader in online learning.

Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson, and Kate Spade all grew up there.

They filled the area with universities, which improved public safety and even reduced the number of homeless people.

So, it's a city development project centered around a university.

Thunderbird School of Global Management.

It maintains its No. 1 ranking in the US for international management, innovation, and other areas.

It's advertised everywhere as being superior to MIT and Stanford.

It is a prestigious MBA program with a 75-year history, which was merged into ASU in 2014.

I had an in-depth conversation with President Sajeev Khagram.

Global, digital, and innovation are our guiding principles.

We are developing and implementing a digital environment that could be called the "school of the future."

're making it themselves . Amazing.

LED 360-degree immersive video classroom, VR learning, and digital tables for action learning.

There are no traditional classes; instead, we use video-on-demand (VOD) and workshops.

Right?

They've also created a digital twin, and it's capable of metaverse learning.

You can learn just as much, if not more, than you would on campus, no matter where you are.

Right?

In reality, we have offices in Moscow and Geneva.

So, they want to open an Asian school in Tokyo.

President Khagram suggested, "Why don't we do that at iU ?"

Thank you for choosing me.

Let me show you another good thing.

I was then taken to the Media Immersive eXperience (MIX) Centre at the Sydney-Poitiers Film School of ASU.

This film school utilizes cutting-edge Hollywood studio environments, such as theater-like classrooms where 8K projections are shown while editing, and 360-degree immersive labs .

Video production, media technology, game development, and incubation.

It opened in the fall of 2022 and has 1,000 students.

Learn and create in a cutting-edge environment, then go out into Hollywood/the world.

I was blown away by the scale of it.

The director who guided us, Cheryl Isaacs, was a former president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

That's the person who decided on the Academy Awards , right ?

This is a university that makes students envious.

"Let's do it together," I said, shaking hands, and my whirlwind inspection came to an end.

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NHK, NTT, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Johnny's, and commercial broadcasters

■NHK, NTT, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Johnny's, and commercial broadcasters

I made two comments at the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan meeting.

1. NHK, NTT, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

The direction of discussions within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications regarding NHK's internet services and subscription fees has become clearer.

I do have some points to make, such as the fact that the discussion is still stuck in a dichotomy between commercial broadcasters and NHK, and that there's not enough attention to global internet trends or data-driven approaches. However, the question of where to draw the line regarding deregulation of NHK is more of a political issue than a policy one.

Once this is finalized, broadcasting administration will be completed, and the government will have no further work to do for a while.

At that same time, the topic of abolishing the NTT Law came up. For broadcasters, this would mean NTT's investment in broadcasting would become more unrestricted. This, too, is more of a political issue than a policy issue, concerning where to draw the line regarding deregulation of NTT.

If this is resolved, then the government's telecommunications administration will be completed, and for a while, there will be no government work other than deciding what to do with Rakuten.

This reminds me of something that happened 25 years ago. At that time, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, which had just finished the NTT reorganization that had been underway for 12 years since the privatization of NTT, and was eager to tackle the NHK problem next, was hit with the Hashimoto administrative reform plan to dismantle the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. This time, too, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which has just finished its major work, may be hit with a reorganization of government ministries.

2. The Broadcasting Industry and the Economy

Another issue currently gripping broadcasting is the Johnny's scandal. The agency is maintaining its structure without change, and the broadcasting industry has accepted this. At least, no stations have called for the termination of their business relationship. However, this has drawn objections from the industrial sector and economic organizations that act as sponsors, leaving the situation once again at a crossroads.

When I was in charge of the broadcasting industry at the government office, I thought the biggest problem was that the broadcasting industry (including advertising and entertainment) was isolated from the industrial sector and not integrated into the economic value chain.

Advertising spending is dependent on GDP, making it secure during periods of growth regardless of the state of the industry. However, even if the economy declines, it is unrelated to industrial policy and will not receive any assistance.

No one listened to my arguments. In fact, it seemed more like, "Perhaps it's better that way, that is, that broadcasting should be independent . "

Around that time, the internet emerged, and the industrial sector shifted its focus to it, but broadcasting rejected convergence and remained secure for a quarter of a century. Now, however, that situation is becoming precarious, and recently, broadcasters have been increasingly pushing towards the internet.

And now we have this case. Compliance standards in the industrial sector are becoming internationalized and are striving to be integrated into global chains. However, broadcasting is unaware of this and intends to get by with its old ways. In response to this, Mr. Niinami of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives and other members of the industrial sector have sounded the alarm about this disconnect.

How will the broadcasting industry perceive this? How will the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which previously considered this someone else's problem, be affected by political pressure? These concerns remain.

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