Literacy policy has finally gone from negative to positive.

■Literacy policy has finally gone from negative to positive.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' ICT Literacy Study Group has started. Professor Tatsuhiko Yamamoto of Keio University is the chair, and I am the deputy chair. This is probably the first time that I will be serving as a committee member with Nanako Ishido.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has been focusing on safety and security measures for young people, in other words, risk avoidance, and has not done much to promote their use. Measures for adult use have also been weak. It is finally time for a positive change.

I commented.

he left the government office and founded the NPO CANVAS, which promotes the One PC for Every Child initiative at MIT and helps children develop their digital expression and creativity.

However, Japan was slow to respond, and instead, a trend of keeping digital devices away from children spread. I was the organizer and established the Anshin Kyokai (Safety Association). Filtering and other safety measures have progressed.

At the same time, the Digital Textbook Teaching Materials Council (DiTT) was launched, and the three-part set of one PC per student, school internet access, and digital textbooks was promoted. A positive movement.

It was hard. It took eight years to pass a law allowing digital textbooks, and programming became compulsory. One PC per student was realized through GIGA. If it weren't for COVID, it would have taken another 25 years.

We had originally thought that safety and security measures and the promotion of digital use should be pursued together, but due to a lack of power, it was difficult to integrate them.

Now that all children are in an environment where they can study digitally, I feel that the momentum has finally changed and we have finally reached this point of holding a meeting like this.

The problem is what happens next.

Digital education in schools is progressing. Although confusion and problems will arise, I want to trust in the capabilities of those in the field and the children, and keep a watchful eye on them.

The focus of policy will shift to the home, especially inequality and the issue of whether or not people can use digital devices at home.

From 40,000 schools to 10 million families with children. From education issues to communication issues. The work of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications rather than the Ministry of Education. The most important issue in communication policy.

Literacy in terms of protecting against security and fake information is important, but what's even more important is developing creativity and communication skills.

Even adults don't have this skill. There are some areas where children are better than them.

Two years ago, I opened an ICT university and have been teaching it to students. Children and adults use it together and learn.

Tools change. SNS, mixi , fb, LINE, etc. are constantly changing, so there is no set teaching method.

Even after 150 years, analog education using paper and pencil has not yet provided the ideal education.

Digital learning is in its infancy, and even after 100 years we are still far from our ideal.

It would be good to have the attitude of using it and taking the time to think about it together.

The policy objective is to increase the "user power of the people."

If so, digital

1. Helpful,

2. Fun,

3. Safety,

I think the ranking should be as follows, but the countermeasures taken so far have been biased towards 3.

how to 1. increase convenience and 2. increase enjoyment were missing.

I would like to strengthen measures to enhance creativity and empathy.

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President Gachon 1. Mrs.YOYOKA

■President Gachon 1. YOYOKA

"President Gachoon" is a special program where we conduct surprise interviews with iU's top visiting professors.

https://bit.ly/3Ig2zuB

Let's start spelling out the letters as well.

The first person to attend this memorable event was the world-famous drummer YOYOKA, who was 12 years old at the time.

https://bit.ly/3VBYtQz

What made you start playing drums?

I started when I was about 18 months old. My parents were in a band, so our house was a studio, and there were various instruments and musicians came to play. Every time I crawled up to the drums and stared at them. My father saw that and thought maybe I wanted to try it, so he made me sit on the drum stool. I don't remember. By the time I was old enough to understand, I was playing.

◆Drum sheet music

I have drum sheet music, but I can't read it. People say it would be better if I could. That's fine, but I think there are grooves and sounds that can only be produced by not being able to read it.

◆Can you hit it when you hear the sound?

It depends on the song. Most songs can be played after listening to them 2-3 times, or 4-5 times if they are a little difficult. You can get a feel for the atmosphere.

I didn't train myself to be able to listen to sounds and convert them into drum playing, so it's probably something I picked up on as I continued doing it.

◆What kind of musician do you want to be?

I want to be an artist like Prince, not just a drummer, but also a musician, compose my own songs and lyrics, and do my own art and design.

◆What's fun about writing songs?

Phrases and the like just pop into my head. When they do, it's fun to think that I look cool playing them. Sometimes the whole song pops into my head, but more often than not, I just come up with a phrase, and then I have to think about how to combine them.

◆How is school?

Classes are boring. Going to school = going to people-watch.

◆ What would you like to do with iU ?

I want to teach students about groove and music, but I also want them to teach me.

What are you interested in right now?

As an artist, I am interested in paintings, art, and books. My favorite painter is Picasso. His paintings are so varied that I could look at them all day.

◆What do you want to do?

Songwriting. Songs of various genres. I want to try various things. Maybe I'll find something better than music. I want to look at various things.

★Postscript

For a female drummer who became world famous at the age of 12, Japanese schools are too cramped. After the interview, YOYOKA decided to emigrate to the United States and set off. I supported her a little. She continues to be a visiting professor at iU . The next time she comes back, it will be for a triumphant return to Japan!

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Chomoro! Chomorrow !

■Chomoro! Chomorrow !

"An interesting future just around the corner" Chomoro!

"Change Tomorrow" Chomorrow !

Pop & tech event @ Takeshiba, Tokyo Bay Area.

There were 90 contents and 30,000 visitors over two days.

thank you very much.

Robots, AI, IoT, 5G, anime, e-sports, comedy, J-POP.

We are creating a smart city, a tech and pop hub.

This is the unveiling event.

Finally, reality is back.

A fun Halloween is just around the corner, Chomohalo.

Chomorobo is an interesting robot that's just a little ahead of its time.

A city where robots work and live in harmony with humans.

A parade featuring nine robots, children, and comedians.

However, just doing this on the road requires a lot of coordination with the police, local communities, and so on.

Thank you to everyone involved.

Robot Town, the town where robots live, is also home to a large gathering of robots that were not able to take part in the parade.

We also held a "VR art performance" in which we submitted the works we created to NFT.

Workshop collections are also available.

Programming, crafting, performance.

The future created by children.

Real World Collectible Figures are back.

There will also be a digital picture book fair.

Works come from all over the world.

Let's create a digital picture book for the post-COVID era.

Next to Kimura Yuichi, who was giving a speech, NHK was exhibiting a Chico-chan disaster prevention corner.

Congratulations to Yabe Taro on the publication of the first volume of "Tona-san in the Dressing Room"!

KMD Forum @ Chomoro.

Graduate School of Media Design, Keio University.

This is an international graduate school that "creates" through design, technology, management, and policy.

KMD students exhibiting "world first" items.

A real-virtual escape game that travels between the metaverse and real space.

Players in the VR space of Takeshiba's digital twin and the real venue space work together to solve puzzles. An interesting worldview.

I think this would be for sale.

Of course, iU will also be participating.

Robots, streaming, femtech, regional development, MaaS , and more.

Creating an exciting future.

A joint research project between iU 's B Lab and the RIKEN AIP.

"Super School Song" Project.

A school song for everyone created by AI.

The demo version has arrived!

Some interesting e-sports in the near future include:

Takashi Fukunishi and Keisuke Tsuboi will also be participating.

thank you!

A bit of a funny comedy from a while ago.

The comedians who remained in the third round of the M1 preliminaries performed.

In the food area, Yoshimoto Cooking Club also provided "sustainable spring rolls" made with cricket powder and extract.

Welcome to Chomoro, CRAZY COCO!

See you next year.

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Longevity in Japanese Companies: The "S" in SDGs

 ■ Longevity in Japanese Companies: The "S" in SDGs

Research on long-lived companies has shown that over the past 40 years, family-run businesses generally perform better than non-family ones. Notably, the uniquely Japanese practice of adopting sons-in-law has proven to be an effective strategy, often resulting in better outcomes than in other family or non-family managed firms. In Kyoto's venerable merchant families, it's commonly said that having a daughter means gaining a good son-in-law.

Another hallmark is the emphasis on "the path."

More than just prospering in business, these companies prioritize a merchant's ethical path that values simplicity and frugality, often explicitly outlined in family teachings. Eighty percent of these long-standing companies have formal family mottos. Operating in a society with minimal religious influence, they have maintained a management style distinct from Western Christian-based philanthropy.

In contrast to Western business focus on profit, sales, shareholders, speed, and market share, these businesses prioritize customer first, core business focus, quality standards, and adherence to foundational principles. They also foster a strong sense of unity and familial ties with employees, symbiosis with the community, and support for cultural and artistic endeavors.

However, the research consistently points out that a spirit of enterprise and innovation are also crucial for longevity.

Organizations that have lasted more than a century have endured wars, occupations, regime changes, and disasters. They have developed resilience to survive major upheavals, such as pandemics and the digital revolution, epitomizing sustainability—the "S" in SDGs. Arguably, they provide a compelling counterpoint to the American model of a 30-year corporate lifespan.

Japan has a unique position to promote itself as a leader in producing companies that sustainably coexist with employees and their communities, showcasing this approach as an SDGs model. The strategy of nurturing long-lived, traditional companies could well be a valuable export of "Cool Japan" to the global stage, offering lessons in corporate longevity and sustainability.

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The Nation of Long-Lived Companies, Japan

■ The Nation of Long-Lived Companies, Japan

Japan Post established in 1871, MIT in 1861, Stanford in 1891, and Keio in 1868.

I have been associated with institutions boasting over 150 years of history, entirely by coincidence.

Now, with the startup iU, I'm implementing with a vision aiming for the next 150 years. It's inevitable.

Spending more time in my hometown Kyoto, I explore shops that have been around for centuries: a 200-year-old pickle shop, a 300-year-old fan shop, a 400-year-old hand towel shop, a 500-year-old soba noodle restaurant, and a 1000-year-old tea shop.

150 years is considered young here, and 100 years merely childlike. I am fascinated by the management of these long-standing businesses.

In Japan, companies that have lasted over 100 years are referred to as "long-established," numbering between 30,000 to 50,000. This is unrivaled globally. There are 532 of these companies listed on the stock exchange.

More than 3000 companies have existed for over 200 years, comprising 56% of such enterprises worldwide. Germany follows with 800, and the Netherlands with 200.

There are 16 companies that have been around for over 1000 years. Germany has seven, the UK four, Italy two, and France one. Longevity is a hallmark of Japan.

Among these venerable enterprises:

41.5% are small and medium-sized businesses with annual sales under 100 million yen, the largest percentage but with the lowest rate of emergence at 1.69%.

Large corporations with sales over 50 billion yen represent the smallest group at 1.7%, yet they have the highest rate of emergence at 15.1%.

The sectors of retail, wholesale, and manufacturing constitute 45.5% and 25.1%, respectively.

There are numerous sake breweries and inns, and many have shifted to real estate.

Kyoto Prefecture has the highest rate of emergence at 4.73%.

A standout characteristic is their status as family businesses.

In Japan, 99% of business establishments and 86% of the workforce are employed in family businesses, and 53% of listed companies are family-run.

Most long-established companies are also family-operated.

While business studies often push for the separation of ownership and management for efficient governance, Japan embraces a different path.

Conversely, family businesses offer advantages such as efficient internal management, swift decision-making, and a focus on long-term gains.

The importance of low-cost funding from acquaintances and high corporate motivation are also increasingly recognized.

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Impressive Innovations at Sanjo City University

■ Impressive Innovations at Sanjo City University

I visited Sanjo City University in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, and had the opportunity to discuss with President Ahmad Shahriar. This powerful new public university is fostering talent through industry-academia collaboration in a town known for manufacturing. It's commendable that such an institution has been established.

The university collaborates with over 100 local companies, providing all students with internship opportunities. They refine their skills by extensively using advanced equipment for grinding, welding, non-destructive testing, and 3D printing. The university also undertakes material development in physics and chemistry, thus supporting the R&D functions of the manufacturing town. Here, students grow through hands-on development and practice rather than traditional academic research, becoming valuable assets to local companies. The concept is clear and decidedly innovative.

Donations are increasing, and scholarships are being offered. The majority of students are male, while a neighboring nursing and medical school is predominantly female. The shared cafeteria fosters interaction. Despite being only in its second year, the university has already attracted the attention of Prime Minister Kishida, a testament to its well-executed design.

The greatest challenge faced during the university's inception was dealing with the Ministry of Education. Laughingly, it mirrors my experience with iU. When attempting to establish a school with a new concept, the lack of precedents poses significant hurdles. We have proposed to jointly create a groundbreaking graduate school that transcends Japan’s traditional educational frameworks—a daring and visionary project.

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Measures for Creators' Royalty!?

■ Measures for Creators' Royalty!?

The Copyright Subcommittee of the Cultural Council has begun its discussions this year.

The theme is "What are your thoughts on appropriate measures for returning royalties to creators?"

There are two main points:

1) The source of the royalties:

    Previously, the discussion focused on royalties from manufacturers to creators.

    That is no longer realistic.

    So, what possibilities are there?

    Internet businesses such as platforms

    Users of mobile devices and other telecommunications

    The general public, i.e., taxpayers

    The options vary depending on these stakeholders.

2) What is a reasonable amount of royalties?

If the reason is market failure, where the rightful compensation for content is lost, how much should it be quantitatively, and where is the lost profit flowing? The extent of the external economics/ripple effects of content should be demonstrated by data, and policies should be formulated accordingly.

Research and academic analysis are needed. This has not been done yet.

Additionally, "social understanding" is extremely important.

Once, the software and hardware, content, and device industries had a harmonious relationship.

Sony, Toshiba, Panasonic, and other hardware manufacturers used to own record and film production companies.

Eventually, they became adversaries, leading to today's situation dominated by American IT companies.

This issue is not only a matter of business strategy within the related industries but also pertains to national industrial policy beyond mere regulatory offices.

It also poses an educational question of how to treat the production and consumption of content as something valuable.　

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Finally, Moving from Internet Safety to Internet Creativity

■Finally, Moving from Internet Safety to Internet Creativity

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is shifting its ICT literacy policy from focusing primarily on safety measures like filtering to also encompass creativity and social interaction. They are currently preparing for a new conference. As the vice chairman of the Safe Internet Creation Promotion Council, I have also begun to partake in these discussions.

It has taken 13 years from the establishment of the Safe Net Council for the government's efforts to pivot from a negative to a positive approach. "At last," is the feeling I get. Back in 1995, at the Information G7 Summit in Belgium, a Japanese proposal dubbed "the digital age is for children" was adopted, which led to the first Jr Summit in Tokyo and the second at MIT. This was the catalyst for me to leave my government position and join MIT, pushing forward initiatives like one laptop per child.

Progress in Japan has been slow; in 2008, the Prime Minister at the time declared "mobile phones have nothing but disadvantages for children," which promoted a trend of distancing children from digital technology. Alarmed by this, I gathered like-minded individuals who believed in the overwhelmingly positive aspects of digital technology, and together we established the Safe Net Council.

The inaugural meeting included notables such as Masayoshi Son and CEOs of the three major telecom carriers, all key players in Japan's digital landscape. The common goal was not to distance children from technology but to find ways to responsibly integrate it into their lives. Yet, the movement did not initially go in this intended direction.

Two years later, I founded DiTT and launched a campaign promoting digital textbooks, networking schools, and one laptop per child as a positive movement. It was challenging; it took eight years for the legislation allowing digital textbooks to be passed and programming to become a mandatory part of the curriculum. The one laptop per child initiative was realized through the GIGA scheme. Without the pandemic, it might have taken another 25 years.

While I had hoped that the promotion of digital education and the Safe Net initiative would proceed hand-in-hand, I was unable to merge these efforts due to insufficient support. Now that every child has access to digital learning environments, the tide has finally turned, and it feels like we have reached a significant milestone. However, the challenges continue. The next big question is how to establish digital citizenship.

As digitization in schools advances, there will undoubtedly be disruptions and issues, but I trust in the capabilities of the sites and the students and wish to continue monitoring them. The focus of policy will shift towards the home, particularly addressing disparities. The challenge will move from being solely about education to encompassing communication issues—a shift from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

While safeguarding literacy regarding security and misinformation remains crucial, it is even more important to foster creativity and communication skills. Adults are not yet proficient; in some areas, children may surpass them. It's crucial that both children and adults use and learn from digital tools together. As technology evolves, so too must our approaches to education. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method, especially as the platforms and tools continually change.

Ultimately, the aim of these policies should be to enhance the "user power" of the populace. Digital tools should be primarily useful, enjoyable, and safe—in that order. Up until now, there has been an excessive focus on safety, neglecting the importance of making digital experiences more beneficial and enjoyable. It's time to strengthen strategies that enhance creativity and empathy.

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