Davos Special ISSN 0289-1956 116 TH YEAR NO. 40,482 ©THE JAPAN TIMES, LTD., 2012 Wednesday, January 25, 2012 明治30年3月22日第３種郵便物認可 B1 Hasegawa outlines the ways Japan can help the world

Sayuri Daimon Staff writer

It’s that time of year again,when world leaders gather in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss global, regional and industry agendas. And this year, Yasuchika Hasegawa, president of Takeda Pharmacetical Co., will be leading discussions as one of the six co-chairs of the World Economic Forum. Ranging from Europe’s debt crisis to aging population in industrialized economies, there are mounting problems that need to be tackled by global leaders, and Hasegawa is well aware of what Japan Inc. can contribute to the world. “Japan should seek ways to contribute to solving the problems that the world faces, while bringing back some benefits from success and growth (to Japan),” Hasegawa said in an interview with The Japan Times prior to the WEF conference, which will begin on Jan. 25. He cited the example of desalination Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, venue of the World Economic Forum, where leaders from government and the business world meet technology. It can help solve the world’s each year to discuss topics of vital importance to the world’s future. pHoto: SwiSS-image.CH water-supply problems, which are of growing concern in various parts of the He also said it is unfortunate that Japan completely shifted to emerging economies,” reach out to the world’s emerging markets. world, such as China, Africa and Australia. will miss a chance to express its Hasegawa said, referring to countries such According to mergers and acquisitions Likewise, Japan can help solve the energy determination to solve its debt problem to as China and Brazil. research company Recof Data, Japanese crisis through energy-saving technologies the rest of the world, as Prime Minister While countries like the U.S. have not first made 455 deals, just short of the record by utilizing LED lights, environment- Yoshihiko Noda will not attend the found ways to restore growth after the 463 reached during Japan’s bubble friendly houses and batteries that can store conference. Lehman Shock in 2008, many emerging economy in 1990. huge reserves of electricity. “WEF founder Klaus Schwab was hoping economies are catching up with the Hasegawa’s company, Takeda “Due to the unfortunate accident in the Yasuchika Hasegawa that the Japanese prime minister, who has industrialized nations with their low labor Pharmaceutical, in 2011 made the country’s Fukushima nuclear power plant, the speed already said that the government will costs and improved technologies. biggest M&A deal, purchasing privately held of nuclear-power plant construction in the declining populations and aging “And it is not the case that the top submit a bill to raise the consumption tax in “Our immediate issue will be how we can Swiss drug giant Nycomed, which has world will have to slow down, and as fossil populations in the future,’’ Hasegawa said. Japanese government officials attend the the ordinary Diet session, will deliver a maintain wealth under such circumstances. strong footholds in Brazil and Russia, for a fuel is limited, energy costs will increase. In “If Japan, as a national strategy, focuses conference every year,” he said. message that Japan is now earnestly taking Even double-digit growth in the emerging whopping ¥1.1 trillion. such a situation, what will we do for energy on R&D in those sectors ahead of the rest of Unlike various international steps to resolve its debt issue,” Hasegawa countries will eventually cease, and we “The value of M&As by Japanese supply?” Hasegawa said. the world, Japan can develop such organizations, such as the United Nations, said, adding that such a message will also haven’t found an answer to the question of companies reached about ¥10 trillion last Japanese-made robots, which can serve technologies and offer them to the rest of what’s decided at Davos is not legally be welcomed by the rest of the world, how developed countries, which once year, of which, cross-border deals as nurses or keep the elderly company, can the world,’’ said the 65-year-old president of binding. The conference, however, is an especially Europe, which is suffering from a enjoyed strong economic growth, can accounted for some ¥6 trillion. Of that be of great benefit for aging societies facing Japan’s biggest drug maker. influential event that builds consensus and debt crisis. continue to grow,” Hasegawa observed. figure, ¥1.1 trillion was a deal by us,’’ he health-care issues, he said. Hasegawa, who also serves as the head of sets global trend among world leaders, “The U.S., Europe and Japan account for Still, emerging markets seem to be the said. “Japan should first think about ways to the Japan Association of Corporate Hasegawa noted. “The Japanese some 60 to 65 percent of the world’s key for survival now, and despite Japan’s “Unless we develop products and sell keep society safe and secure, while Executives (Keizai Doyukai), said among government should think about how to economy, and the remaining economies economy in recent years being eclipsed by those products to fast-growing emerging guaranteeing access to health care at a the people attending the annual WEF increase its presence in the world,” he said, only account for 35 percent to 40 percent. that of China, which has overtaken Japan’s economies, it means that we, as a company minimum cost. Japan’s experience can be meeting, or the ``Davos forum,’’ interest in adding that he learns a lot from leaders at But those economies contribute to 70 position as the world second-biggest or a country, have given up on obtaining offered as a model to countries in Southeast Japan seems to be on the decline as the Davos, who always appear to be upbeat and percent of the world’s economic growth. economy, many Japanese companies went benefits from such economies,” Hasegawa Asia that will have the dual problems of nation’s economic power is losing steam. full of confidence. The driver of economic growth has on aggressive buying sprees last year to pointed out. Watanabe to convey vision of post-disaster future at Davos edan Corkill year it bore the brunt of the Great East Japan they all seem to have accepted as one of their long before the disastrous events of March Staff writer Earthquake and tsunami. own. 11. Since then the 52-year-old Watanabe After the quake and tsunami, Watanabe “Hayabusa: Harukanaru kikan (Hayabusa: When actor Ken Watanabe takes the stage at has made no fewer than five tours to the (who in fact hails from Niigata Prefecture) A Distant Return)” tells the tale of a space the World Economic Forum in Davos, Swit- tsunami-affected regions, including hard-hit was one of the first major celebrities to try probe launched by the Japan Aerospace zerland, this week to deliver a speech on Miyagi Prefecture, which lost over 10,000 of to lend a hand. Within four days he had es- Exploration Agency (JAXA) in 2003 in order Japan’s future, his audience will likely recog- its citizens in the disaster. His most recent tablished a website called kizuna311 (kizuna to collect rock samples from an asteroid. In nize him as Saito from the 2010 film “Incep- trip was earlier this month, when he fol- means “human bonds” in Japanese) and was June 2010, the probe completed its 6-billion- tion,” or as Katsumoto from 2003’s “The Last lowed through on an earlier promise to local using it as a two-way portal for delivering kilometer round trip, and thus the world’s Samurai.” One role they probably won’t recall residents to personally arrange for preview messages about the disaster. He and other first-ever so-called “sample return” mission is that of Dokugan-ryu (One-Eyed Dragon) screenings of one of his upcoming films. Japanese movie stars made video appeals ended in success. Masamune, from the 1987 Japanese TV dra- At one screening – in the Miyagi Prefec- to the rest of the world for support, and in- Still, Watanabe – who helped produce the ma of the same name. ture city of Ishinomaki – he was asked why ternational stars sent back their own video film – recalled that after March 11 he was at And yet that role from over two decades he has returned so often since the quake. “It messages of solidarity. first not sure whether they should go ahead ago has perhaps informed Watanabe’s work was this region that made me an actor, that Watanabe also spent a lot of time just with the shoot, which was scheduled to take over the past 12 months more than anything helped me grow and develop,” Watanabe being with the inhabitants of the tsunami- place during 2011. else. Masamune was the eye patch-wear- said. “I owe it to this region to help.” affected areas. “I’d just try to get a sense of “We thought for a long time about wheth- ing founder of the Sendai feudal clan, and As his audience recognized the reference how the people are – from their expressions, er it was appropriate to be doing this at such Watanabe’s portrayal of him not only made to Masamune, they issued a collective sigh their discussion. If I could make them smile, a difficult time,” he said. “But we ended up the actor an overnight star, but resulted in a that was so loud it could be heard outside then I’d achieved something,” he told The thinking that we are filmmakers, so our best strong bond forming between him and the the hall where the screening took place. And Japan Times. response was to deliver what it is we do best.” people of the region where Masamune ruled. when Watanabe tried to leave he was fol- The film that Watanabe was screening in Watanabe also explained that the disaster That region now more or less corresponds lowed by a wave of fans, each eager to shake Ishinomaki is itself a kind of response to the actually helped him and director Tomoyuki with Miyagi Prefecture, and on March 11 last the hand of the world-famous actor whom tsunami – although it was in fact planned Takimoto see how to approach their material. “The Hayabusa project was in fact a tale of As a representative of Japan, Ken Watanabe will participate in the World Economic overcoming problems and setbacks,” he said. Forum, which is held Jan. 25-28. eDan Corkill In the film Watanabe plays a fictional JAXA team leader named Shunichiro Yamaguchi, before the whole 20-billion-yen investment On stage at the World Economic Forum, who in the face of a long list of problems winds up as space junk. of course, Watanabe is unlikely to be quite so such as engine failures and loss of radio con- Watanabe said that one of the key mes- informal in his speech. But he said he does tact with the probe must work with his staff sages of the film is that you should not give plan to convey his experiences in the tsuna- and collaborators in order to find solutions up in the face of adversity. “Whatever crisis mi-affected regions and his impression of the appears, you should confront it head on,” he current mindset of the Japanese people. said. He also wants to propose a vision for a He also said that for him personally, the future of which the Japanese can be proud. film contains an important message about “Japan is going through a period of self- how to set goals. questioning, but I actually don’t think it is “As an actor there are no limits to what unique in that respect,” he said. you can achieve in terms of creative expres- Explaining that there is a tendency to- sion. If you set a low goal for yourself, then wards homogenization in countries around that is all you will achieve. If you push your- the world these days, Watanabe said he self to a higher goal, then you might create hopes that “spirit” or “mindset” is something something special,” he said. for which the Japanese can win respect inter- The goal set by Yamaguchi and his team nationally. was one that no one had ever achieved, Asked what characterized the Japanese Watanabe continued, yet through persistence spirit, he referred back to the art form for and resourcefulness they were able to realize which his own father was well-known: ink their ambition. painting and calligraphy. Nevertheless, when talking to local peo- “I always compare Japanese culture with ple in Ishinomaki and elsewhere, Watanabe ink painting. It’s black and white, but at the didn’t speak directly of goals or drive or suc- same time there is infinite variation, infinite (left) Renowned Japanese movie actor Ken cess or failure. His interaction was focused degrees of gradation, to be found inside,” he Watanabe visited Ishinomaki in Miyagi more on simply raising residents’ spirits - on said. Prefecture for a preview of his new film getting people to smile. “As an actor I try to construct character and to cheer up local residents. In his “You can tell your friends that you saw this with that in mind, and I think the Japanese newest film, he plays the team leader of before anyone else,” Watanabe said as he fin- people are the same. You don’t add some- the Hayabusa space probe. toei, (C) 2012 ished shaking hands and left the movie the- thing new on top, but you try to reveal, grad- “HayabuSa: Harukanaru kikan“ SeiSaku iinkai ater in Ishinomaki. ually, the strength that lies within.”

PAGE: 1 (1) B2 The Japan Times Wednesday, January 25, 2012 第３種郵便物認可 Davos special World leaders to gather in davos to shape global agenda

More than 2,500 world leaders from of globalization and the new wave of emerged as a highly notable trend this year, business, government and civil society will technological innovation ranking fourth, as this trend is having a get together Jan. 25-29 at the annual (4) job creation. profound impact on political, social and Meeting 2012 of the World economic “The annual Meeting 2012 in davos is economic trends around the world. Forum in davos-Klosters, switzerland, to the place where we must – individually and The “entrenchment of political help shape the global agenda at the collectively – have the foresight, the institutions,” both global and national, has beginning of the year. commitment and collaborative power to been rated as the 6th major concern, in the at this year’s five-day forum, dubbed the shape the new models needed to safeguard face of the global economic downturn and davos Conference, they will share insights our global future, and to respond to the complex issues that require strong regarding important changes in the world, expectations and hopes of the hundreds of leadership and international cooperation. explore new and emerging conceptual millions of people who presently feel left “Climate change” and “scarcity of models, catalyze solutions to pressing out,” schwab said. resources” caused by unsustainable global problems, and work together to To set the detailed agenda for the annual consumption continue to loom as the define the risks and opportunities that lie meeting, the network of Global agenda gravest threat facing the planet, according ahead. Councils, created in 2008, now plays an all- to a large number of Council members. For under the theme “The Great important role. The network comprises two years in a row, Council members Transformation: shaping new Models,” more than 70 councils discussing the most identified “inequality” as the most conference participants will discuss important topics in the global arena. underestimated global trend. It ranked as pressing global issues, which include the each of these councils gathers leading the 10th trend in the latest survey, sovereign-debt and euro-crisis in europe, thinkers from academia, government, according to the World economic Forum. the withdrawal of the american military business and other fields to collate the best The network of Global agenda Councils from afghanistan, Iran’s ongoing nuclear knowledge on specific issues and integrate culminated their annual work cycle in a development, the repercussions of the arab it into a global collaboration and decision- summit in abu dhabi, capital city of the spring, north Korea’s recent change in making process. united arab emirates, in October last year. leadership the reshaping of the global specifically, the councils keep tabs on The discussions at the abu dhabi financial system and the future of important trends, identify global risks, map gathering were dominated by the euro capitalism. interrelationships and address gaps in crisis, the political gridlock facing the Klaus schwab is executive Chairman of knowledge. The councils also put forward world’s biggest markets in the united the World economic Forum, a switzerland- ideas and recommendations designed to states and europe; the critical loss of trust based independent, international not-for- address global challenges. in many societies in the institutions of profit foundation that he founded more The organizers of the annual davos leadership and governance; the growing than four decades ago. In a document he conference conducted a survey in august scarcity of resources; demographic has prepared for the 2012 edition of the last year in which 479 out of some 1,500 challenges; and the impact of new annual meeting, schwab outlined the members of the network of Global agenda technologies on the way we live, work and themes and tasks of this year’s annual Councils took part to identify the most relate to each other, noted Borge Brende, meeting as follows: pressing global issues. managing director of the World economic “Over the last three years, the world has For the majority of Global agenda forum, in an introduction to the network’s been engulfed by political, economic and, Council members, the most important report, titled “The Outlook on the Global Global chief executives pinned their hopes on growth in emerging markets at the start of the annual Davos forum Jan. 27, 2011, but particularly, financial crisis management. international trend in the next 12 to 18 agenda 2012.” warned that rising inflation and political risks are a cause for concern. KYOdO We have lost sight of the fundamental months will undoubtedly be the public- This briefing report quotes Howard transformation that the world is undergoing debt crisis. Their concern is based on the davies, professor of Practice Fondation some years to resolve.” dalian, China. It’s fair to say that the interest planning to attend the davos meeting. The and of where conventional modes of belief that the steadily declining health of nationale des sciences Politiques (sciences Meanwhile, in a great number of sessions shown in Japan last year was due in large two Japanese Cabinet ministers may want decision-making have become outdated. public finances in the world’s major Po), France, as stating; during the five-day davos conference, little part to the March 11, 2011, earthquake and to impress the international audience at the What we clearly need are new models for developed economies will continue to “a year ago, we thought we were reference is made to Japan as an issue. That tsunami and the ensuing Fukushima conference with Japan’s positive image, in global, regional, national and business cascade in our highly interdependent global struggling with post-crisis problems: now represents a sharp contrast to the deep nuclear crisis. particular, its renewed determination to decision-making, which truly reflect that the society. we seem back in crisis mode, but with a interest in Japan shown at last november’s Trade Minister yukio edano and contribute greatly to the world economy context for decision-making has been The second-largest number of difference. The 2008 meltdown centered fifth annual Meeting of the new economic and Fiscal Policy Minister with Japan’s technological and other altered in unprecedented ways.” respondents cited the “instability of global on excessive leverage in the financial Champions, dubbed “summer davos,” in Motohisa Furukawa (a davos regular) are strengths, government sources said. (K.O.) schwab described four new models, financial markets,” “stagnantly high sector, which threatened to tip the world which he considers “musts” if the unemployment” and the “grim economic into a depression, not just a recession. participants at the davos meeting are to recovery outlook” as the other major Governments did then what they had to successfully move beyond the current challenges facing the world. do, and allowed fiscal policy to take the new global solutions may emerge impasse in addressing the critical The “global power shift,” meaning the strain of sustaining demand. The challenges the world faces: shift of the economic center of gravity from consequence in many places was that the (1) to account for fundamental power industrialized economies to emerging debt problem has been passed from the shifts economies, was the top trend in 2010, but private to the public sector. now from local grassroots initiatives (2) to acknowledge that we live together in the latest survey it is now third on the list governments, especially in europe, are in a multicultural, multiethnic and of the top 10 trends. struggling to gain control of their fiscal multireligious world The “digital revolution,” which was not so positions, at a time when the economy Keisuke Okada (3) to seriously address the social impact prominent in the previous survey, has remains weak. That struggle may take Special tO the japan timeS

On the evening of March 14, 2011, seven up-and-coming Japanese entrepreneurs gathered in Tokyo to discuss what they could do to help the people affected by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Tohoku region three days earlier. Their heated discussions continued until late in the night while the heat was out due to the rolling blackouts and many aftershocks erupted. Out of the discussions came an agreement to launch a project to help promote Japan’s reconstruction from the disaster. The promoters of the initiative called it Project KIBOW. KIBOW was coined from a combination of the Japanese word kibo, which means “hope,” and the english word “rainbow.” at the center of this initiative is yoshito Hori, chairman and CeO of Globis in Tokyo, which he founded in 1992. Globis comprises Globis university, Globis executive school, Globis Management school and Globis Capital Partners, which manages three investment funds. He is concurrently president and dean of Globis university. after sitting on the board of the World economic Forum’s new asian Leaders representing Japan, Hori is currently a member of one of more than 70 Global agenda Councils dealing with the Yoshito Hori, president and dean of GLOBIS University, visits a site struck by the March all-important subject of new Model of 11 earthquake and tsunami in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, in May 2011 as he initiated Leadership. Project KIBOW to help the area rebuild from the disasters. cOURteSY OF pROject KibOw “Project KIBOW has been formed out of our earnest desire to do whatever we could at the same time, Project KIBOW main Tokyo school and branches in Osaka to help (the sufferers of the March 11 organized a town-hall style networking and nagoya. according to Globis, the new disaster) and to rebuild the devastated forum at several major cities in the quake- school will be the first graduate school of areas,” Hori said. hit region, including Iwaki, Fukushima business management in the Tohoku His feverish desire was shared by the six Prefecture, and sendai, the largest city in region. other entrepreneurs and business leaders, the Tohoku region. The meetings were To help financially hard-pressed who included Kiyoshi nishizawa, CeO of intended to serve as a venue of dialogue students, Globis is offering to remit Internet business incubator company between local community leaders and admission fees and shoulder 30 percent of netage, Inc., Takao Ozawa, director of the Japan’s leading young entrepreneurs. the tuition for prospective students in the nPO Civic Force, and Takaaki umezawa, “We wanted to initiate a process of six-prefecture Tohoku region. partner and managing director of Japan at changes in the power balance with Hori is identifying the cause of Project a.T. Kearney, Inc. Later, Hiroshi Mikitani, informal leaders rising up to be pitted KIBOW with the agenda at the davos chairman and CeO of rakuten, Inc., joined against formal leaders, as seen in the arab conference of shaping new Models. the group. In a matter of several days, more spring in the Middle east and the two “We have a mountain of global issues, than 40 entrepreneurs and business leaders, grassroots movements in the united states which range from climate change and as well as diet members, joined hands to — Occupy Wall street and the Tea Party,” energy, food and water shortages to the support the initiative. Hori said. euro crisis and the rise of emerging “seeing many people feel helplessness Inspired by Project KIBOW, numerous economies. yet, conventional institutions in the face of the killer quake and tsunami grassroots movements are in the offing in and political leadership are no longer and the nuclear crisis, I was compelled to the quake-devastated region, according to valid and effective in solving the pressing take whatever action together with Hori. global issues,” said Hori, who is assigned followers and to make any small moves “These movements and their leaders to make a presentation on the theme in happen toward the reconstruction,” Hori would take the central role in the davos. said. reconstruction and rebirth of the disaster- The challenges Japan now faces in the Initially, the group launched a hit region,” he said. wake of the March 11 disaster, and his fundraising drive for the relief of the as founder of the Globis university, Project KIBOW, in particular, could provide devastated local communities. Capitalizing which has developed into a major player a clue, if not an ultimate answer, to the on his personal connections, Hori in Japan, Hori’s primary concerns rest in problem of the leadership crisis on a global dispatched an appeal for donations to education and the fostering of innovative scale, he said. about 3,600 people in Japan and abroad, entrepreneurs in the disaster-stricken “I firmly believe that many young including many regulars at the davos areas. leaders with a vision and passion will conference, via Facebook, Twitter and While offering free seminars on emerge from the disaster-stricken Tohoku email. marketing and critical thinking to local region, and they will definitely trigger In only six months, the group collected as people, Globis university recently innovation and changes in their native much as ¥100 million, which is being announced that it would open a branch of communities,” Hori said. “My hope is that provided mostly to local nonprofit its school of business management in these new-generation leaders will set a organizations devoted to the relief and Miyagi Prefecture in april. The sendai future course for Japan and rest of the recovery of the affected communities. school will be Globis’ fourth school after the world in the long term.”

PAGE: 2 (1) 第３種郵便物認可 The Japan Times Wednesday, January 25, 2012 B3 Davos special experts expect sharp growth in energy-efficient smart cities

Hiroko Nakata and following power shortage urged growth. maker, expects sales of smart city business STAFF WRITER companies to plan new smart city projects, “Our initial targets were emerging to reach ¥900 billion in fiscal 2015, more such as in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, economies such as China and India,’’ said than double the sales for the last nine The energy-efficient “smart city” business and Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, Takiguchi Hitachi spokesman Masayoshi yamaji. “But months. has gained attention in Japan particularly added. the earthquake occurred in Japan and raised a series of projects kicked off in 2010 since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami some local governments, such as the city demand for new towns in the (northern) when the government selected the city of crippled a Fukushima nuclear power plant of urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, were also area. This prompted us to think we should yokohama in Kanagawa Prefecture, the city and raised worries over the shortage of prompted by the March earthquake to build contribute to the recovery at home using our of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture, the electric power in many parts of the country. a new city invulnerable to natural disasters. know-how and experience gained at city of Toyota in aichi Prefecture, and the Like other nations, Japan started to urayasu, which suffered from serious overseas smart-city projects.” Keihanna area in western Japan’s Kansai launch pilot projects a couple of years ago, liquefaction in March, announced in electronics giant Hitachi says it will join region, as model projects. aimed at introducing more renewable november that it will build a smart city in efforts to rebuild disaster-hit sendai. The among the projects, yokohama won a energy, consuming less fossil fuels and cooperation with nine housing and other firm and four nippon Telegraph and prize in december in the city division of the emitting less carbon dioxide to protect the firms. Telephone Corp. group firms reportedly World smart City awards at the smart City environment. Forecasts show not only Japan but the plan to set up a joint company in March to expo World Congress 2011 in Barcelona, Moreover, the March disasters started to rest of the world experiencing sharp growth develop an environmentally friendly smart spain. prod local governments and energy-related in the smart-city business. city in the city. under the five-year smart city project, firms to gear up their efforts to create real according to a survey conducted in Hitachi, which makes nuclear reactors, yokohama cooperates with a consortium cities, not just run pilot projects, experts said. October by nikkei BP Clean Tech Institute, now focuses on smart city-related business consisting of seven Japanese companies to “Interest in smart cities has been stronger the total global market size of smart cities and aims to boost its sales to more than develop a smart city where power is than ever since the quake occurred,’’ said will reach ¥3.88 quadrillion by 2030. Of that, ¥1.3 trillion in fiscal 2012, up 20 percent distributed to houses, buildings and electric shinichiro Takiguchi, executive senior Japan will account for 3.5 percent, or ¥134 from fiscal 2010. as for new energy-related vehicles through the use of a renewable researcher at the Japan research Institute. trillion. Japanese companies operating business alone, including advanced energy-based infrastructure. He said more people realized the smart-city pilot projects with local metering infrastructure and control systems The seven firms are nissan Motor Co., importance of communities that are energy governments also aiming to export for stable power distribution, the company Panasonic Corp., Toshiba Corp., Tokyo independent by consuming renewable technologies to countries such as China, sees sales of ¥200 billion in fiscal 2015, electric Power Co., Tokyo Gas Co., energy they generate locally. where the smart-city business is likely to almost triple fiscal 2010’s sales. accenture’s Japan unit and Meidensha Corp. at the same time, the March disasters grow sharply along with rapid economic Toshiba, Japan’s biggest nuclear-reactor By fiscal 2014, yokohama aims to cut about 64,000 tons of carbon dioxide and introduce IT-controlled home energy management systems to about 4,000 This “smart house” unveiled in November in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture, households and about 2,000 electric has a computer system that automatically controls electricity consumption. The plug-in vehicles, the city said. hybrid vehicle parked at the house is part of the renewable energy experiment. kYoDo a project in Kitakyushu aims to cut the amount of carbon dioxide to half that in home and abroad,” said Takahito september 2010 to test their model of smart surrounding areas. Hashimoto, project leader of Mitsui houses linked to a smart grid system. The city will introduce not only solar and Fudosan’s Kashiwanoha Campus City One of the companies, Japanese Wind wind power, but also utilize hydrogen project, in an interview in august. development, is constructing a system to generated at nippon steel Corp.’s yawata What puts Kashiwanoha ahead of other control the demand and supply of Works as a byproduct. The hydrogen is domestic projects is that there are about electricity generated by wind power, while supplied through pipelines to fuel cells 1,200 households on the premises, unlike Hitachi is building control systems to installed at public facilities, outlets and others that are still in the trial stage. about stabilize electric power and gather data houses. The cells either store or make 1,900 more households are expected to from digitalized smart meters at each chemical reactions using oxygen and move in by spring 2014, according to house. Toyota Motor Corp. tests supplied hydrogen to generate electricity. Hashimoto. management systems for smart houses and Meanwhile, some Japanese companies On the walls in some residences, a small plug-in-hybrid cars. took the initiative in smart city projects. monitor keeps track of carbon dioxide The project involves a smart grid village real estate firm Mitsui Fudosan Co. is emissions based on the amount of composed of six smart houses equipped building one of the largest smart cities, the electricity, gas and hot water consumed. with automatic electricity control systems, Kashiwanoha Campus City in Kashiwa, One day, a central control center will eight Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid vehicles Chiba Prefecture, about 30 km northeast of monitor supply and demand rates for local and a battery system, all powered exclusively Tokyo, in cooperation with the university of energy, including solar and wind, and for by renewable energy sources and not linked Tokyo and Chiba university. heat generated by hot springs (geothermal) to the national electricity grid. at the center of the project is a and biofuels. By 2030, the city aims to cut its experts say the hurdle to overcome in 127,000-sq.-meter space where housing, carbon emissions by 60 percent, Mitsui building smart cities is a lack of business offices, hotels and other commercial Fudosan said. models. complexes will be completed by 2014. In the village of rokkasho, aomori “since the initial costs (to build facilities “By realizing our concept of ‘living with Prefecture, which has wind power stations needed to run smart cities) are huge, it is environments’ here in a suburb of Tokyo, with large-capacity batteries, four hard to find how to make a return,’’ said In December, Yokohama won a World Smart City Award at the Smart City Expo World Congress. YokoHAmA CoNvENTIoN & vISIToRS BuREAu we hope we can expand our business at companies began a two-year project in Japan research Institute’s Takiguchi.

PAGE: 3 (1) B4 The Japan Times Wednesday, January 25, 2012 第３種郵便物認可 Davos special recipes for Tohoku revival

Arni Kristjansson prominent food writer Kundo Koyama, who Okuda is dedicated to improving food safety speciAl to the jApAn times is a native of Tohoku and the writer of the and spreading the message of the region’s 2009 Oscar-winning film “departures.” That food culture for which he has very concrete One of the most remarkable things that film was also shot in the region. ideas. occurred after the Great east Japan Chef Okuda grew up in the city of “To popularize Tohoku’s unique cooking earthquake of March 11 was the amount of Tsuruoka, yamagata Prefecture. He didn’t we need the media and original dishes to help the afflicted areas received. several have to go far for inspiration to become a increase tourism,” Okuda explains. But at organizations sent help, but there was also a chef as his family operated a restaurant out the same time he emphasizes the steady stream of independent professionals of their home where he used to play in the importance of getting the local community who brought their talents to the stricken kitchen as a child. involved. “We need to get the local people Tohoku region. Hairdressers gave free cuts, at the age of 18, he moved to Tokyo and to love these local vegetables. so besides artists conducted workshops with children started his career as a chef in Italian and promotion we are getting local children and and chefs helped dish out food to the French restaurants but moved back to his the older generation to create stories disaster victims. hometown at 26. He assumed several head around the vegetables, as well as teaching The rebuilding effort in Tohoku is far from chef positions in his area before opening up about them in schools and conducting over and independent professionals have his own restaurant alchecciano in 2000 cooking workshops.” changed strategies to try to return the region focused on delivering quality Italian The efforts of chef Okuda and others in to its original glory. Chef Masayuki Okuda is cooking using fresh local ingredients. his area have resulted in the successful (Clockwise) Masayuki Okuda; Fujisawa one of those people. The 42-year-old is us- From what Okuda has to choose from, branding of local vegetables across Japan. a radish, one of the local vegetables in ing his expertise and efforts to re-establish the list of produce unique to the region is top department store in Ginza sells their Yamagata Prefecture; Yoshinori Ishii; and Tohoku’s reputation of being a place with quite impressive. In yamagata, there are local vegetables and as a result of increased Katsuyasu Ito jun hAsegAwA a great culinary tradition. along with chef more than 100 types of vegetables that have sales, farmland dedicated to growing a local Katsuyasu Ito, they have been working hard been grown there since the edo Period as variety of red leek increased tenfold. produce. and for their efforts they were awarded the well as a wide variety of wild herbs It’s Chef Okuda’s wish to get his Iwate has an extremely varied food ryori Masters award from the Ministry of ag- collectively known as sansai. as Okuda hometown recognized as a unesCO City of culture because of its size as the second riculture, Forestry and Fisheries. These two explains, during the edo Period, yamagata Gastronomy for its local food culture and if largest prefecture in Japan. Ito explains that Tohoku-based chefs together with outside became a home for many varieties of successful, it would become only the as a result, there is a big difference between support from London-based kaiseki chef vegetables with the seeds brought from second city in asia to receive that title. cooking in north Iwate and south Iwate. yoshinori Ishii will represent Japan, and use russia, China, Korea and even far-off In terms of tourism, Tohoku’s food “We have coastal areas, inland areas and their expertise of local Tohoku foods and in- europe. Japan being the country furthest in culture revival is very important as mountain areas all with different food ternational cooking to impress attendees at the east it became the “end stop” for a lot of according to a survey by the Japan national culture.” He goes on to explain that in all, the World economic Forum in davos, swit- seeds and because of the favorable climate Tourist Organization at airports in 2010, the you could easily break up Iwate into nine zerland. The occasion is being supported by many of these varieties thrived. Teaming up number one thing that travelers were different areas of food culture, from top to the Japanese nonprofit Organization to Pro- with professor Hiroaki egashira of yamagata looking most forward to was tasting the bottom into three areas as well as split it in mote Japanese restaurants abroad (JrO). university and with support from city local food. three from right to left. Their arrival is being organized by offices in his native coastal region of shonai, It’s hard not to admire the dedication to soon after the earthquake, chef Ito’s the rebuilding of the Tohoku region that restaurant became a base camp for many suffered immensely after last year’s disaster. chefs who came to Tohoku to help. “Chefs Okuda along with his friend and colleague, from Tokyo and other areas came to my chef Katsuyasu Ito, 48, from Iwate restaurant with their equipment and Prefecture, went around the affected areas supplies, and then we headed off from here. and set up soup kitchens for those who lost We went quite a few times,” Ito explains. His de cuisine at the Japanese embassy to the use local Tohoku ingredients as dire their homes, and did so over 50 times, work is far from done, however, nowadays united nations in Geneva and the because of import bans, he says that visiting all of the hardest hit areas. now they he conducts cooking workshops for those knowledge he gained from that experience working with the two Tohoku chefs are a part of the organization “soul of who are in temporary government housing. will be reflected in the cooking for the represents an important occasion and he Tohoku” which comprises over 34 chefs “We set up these workshops in the occasion, for example by using fish from has been working closely with organizer across Japan dedicated to the rebuilding of communal areas in the housing complexes switzerland to create classic Japanese Kundo Koyama in making it a success. Tohoku through their desire to maintain and try to make enough so that everyone dishes. He says that he intends to represent Chef Okuda explains that it is his wish and strengthen Tohoku’s food culture. can eat,” Ito explains. those many Japanese who are working hard with his work at the World economic Ito, the second of three master chefs who representing Japanese chefs abroad, the preparing Japanese food overseas using Forum to thank the international will be supervising in davos, took a similar third master chef hails from London. Chef local ingredients. community for its support. also, he wants route as his friend Okuda. after graduating yoshinori Ishii, 40, from Chiba Prefecture, is While being overseas, Ishii also showed to introduce to them the food culture of high school he went straight from his home the head chef at uMu, a Kyoto-style kaiseki his support for the reconstruction of Tohoku. as for the future of the region, he in Chiba Prefecture to Tokyo to enter the restaurant in Mayfair. Ishii has an illustrious Tohoku after the disaster by hosting several says he wishes to return Tohoku to as close restaurant business. In 1995 he moved up to culinary career, after graduating from the charity events at uMu. The restaurant to normal as it can get in his lifetime. He Iwate Prefecture where he’s been ever since, Tsuji Cooking school he spent eight years covered material costs and the entire mentions that Hiroshima was expected to and in 2009 he took over as the head of his honing his craft at the esteemed three restaurant staff worked pro bono with all of recover in 50 years but it was achieved own French restaurant named L’aureole Michelin star kaiseki restaurant Kitcho in the proceeds going to the reconstruction. much faster and as he has at least 30 years Chef Masayuki Okuda’s “red soup” is based on his theory that similarly colored where he serves up what he calls “Iwate- Kyoto before moving abroad. While he describes the situation for left in him he will do all he can as a chef to produce have matching flavors. jun hAsegAwA style French cuisine” made by using local From 1999 to 2002 Ishii worked as chef Japanese chefs working abroad that want to help.

PAGE: 4