Cool Japan: Internet

■Cool Japan: Internet

NHK Cool Japan: "Internet" edition.

Japan is one of the world's leading countries in the amount of information sent out via the internet. Japan has also monopolized the top five world records for things like the number of tweets per second. Japan is a powerhouse of internet communication.

Nowadays, everyone around the world uses smartphones and the internet on their mobile phones, but in Japan, mobile phones and the internet were combined eight years before the smartphone was invented, which was overwhelmingly early.

We have developed a world-leading way of using the Internet.

"Anonymous"

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, only 5% of people use their real names on social media. 95% use anonymous names or handle names.

I think there are two factors behind Japanese people's love of anonymity.

First of all, I'm not good at asserting myself.

I don't think it's virtuous to show off my knowledge or information or to put others down with arguments, and I'm not good at discussing politics or society.

Another thing is knowing how to distinguish between what you really think and what you say. I've lived in a world of pretenses.

On the internet you can say what you really think, but you still have to hide who you are.

But the important thing is that we finally have a means, the Internet, that allows us to express our true feelings, as long as we do so anonymously.

As a result, it began to disseminate the best information in the world.

I think that because it was a world of pretense, Japan had a strong incentive to communicate online.

"Emojis and stamps"

Even in the days of mobile phones, before smartphones, Japanese people loved to include pictures in emails, a method known as Deco-mail, and emoticons and emoticons had developed to a level unparalleled in the world.

Japan is a country rich in expression other than written information.

They are skilled at illogical communication, using symbols like family crests, onomatopoeia and mimetic words, etc.

They like to use stamps and emojis to complement words.

LINE is a complementary tool that has become the main form of communication .

"Senior"

According to a survey by a life insurance company, 35% of Japanese people in their 60s and 70s use SNS. That means one in three people use SNS.

I think that seniors who have retired from companies especially have a strong desire to be of service to others and to be recognized by others.

Moreover, they have plenty of time. I think that SNS, which connects people and renews those bonds , is especially suited to seniors. I hope they will make full use of it.

With the spread of the Internet, the characteristics of communication in Japan have become more apparent.

Things like loving anonymity, emojis, and what seniors are passionate about.

But the Internet still has a long way to go. I'm looking forward to it.

 

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iU President Gachon . Mr.Joi Ito

■iU President Gachon . Mr.Joi Ito

1.0, 2.0, 3.0. Joi has been creating the digital world. He has returned to Japan after completing the incredible task of being the director of the MIT Media Lab. He will continue to do incredible work, using his experience as the director of the Chiba Institute of Technology and the Digital Agency as a foothold. He is younger than me, hails from Kyoto, got his PhD at Keio University SFC, and is on the path of a junior at the MIT Media Lab, yet he always shines high and far ahead of me. He's amazing.

What we are focusing on now

I am currently studying and networking around Web 3.0. It's moving so fast that I have to get serious and run to keep up. While concentrating on Web 3.0, I am also the chief architect of the Chiba Institute of Technology Transformation Center, Digital Garage, and the launch of a Web 3.0 fund, and I am also doing some government work (in June 2022). A book on Web 3.0 will be released. I also broadcast podcasts and programs on BS TV Tokyo.

◆ The World of Web 3.0

Web 1.0 is Read. You can view what's on the server.

Web 2.0 is the Cloud. You can write on the cloud. Social media and other things have come about.

Web 3.0 is about joining. There are many tools for people to coordinate, such as cryptocurrency, NFT, and DAO. There is a system for creating organizations that include new economics. Participating in various projects in a new way is a major shift in Web 3.0.

What to do

I learned by playing around with it and feeling it. This is the third time. I thought the first time would be a revolution, but it fell a little short. I thought the second time would also be a decentralized revolution, but it ended up being concentrated. I don't know if the third time is a charm, or if the same thing happens three times, but I want to bring society in a positive direction.

It is important to get involved and improve rather than looking down on others from the sidelines. Learn by participating.

◆The existence of schools

Statistically speaking, I think it's beneficial for most people to graduate from university. However, I couldn't do it. I ran away every day from kindergarten. I dropped out of university twice, and once for a doctorate, and I almost gave up. From there, I became the director of MIT. And then a professor. After that, I got my Ph.D. from Professor Jun Murai at Keio . It was the opposite.

If it wasn't MIT, they wouldn't have appointed someone without a degree as a director. Negroponte told Jun Murai, "If we get a degree, we lose the cool factor of being a director without a degree," but after 8 or 9 years, it's no longer cool. Rather, it feels like they've never touched the products that students are making, and there was a little bit of a feeling that they couldn't act high and mighty unless they got a degree for the sake of the students. MIT is a research institute and a graduate school. One of the features of the Media Lab is that it is possible to create doctorates and professors in departments none of the above (other academic fields).

Future education

Age of abundance. Education like a vending machine for knowledge is meaningless. Mixing industry, academia, and government. A place necessary for collaboration. Human connections. It's not just about degrees. There are universities that are like paper writing machines, but that's not enough. In MIT terms, if you learn by making things, people from different industries can collaborate together. It's also important to have manufacturing at the center.

◆Message for you guys

I really like the word "neurodiversity." Brain diversity. Everyone is different. I want to understand my own characteristics as soon as possible.

Until now, education has focused on a mass-production society where students do exactly what they are told and follow orders.

But now I always question orders, think for myself, and work hard with intrinsic motivation. If I don't find that motivation soon, I'll lose my energy as I get older.

To switch from an imperative style to an inherently synchronous style, you need to "play." The best pattern is to play around and make it infinite power that can be used at any time.

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Cool Japan: Gyoza

 ■ Cool Japan: Gyoza 

NHK Cool Japan: "Gyoza" edition.

The time for gyoza has come.

Like ramen and curry, gyoza has evolved in a unique way in Japan and is now a Japanese dish.

There are many different kinds of gyoza, including local and unusual gyoza, and they are spreading out into the world.

"France-China"

In my neighborhood, there are a number of stylish gyoza bars, specialising in gyoza, champagne and wine, and it feels like gyoza has become an international food.

Because it is a specialty store, it has gone from being a supporting role to being the main role.

One of the secrets to the popularity of fried gyoza is its texture.

It's crispy and juicy, and the filling inside falls apart softly.

The multiple changes in texture are a characteristic of Japan, where texture is key.

It can also be eaten as a side dish or a snack, or just on its own - it's a complete meal.

"Fes"

The fact that they even have a festival shows that gyoza has a wide variety and is well-established all over the country.

The fact that there are so many food festivals is proof that there is a diverse food culture throughout Japan.

For example, if you like ice cream, you can go to a festival and taste famous ice creams from all over the country in one place.

If you're really thinking about going on a trip, there's no other leisure activity that is as affordable and easy, so food festivals may spread around the world.

"Grilling equipment"

We respect the work of craftsmen while developing machines that anyone can use.

This is not a contradiction; rather, these machines are designed to be capable of performing skilled work, with the ultimate goal being to produce careful work.

So, just as craftsmen of the past perfected the technique of grilling gyoza, today's craftsmen have thoroughly researched what temperature to start grilling at, what pressure to create in the pot, and how many cc of water at what temperature to add, and they grill these things while scientifically controlling the process.

In fact, craftsmen are involved in both jobs, and where the craftsmen are located changes with the times.

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Cool Japan: Figures

■Cool Japan: Figures

NHK Cool Japan: "Figures" edition.

I made a figure of myself using a 3D printer. Figures are becoming more and more commonplace.

The word "figure" originally referred to a doll resembling a human or character, but has since expanded to refer to all miniatures, including animals, tanks, and food.

It is a representative of Cool Japan, combining pop culture and manufacturing.

"Erotic"

There was a debate about whether the figures were cute or sexy. In the West, sexual and erotic expressions are taboo.

However, in Japan, the line between sexy and erotic is vague, and quite extreme expressions are tolerated.

As exemplified by shunga, it has long been accepted as a part of popular culture in Japan, which is why erotic manga, anime, and games have become established genres. This freedom of expression is one of the reasons why Japanese pop culture has become popular overseas, but at the same time, it is also one of the reasons why it is criticized overseas.

I wonder whether the erotic nature of the figures will continue to make them popular overseas, or whether it will lead to increased criticism.

"monster"

Monsters started with Godzilla and became popular in the 1960s.

At that time I collected vinyl monster dolls -- what we now call figures -- and I still have a lot of them.

Godzilla is a creature born from a hydrogen bomb and served as a warning to humanity after the war.

From then on, various monsters began to appear in movies and on television, and a wide variety of monsters were born, some as enemies and others as allies of humanity.

There are many monsters that are said to be incarnations of gods, but since Japan is a country home to eight million gods, it doesn't feel strange to have so many of them, and there is no Christian restriction that says only God can create living things, so there must have been a desire in Japan to create many living things.

I'm sure there will be many more in the future.

"Figure Technique"

Japanese figurine technology goes beyond the realm of toys.

The spirit of Japanese manufacturing is infused into this product.

The creators thoroughly research and refine everything from the skeleton of an animal to the texture of food.

In the future, figurine manufacturing will be applied to various fields.

The figures, which are created using precision craftsmanship to create something pop, are a fusion of technology and culture.

The technology is constantly evolving, and the world of figure skating will continue to develop.

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