Not All Is Well In Japan

The Japanese industrial juggernaut seems to have done much better in the recent years than the Americans. But things are not going too well for some of the earlier success stories. Sony is the one name that just can't seem to regain its lost glory. On peak of consumer electronics industry worldwide in the 90s, it lost the gaming market first to Microsoft XBox in the high end, to Nintendo DS in the handheld and now to Nintendo Wii in the mass market consoles. Its Walkman franchise is all but dead in face of the onslaught from Apple iPod.

It comes as no surprise then that Nintendo's market capitalization exceeded Sony's for the first time. What comes as a surprise though is that Sony seems to be in deep slumber - all this is yet to awaken it. Here's an article from Forbes that talks about Sony's options and how it seems to be taking the path of least resistance.

In the automobile industry, while Toyota seems to have fulfilled its promise of being the global number one, the 90s success story of Nissan with its Gaijin leader seems to be getting derailed. Profits have taken a hit for the first time under Ghosn. See this article from Forbes.

The mystery of the Golden Turd of Tokyo

Finally I have figured out what that huge piece of turd is actually supposed to be - well, it is the golden beer foam - the building it's on is Asahi's beer hall. Quite appropriate I would say, but you do need a wild imagination to think of that abomination as beer foam.

Click here for this article from 3Yen.

An interesting travelogue on Tokyo

Chris Steele-Perkins' lens gives you a view of Tokyo that's intriguing, mysterious, multi-faceted, complex, dichotomous.

Mount Fuji Webcams from Around the Five Lakes Area

Mt.Fuji and Fuji Five Lakes(fujigoko.tv)

When Dr Singh met Japan's King

Sorry for the long break from blogging about Japan. Things are starting on a great note for 2007 though. The Indian Prime Minister was in Japan in Dec. and 2007 may be a record year for Japanese investments in India. Abe-san seems to have a preference for India too - though Japanese companies would continue to invest heavily in China, India might catch up in the coming years.

Here's wishing the very best to Indians and Japanese all over the world in this year of the Wild Boar!

Business booms for fallout shelter industry following North Korea's nuclear test - MSN-Mainichi Daily News

Business booms for fallout shelter industry following North Korea's nuclear test - MSN-Mainichi Daily News: "business isn't always as brisk for Oribe as it is now, but the company sees its upturning fortunes as the result of forward thinking when it was formed in 1963, the year after the Cuban Missile Crisis."

Incredible picture of a lightning strike near Itami airport in Osaka, Japan

Japanese prove easy prey for Chinese honey traps - MSN-Mainichi Daily News

Japanese prove easy prey for Chinese honey traps - MSN-Mainichi Daily News

I have often wondered about the Japanese love affair with China. Ask almost any business person in Japan where he would prefer to travel on a business trip and the answer is always China, followed by Thailand, Philippines, maybe. Part of the attraction is the cultural similarities but beyond that in some cases their seems to be an attraction to the incredible entertainment and night-life these countries offer - say in comparison to India.

But this article might raise a red flag for Japanese business executives doing business in foreign countries. Yes, India does not have the equivalent of such night clubs with beautiful women, but then we don't have a culture of such entrapment, blackmail, etc. either.

In India, Japanese businessmen are usually encouraged to visit some of the best sites of historical and cultural importance. Apart from the ever popular Agra with its Taj Mahal, a lot of Japanese also love to travel to Buddhist sites like Gaya in Bihar (eastern India).

As for night life, we have incredible restaurants offering all kind of cuisines in our five star hotels, plus we have a lively disco culture - but you need to bring your own companions. Good thing is that in India it's quite OK for men to hang out in bars, restaurants and even discos on their own without being looked at suspiciously as being gay or something :-)

technorati tags: japan,, china,, business,, outsourcing,, nightlife,, entertainment,, sex,, karaoke

State-of-technology in Japan

While I marvel at technological innovations every time I visit Japan, things at this famous hotel chain - Prince Hotels, never seem to change. I am staying at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel - there's a light rain and some thunder outside and the TV in the hotel room doesn't work - probably lost the satellite feed due to clouds.

Here's the picture of the 15 year old Sony Trinitron in my room with an error message and a picture of surrounding buildings - the view from my grand $125/night room.

technorati tags: technology, gadget, japan, tokyo, skyline, shinagawa+prince+hotel, cnn, satellite+television

Another lead for Japan over USA - Digital TV for Cell Phones

Wired News: Japan: Digital TV for Cell Phones:

Once again in the Mobile world, Japan and other parts of the world are leading over USA. Japan just introduced digital TV over public airwaves that can be received by cellphones with a special receiver. Unlike attempts in USA, this service is FREE and is broadcasting regular TV channels - ones that people are used to watching at home. Verizon's and Sprint's attempts to offer some limited video on demand lags far behind. Besides, why go for internet based streaming video when you can do it over the airwaves.