Vending Machine in Japan

Talking about BigBelly, I remember that you can find vending machines every corner in the street in Japan. You can buy cold, hot drinks, soup, beer, sake, tabacco and etc.

However, it consumes a lot of electrical powers and their generators make a town hot.



Every corner in the large city like Tokyo, you can also find convenience stores. So, I think they do not need these vending machines any more because stores open 24 hours.

This new eco-technology machine could replace all current vending machines.

The nickname could be a "BigSmily" vs. "BigBelly"

Big Belly - Solar Compactor

Walking downtown Kirkland, I was wondering why there is solar system at the top of garbage can.

It features to press down trash inside and also it has wireless feature to send the text message to let a pick-up know that it is full.

This is one of good applications for ecology and sustainable powers.

Thank you Steve Jobs !

Success - Climbing to the Top !

When I read the following comments, I felt like being hit my head.

"Once you climb up to the top of a mountain, you now need to come down.  Once you come down safely, you can say that you succeeded.  If you finish at the top, that is all!"

What does it mean for the business?  What is to come down a mountain in business? 

I am already coming down a mountain in my life from the age.  I really would like to think about this.

Paper Money Collapse

Why does the exchange rate need to fluctuate every second and we are suffering from the price issue in both business and private life?  For instance, it seems to be even better that we could fix the exchange rate every six month or every year after reviewing the trade balance among countries.  What is the objective for this floating exchange rate system?

Nixon Shock happened on August 13, 1971.

• Nixon Shock (WSJ English Version)

Last a couple of years the US dollar seems to be losing its credit and it is getting weaker.  And it is not relating with any real economy situation that Japanese Yen has become so high against US dollar.

It seems for me that it is money game.  The real economy do not seem to appreciate this but the financial industry.  The world has moved into the digital money.  We even do not use paper money these days so much. We might be living in the illusion world.  Time to wake up from the illusion.

The Seven Most Interesting Startups

You can watch the video for 7 interesting startups.  It got my attention that a lot of female founding members among these startups

• 500-startups

China or US?

A lot of Japanese companies focus on their business development in China as the manufacturing and sales in Chinese market.  It seems to have slown down any new business seeds development from the US without enjoying the current Yen appreciation.

The current manufacturing technologies have been developed and improved last 60 years and if they shift most of them, Japan has nothing left.  In parallel, they should focus on creating new business for future generation and country from the US.

The balance is important.  NTT Docomo is opening NTT Docomo Innovations in Silicon Valley which seems to be a good sign as a challenge.  One of my company mission is Co-Creation.  I want to encourage to create new business between the US and Japan.

HP WebOS

HP is now trying to expand their WebOS to appliances and autos.

• HP WebOS

iPod Magic

Enjoy the Show..

Marco Tempest: The magic of truth and lies (and iPods) | Video on TED.com

Google To Buy Motorola Mobility

Cellular Phone is Japanese life style and culture.  In the US, we commute by cars and notebook PC does not even need to be smaller and lighter. We care about a large keyboard to type easier.  It was my dilemma when I used to work for making the future generation of products roadmap between life style differences. But what is happening?  Look at Mac Air and Intel announcement for future notebook PC development fund. And now Tablet and Smart Phone are taking over PC positions.  Frankly speaking, I was surprised at seeing some American people were using Black Berry small keyboard with two thumbs. 

Now, Google is acquiring Motorola Mobility.  PC technologies have been coming into consumer electronics which there is no longer consumer electronics in the US such as RCA.  So, more than 15 years ago, I thought it was necessary that the US PC company should collaborate with some advanced consumer electronics company, not only components but also new OEM/ODM products.

• Google-to-buy-motorola-mobility-for-$12.5b

• To buy Motorola Patents

There might be the only chance for Microsoft to shake hands with Japanese or Korean electronics companies to revamp their business and product with mutual respect relationship, not dominate their own benefits and interests.  IPv6 era will create a new internet life style in the next 5 years or so (?)

Business Innovation - Mega Stores

Yamada is one of the largest mega retails stores in Japan like Best Buy in the US.

• ヤマダ電機 住宅ビジネス参入

They announced TOB of one of Japanese housing makers;SXL.

Yamada would provide solar system, EV system and any other related ecology electrical solutions to develop smart house market.This is the way of business innovation with their own strength to develop an opportunity.

This is not the money game but real business.

変革のない企業は市場や消費者から捨てられる。マネーゲーム的な買収劇は市場を混乱させるだけで悪。しかし、こういうビジネス変革は個人的には大歓迎です。

日本ももっとこうした広い視野にたったチャレンジをする時代の渦のなかに居るのではないでしょうか？ヤマダ電機には成功して欲しいと思います。

Why stick with AAA?

I am not the economist but it seems that the market has been over reacting with AA+ by S&P.

Does the US have to stay with AAA forever?  It is even amazing to have stayed last 70 years.  I am afraid that another money game might start, not real business but illusion.  Fundamentally, the US is strong and it will just take some time to recover from where they are now.  S&P seems to have a big influence.  However, why don't you believe what you're doing now to recover the business and economy rather than one of analyst comments?

It is natural that we have up and down.  There is no way to stay in the same position nor making the improvement forever.  It could be a good pause for the USA to look back what happened and find what to do form now on.

Solar Thermal Power - 太陽熱発電

 There is another solar power technology; solar thermal power.  Japan started this project 30 years ago and 1981, you can find its project in the following video.

• Nikkei Video - Solar Thermal Power in Japan

Due to humidity, its efficiency was not good and it was suspended in 3 years but now, Japan is exporting this technology overseas.  They can even try to import the electricity.  I believe that this is one good technologies and the way of peaceful energy trade between countries.

AIBO UI?

AIBO came from Partner in Japanese. I hope Sony makes some interesting UI to improve a real partner.

• AIBO 

Edutainment Game

If true, I welcome this kind of a game. I hate to see that we, adults, deliver fighting games for kids as business. It is time to shift to delivery Edutainment type of a game; renewable energy such as Mottainai.

• Bungie Game Video

Gmail Voice vs. Skype

VoIP will replace some landline (could be most of them) phone services.  I installed Gmail Voice and see which will be easy-to-use and will be less expensive.

• Gmail Voice

So, here is another Microsoft vs. Gmail.

就活学生必見！

日本では、就活に不利（？）だからといって、留学する学生が減っているとか、新卒という肩書きにこだわって、留年したりと本質からはずれた末期症状の就職市場というか・・・企業やマスコミの責任も否めませんが、問題が学生自身にもあるのではないでしょうか？

そんな日本の学生に彼の売り込みビデオと履歴書をお勧めします。下記をクリックしてみて下さい。

• Google, please hire me!

この位自分を売り込むくらいの元気が欲しいですね。日本文化ではここまでは無理かもしれませんが、今までの常識に囚われないのもいいのではないでしょうか？ 今の常識は本当に正しいのかどうか？そこ自体大きな問題ですから。

昨日はある日本人の人から聞いたのが、商社に就職してくる最近の若者は海外駐在を嫌がるそうです。目が点というか開いた口が塞がらなかったというか！？

商社希望は、基本的に海外へ飛躍するそんな仕事内容に憧れるのも動機のひとつではないのか？まあ面接でそうした適性を見抜けない採用側、人事側はアホで、学生の責任ではないかもしれませんね。

ともあれ、日本のこれからを担う学生諸君！元気だそうよ！

Chinese Fake

中国市場が本当に世界市場の仲間入りするためには、この問題は大きな課題。中国政府もこれを厳しく取り締まらないと国際信用を得られないでしょう。

• 中国の偽物横行 

China must resolve this problem, otherwise, they will have hard time to be recognized as one of the international business and market.

Abandon - 棄てること・止めること

One of most difficult decisions is whether or not you should stop this business and development.  When it established brand recognition or made enough investment, it was hard to stop it.  Considering people's motivations, it is very difficult to tell them that this should not continue.  I could not stop a couple of business in the past and I see that it was my mistake.  I should have made it stop or give it up and looked for a new opportunity.

Supposed that I have not started this business, what should I do?  Should I start or look for an alternative one?  It might be one of ways to consider without being influenced its history.

多くの人々も経験あると思いますが、やっているビジネスを止めることは大変難しい判断だと思います。ブランドも認知されている、十分な投資もしてきている、歴史があるなどなど・・・そして、そこに携わっている人々のモチベーションを考えると、継続すべきでないことを言い渡すのは死刑宣告のようなもので大変躊躇することです。そういう私も過去、止めることが出来ずに失敗した経験があります。

そんなときまだこれはやっていない、やったことがない。だとしたらやるべきか？他のことをするべきか？という第三者の目というか気持ちに流されない冷静なビジネス判断ができるかどうか？それもひとつの経営者、リーダーに問われる資質だと思います。

携帯電話サービスが家庭・・・

 アメリカの携帯電話キャリアのスプリントも既存のOfficeや家庭の電話を携帯電話の中継器で電話番号はそのままでサービス切替ができるサービスを立ちあげました。

• Sprint SMB Service

顧客に対するメリットは？
ここアメリカの携帯電話のインフラは悪く、家でも場所によって入らなくなる場所はここカークランドでもあるくらい。綺麗に間違いなく電話本来の通話を考えるとLandLineから切換えるメリットが見えないです。料金体系で大きなメリットがあるのでしょうか？国際電話は？

ケーブルテレビ会社が最近は電話サービスを米国内どこにかけても料金は月額一定。国際電話も上限設けてのかけ放題もあります。

日本は今だにNTT独占？それとも地上波デジタルに切り替わってから、ケーブルテレビ会社は新しいビジネスモデルとしてインターネット電話、インターネットテレビそしてNTT電話からの切替などのサービスを行っているのでしょうか？

インフラが整った日本では、その上での新しいビジネス・サービスのネタが沢山あるように思います。その成功・失敗例がここアメリカから学べることも