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Discovering Japan 2013 no.10 Special Feature Quality with a Japanese Flair For Safety and Peace of Mind no.10 c o n t e n t s Special Feature Quality with a Japanese Flair For Safety and Peace of Mind 04 In Pursuit of Safety 06 Japanese Cars on the Road to Higher Safety Standards 08 Shinkansen High-speed Trains Run Safe 10 Japan’s Delivery Services Really Have a Heart 12 Convenience Stores—Practically Everywhere, Always Handy, and Safety Conscious, Too 14 Keeping Food Tasty and Safe 16 Japanese-style Quality Helps Make Life Better 18 Revolutionary Techniques to Fight Disease 1 Medical Devices from Japan Offer Less Pain, Less Hassle Above: N700A series Tokaido Shinkansen train speeding 2 Medical Therapies for the World, Pioneered in Japan past Mount Fuji. (See page 9. Photo courtesy of Central Japan Railway Company.) 22 Tasty Japan: Time to Eat! Cover: East Japan Railway Company conductress doing a Special Feature visual check for safety purposes on the Akita Shinkansen Katsuo no Tataki Line. (Photo by Watanabe Shigeki) 24 Strolling Japan Quality with a Japanese Flair Itsukushima Shrine and the Island of Miyajima For Safety and Peace of Mind 28 Souvenirs of Japan Manufacturing, distribution, food production, the retail industry, medical treatment… Chopsticks In all sectors, Japan’s flair for quality promotes safety and peace of mind through continual improvements in technologies and services. no.10 September 30, 2013 Published by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Kasumigaseki 2-2-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8919, Japan http://www.mofa.go.jp/ 2 niponica 3 In Pursuit of Safety Japan has long valued and fostered safety and peace of mind. Murakami Yoichiro explains how this has been manifested in both mindset and practice. He was the first scholar to propose the value of safety science, which is the study of frameworks for a safe society. Photos by Natori Kazuhisa Left: Train driver performing a point and call check to add another layer of safety to train operations. Point and call checks are an excellent example of Japan’s high commitment to safety. (Photo courtesy of Niigata Nippo Newspaper) Right: Factory workers search out even the smallest imperfections, and this mentality is behind improvements in manufacturing technology. (Photo courtesy of Aflo Co., Ltd.) A value system that takes safety has truly permeated the its technologies in pursuit of even and the right amount of adaptability rid of them all, there will still be a whole company. greater safety. result in safety levels unparalleled in need to prevent the occurrence of safety for granted the world. such an accident elsewhere, while I’ve been a proponent of safety sci- High-speed rail transport: Attention to details and passing on to others the technologies ence since around the end of the Standing strong in the face flexibility: Two keys to Japan’s responsibility after needed to manage nuclear energy as 1990s, and I’ve exchanged views with part of the decommissioning process. a wide spectrum of business managers of earthquakes safety the nuclear accident Surely this means that Japan, having as part of my studies. They all say Japanese technology has achieved a The motive of companies going the Over the centuries Japan has been operated nuclear power plants for half they’re well aware that safety is a key level of safety performance that is extra mile for safety is not just that struck by countless earthquakes, a century, and having thrived thanks corporate responsibility, but many exceptional by world standards. This the public demands safety and peace volcanic eruptions and other natural to their energy, has this responsibility told me they don’t see the need to play is probably best illustrated by the fact of mind. There’s another factor as disasters, while economic growth has to the world. up the word “safety” as part of their that, ever since it opened in 1964, the well—they want to keep raising their been accompanied by many pollution company image. Shinkansen high-speed rail system technological potential, and this hap- incidents, especially early on. Each of I suppose that’s because we Japa- has never had a fatal on-board acci- pens to result in greater safety. these has served as a lesson and nese tend to take safety for granted—it dent involving passengers. The Great Behind Japan’s world-class techni- promoted a propensity to develop is a key part of our value system. We East Japan Earthquake of 2011 caused cal expertise is the zeal of engineers measures to protect ourselves from consider it to be an obvious necessity serious damage, but Shinkansen trains aiming to raise their personal techni- future crises. Although this can seem in our lives. But when something is Murakami Yoichiro stopped quickly when the seismic cal skills. Meanwhile, factory workers excessive, the good side is that our taken for granted, it doesn’t necessar- activity first started, completely pre- have a mindset committed to finding high level of safety reflects the peo- ily stand out as a point of appeal, nor venting fatalities. even the smallest imperfections. For ple’s concerns. The corporate pursuit does it convey a message that grabs For example, one often sees train The Great Hanshin Awaji Earth- individual companies, their strength of technical expertise and the people’s people’s attention. drivers and sometimes even conduc- quake of 1995 occurred in the early lies not only in the talents of their call for safety―this combination is tors point a finger at track signals, morning before the trains were run- engineers but also in how their staff driving the development of technology Zeal and diligence for what directional indicators and other things ning, so there were no fatalities or members work as a united team to that meets high safety standards. they have to be aware of, and then injuries on the Shinkansen system. ensure that the hard work of engineers Despite this, in 2011 Japan under- we take for granted call out audibly to themselves that But the system did suffer severe dam- helps to achieve overall com- went the bitter experience of the Just because safety doesn’t inspire they’ve done the check. These “point age in the affected area and several pany goals. earthquake and tsunami that triggered catchphrases that motivate consumers and call checks” might at first seem sections of elevated track collapsed Rather than remain content with the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power doesn’t mean companies ignore its unnecessary to an outside observer, there. This lesson led to reinforce- conventional technology, the Japa- Station accident, forcing the country importance. On the contrary: compa- but they raise safety to a much higher ments for elevated Shinkansen track, nese exhibit flexibility in adopting the to go back to the basics in its pursuit nies know if they don’t maintain level than if they are not performed. which experienced no destruction latest techniques. One good example of safety. The nuclear accident caused Murakami Yoichiro safety they will perish. This is the Point and call checks reduce the risk from the 2011 seismic activity. Ad- is medical devices such as CT scanners the emission of large quantities of ra- Specializing in the history and philosophy of starting point of how we look at of being negligent, or absentminded, vanced devices also played a major (which use X-rays to take computer- dioactive materials, something that science, Murakami is President of Toyo Eiwa University and honorary professor at the safety, and this awareness is well ac- or forgetting to ensure everything role during the earthquake’s prelimi- ized cross-sectional images of the should never happen. University of Tokyo. He is well known for his cepted in Japan. Any examination of is safe. nary tremors, stopping trains before body). Japan has more CT scanners in It would be a massive undertaking many years of research into the relationship between science and society. He has been a the country’s corporate mentality Safety consciousness leads to safety the severe vibrations. Incidentally, operation than any other country, and to decommission all of the country’s proponent of the study of safety (safety science) finds that the need for safety is so well for the employee, too, and insisting this success didn’t cause the rail- it has taken the lead with heavy par- nuclear power plants, taking dozens since the 1990s, examining ways to deal with safety issues not only as a matter of science and understood that companies seem on audible point and call checks way to remain satisfied with the ticle beam therapy to treat cancer. A of years, or even 100 under some sce- technology but also from the perspective of the practically obsessed with it. demonstrates that the commitment to status quo—it still keeps sharpening predisposition for attention to detail narios. Even if we were to finally get relationship between people and society. 4 niponica 5 イラスト1 イラスト4 イラスト2 Special Feature Quality with a Japanese Flair 1 Pursuing precision on the road Japaneseイラスト1 Cars イラスト4 Other technologies support and main- イラスト6front-lighting system (AFS) moves the 3 tain safe driving. The lane departure headlights in accordance with steering onイラスト1 the Road to warning system warns the driver of input and vehicle speed, improving イラスト4 an unintentional lane change, and illumination in the direction of travel. イラスト7 イラスト1イラスト1 イラスト4イラスト4supports steering operations. The lat- Higher Safety Standards eral slip prevention system monitors the movement of the four wheels and ② A comfortable ride, infrequent repairs, safe, good on gas… no wonder Japanese cars attract praise applies optimum brake pressure to worldwide.

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