Innovation is a key driving force for resilient growth. Overcoming difficulties drives the world to become more creative, and ever more innovative. Businesses regardless of size and scale never cease developing solutions in global markets as irreplaceable contributors. Japan supports such businesses, nurturing a resilient spirit. Continuous efforts fuel the cycle of technological development, and solutions are applied to every corner of society, fostering the well-being of all. With the power of innovation, we overcome challenges and contribute to the betterment of human lives.
Disaster Prevention Technology
Natural disasters are a growing risk worldwide, from earthquakes to tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, torrential rains, flooding, landslides, tornadoes, heavy snowfall, and more. Japan is no stranger to disasters, having witnessed its share of torrential rain, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. As a result, the country is engaged in several disaster-related initiatives.
Weather Forecast Technology
The Japan Meteorological Agency’s AMeDAS (Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System) automatically sends measurement data about rainfall, wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, humidity, and other details from about 1,300 stations. AMeDAS is also used for mapping the risk levels of heavy rain, flooding, and other hazards. It analyzes rainfall information from radars and associates this information with past hazard data to create color-coded images every 10 minutes that show areas of possible danger. This technology is used for the Japan Meteorological Agency website and a smartphone application created by a partner company to help citizens in disaster prevention.
5G
Japan is the world’s hotspot market for tech innovation and 5G is no exception. According to NTT Docomo in February 2021, in cooperation with an international group of other leading firms, a basic agreement has been signed to establish a consortium to provide 5G solutions paving the way for the future. Though still in its infancy, participating members are hoping to capitalize on several 5G perks such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC), and Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC). The new technology will be tested in Thailand with commercial services planned to be officially launched in 2022.
Quantum Computing
Quantum computing is a bold new frontier in terms of digital computing power with particles that represent qubits taking on 0 or 1 valued bits simultaneously. Translating this computing power into a usable technology for practical applications is sadly theoretical at this stage but Japan remains committed to exploring through ambitious R&D programs. In a recent case in point from April, Fujitsu Limited and RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing have recently opened the RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center to research superconducting quantum computing thru at least March 2025, but it is scheduled to continue after April 2025 as well.
While the immediate benefits of quantum computing may not be apparent, real-world applications in material science, drug discovery, further exploration of physical phenomena, and fundamental scientific theory are just a few ways humanity can benefit. Researchers at Princeton University have stated that keeping the quantum particles, or qubits, “alive” is the challenging part.
