Where is NHK Heading?

■ Where is NHK Heading?We spoke at the "Where is NHK Heading?" forum. This involved a discussion centered around NHK's management plan.Japanese TV is weakening. It is 15 years behind in its digital compatibility, a classic case of digital defeat. The internet is dominated not only by Big Tech like Netflix and Disney, but also by Chinese companies like Tencent. While BBC operates 10 domestic TV channels and 3 international channels, and China's CCTV has 20 channels plus 5 in foreign languages, how does NHK fare? We need to consider...

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3D Urban Model × Urban DX

■3D Urban Model × Urban DXWe presented at the "3D Urban Model × Urban DX" event. The CiP Council, responsible for new urban developments at the intersection between the real and virtual world, initiated a plan in 2013 to create a digital agglomeration special zone spanning 20 hectares in Tokyo's Takeshiba area, which was officially opened in 2020. The plan involved fully implementing cutting-edge technologies. Numerous robots are put to work here, and telexistence jobs can also be done. Over 1000 sensors embedded about to collect...

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AI Creates Everyone's School Songs!

■ AI Creates Everyone's School Songs!The “Super School Song” project, a joint research endeavor between BLab and RIKEN AIP, has launched. AI will develop models for school song, which can be adopted as official school anthems from the elementary to university levels or used to arrange existing school songs. https://lp.blaboratory.org/choukoukaSchool songs have successfully grown to be a unique aspect of Japanese school culture. Their origin is said to be part of the educational reforms of the Meiji government, introduced to unify values...

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Addressing the Theme of "Culture × Economy"

■ Addressing the Theme of "Culture × Economy"A new Cultural Economy Subcommittee has been established within the Agency for Cultural Affair’s Council for Cultural Affairs, aiming for a harmonious cycle between culture and the economy. The integration of economic principles into cultural policy introduces fresh perspectives into the cultural and artistic community.The globalization of museums and art galleries is a hot topic. While it is common for cities like Paris, London, and New York to feature museums as main tourist attractions, how many...

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Book Review: Human Rights and the State

■ Book Review: Human Rights and the StateWritten by Kiyoteru Tsutsui, Professor at the Stanford University Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center (APARC), "Human Rights and the State" delves into the paradox of international politics that allowed the development of a human rights system constraining state power.● During World War II, out of the 50 to 80 million casualties, 40 to 50 million were civilians.● At that time, while the U.S. (Japanese internment), Britain (colonial response), and the USSR (Stalinist oppression) were involved,...

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