<![CDATA[Japan Retail News - Inside consuming Japan - Trends, Products, Tech

<![CDATA[Japan Retail News - Inside consuming Japan - Trends, Products, Tech - Retail News]]>Wed, 09 May 2012 14:02:59 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[EU and Japan to Make the Internet Safer for Children]]>Fri, 04 May 2012 13:42:00 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/05/eu-and-japan-to-make-the-internet-safer-for-children.html

Europe and Japan will work together on a strategy to make the Internet safer for children and teenagers. The new strategy was announced by Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes on Wednesday. On Thursday, she met with Tatsuo Kawabata, Japanese minister for Internal affairs and Communications to discuss how the European Union and Japan could collaborate on such plans.

Although the strategy is for industry self regulation, the digital agenda spokesman said in an email that the European Commission would intervene if self regulation does not deliver. However "a regulation-only approach would fail," he said.

Apple, BSkyB, Dailymotion, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netlog, Nintendo, Nokia, Research In Motion, Samsung and Vodafone have all signed up to the initiative, which aims to improve content for children and create a safer online environment. According to the Commission, 75 percent of European children, a third of them on mobile phones, use the Internet. Currently, different national approaches across the E.U.'s 27 member states mean that children have different levels of empowerment and protection online.

With an estimated four in 10 children having encountered risks such as cyberbullying, pro-anorexia or self-harm content, giving parents and children the tools to ensure their protection is a key part of the Commission's digital agenda.

The strategy also includes mechanisms to report harmful content and conduct online, transparent default age-appropriate privacy settings and the use of innovative technical solutions by police investigating child sexual abuse material online. (Jennifer Baker for PC World)

]]><![CDATA[Japanese Programming Language Ruby Approved as Global Standard]]>Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:09:07 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/04/japanese-programming-language-ruby-approved-as-global-standard.html

The computer programming language Ruby, invented by a Japanese, has been approved by the International Organization for Standardization as a global standard, the government's Information-technology Promotion Agency said Monday. Ruby, conceived by software engineer Yukihiro Matsumoto in 1993, is a scripting language that executes tasks for software and runs on Unix, Dos, Windows and Mac operating systems.

Matsumoto, a fellow at Network Applied Communication Laboratory Ltd., said he welcomes the decision and hopes for the further spread of the programming language. Heavily inspired by Perl and Smalltalk, Mr Matsumoto created this dynamic object-oriented programming language because he wanted a language that enhanced productivity and yet was fun to use. Ruby has now become one of the most talked-about programming languages.

While Ruby is primarily an object-oriented programming language, it also supports other programming paradigms such as the procedural and functional paradigms. There are currently several different implementations of Ruby including YARV (yet another Ruby virtual machine), JRuby, HotRuby, Rubinius, IronRuby, MacRuby, etc. These implementations are differentiated by their approaches to compilation and the programming languages used to create their interpreters. The latest stable release, version 1.9, is based on YARV.

Ruby is comparable to the Python programming language in terms of its simplicity and power. Like Python, Ruby employs dynamic typing, which allows the programmer to create a variable without using an explicit declaration statement to set its type. The variable derives its data type based on the value it is assigned.

Ruby is cross-platform, thus a program created using it can be expected to run on any of the major operating systems. It is also open-source, thus the programmer stands to gain from a wide array of freely-downloadable modules which enable the programmer to extend Ruby’s in-built functionality.

Ruby’s simplicity is exemplified by its solution to the classic “Hello World!” programming problem. To print out something on your computer’s command prompt window, the basic Ruby command you need is “puts”. Therefore, to print out “Hello World!” you only require the following command:

puts “Hello World!”

Ruby’s web development framework, Ruby on Rails, has also become immensely popular among web developers. Based on the MVC (model-view-controller) architecture, this framework is under the hood of such popular web applications as Basecamp, Twitter, Hulu and Shopify.

Despite its many strong points, Ruby has previously been criticised for being slower than the likes of Perl and Python, the programming languages that it closely emulates. This is because its original interpreter, CRuby, used to evaluate the source code directly instead of first compiling it to byte-code. This is however expected to change as future official implementations will use the YARV byte-code interpreter which will greatly improve Ruby’s execution speed.

All in all, Ruby is an exciting programming language to learn. It offers simplicity coupled with great power, thus it is no wonder that it has become so popular among programmers nowadays. Download the latest stable release from Ruby-lang.org and try it out. (Mainichi Japan)

]]><![CDATA[Nottv offers TV Broadcasting for Mobile Devices Exclusively]]>Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:23:15 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/04/nottv-offers-tv-broadcasting-for-mobile-devices-exclusively.html

It's not TV so it's Nottv. The smartphone broadcaster aims to air shows with live commenting and send magazines and games to handsets. A subsidiary of NTT DoCoMo Inc. on Sunday 1st April began offering the first TV channels aimed exclusively at users of smartphone and tablet computers. Mmbi inc.'s Nottv service offers access to three channels of programming for ¥420 a month in the Tokyo and Osaka metropolitan areas and other locations.

Mmbi President Harunari Futatsugi said at a ceremony to mark the start of broadcasting in Tokyo's Roppongi district that Sunday was just the beginning. "We're still a small medium but will make this bigger," he said.

Mmbi, which provides dramas, live sports and news programs on its channels, plans to expand coverage nationwide, it said. Its parent, DoCoMo, is the nation's leading mobile phone service provider.

Japanese consumers have been able to watch conventional TV on their phones for years using the 1seg service. But Nottv will be the country's first dedicated smartphone TV channel. Nottv shows will make use of frequencies left vacant when the country officially switched to digital TV broadcasts earlier this year.

Programs will be around 10 minutes long to suit viewing on the go. Think of it as Twitterized TV. Users will be able to comment on shows live using the microblogging service and Facebook, and watch programs live or whenever they prefer.

Content will include newspapers, magazines, and video games. Nottv is pending government approval. The company was also introducing people to Notty, the channel's furry mascot, by giving out bags. He looks like the Cookie Monster's younger brother. The result was hundreds of Ceatec-goers walking around with mascot bags bearing the phrase "I'm notty."
(CNet)

]]><![CDATA[Only in Japan: Control Your Kinect Games with Your Tongue!]]>Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:27:39 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/04/only-in-japan-control-your-kinect-games-with-your-tongue.html

Non-traditional methods of controlling games are all the rage in Japan these days. Sega made headlines last year with "Toirettsu" or "Toylet," a game that drunken male patrons can play in the men’s room, since it's entirely controlled via one's urine stream. Meanwhile, a just-unveiled project by researchers at The University of Electro-Communications near Tokyo will soon have players using their tongues on the Kinect.

As the video explains, it is designed primarily to help train people who have oral motor function disorders that affect their ability to speak or swallow.

The prototype works, but isn't perfect, mostly due to detection being less than precise. Given that the Kinect, primarily works with exaggerated body movements, such as waving ones' arms around, it's impressive that researchers were able to detect something as small and precise as a tongue in the first place.

In addition to its use as a tool for physical therapy, it's conceivable that such a method of control can open up video games to an audience that otherwise cannot enjoy them, such as paraplegics. A much earlier example can be traced back to 1989, when Nintendo offered the Hands Free Controller for their Nintendo Entertainment System.

Not sold in stores but exclusively by the company, it's a device designed for those who cannot control their bodies from the neck down. The harness included a joystick designed to accommodate one's chin or tongue, plus a straw that detects suction. Blowing triggered the A button functionality, while sipping triggered the B button in games.

The device originally retailed for $120 and can still be found on eBay on occasion, going for between $600 and $800. (Matthew Hawkins for In-Game & DigInfo)

]]><![CDATA[Interactive Poster Kisses You Back!]]>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:28:13 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/04/interactive-poster-kisses-you-back.html

If you've ever been to Tokyo or any other large Japanese city, you'll have noticed the huge variety of billboards plastering the urban landscape, often featuring the month's most popular idol. Now researchers at Keio University are working on a system that will allow passers-by to interact with said posters via an ultrasound sensor setup.

The sensor will detect the motion of people in front of it, and display appropriate pictures in response - "appropriate" may not be the right word for everyone, though, as the main use case demonstrated by the researchers so far is the ability to "kiss" the idol on screen. After you've expressed your affection for the poster and moved your head away, the girl blushes with embarrassment, for example.

This system is currently under development by a research group at Keio University and they are also considering how to utilize this system in a commercial context.

From now on, the researchers plan to develop an iPad application. For this, they're considering other sensing methods, such as using image recognition via the camera, or using a light sensor that reacts to the shadows created when the user approaches.

"We think we could get pop idols to actually pose for this, and sell it as an application, or it could be used in digital signage. I think people would be really attracted by a face that gives a kiss as they walk past."
(Diginfo)

]]><![CDATA[Knifeless Nose-Jobs Made in Japan]]>Sun, 01 Apr 2012 13:10:23 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/04/knifeless-nose-jobs-made-in-japan.html

Beauty experts have developed a way for women to get the effects of plastic surgery without going under the knife - but the resulting bizarre facial contraptions involved are only for the seriously motivated. Among the amusing range developed in Japan is the Hana Tsun nose straightener - billed as a 'nasal support beauty clip' which has two silicone prongs that are inserted into the nostrils.

According to the seller, Japan Trend Shop, putting the gadget into one's nose for 20 minutes a day is enough to achieve the perfect profile. It reads: 'Do you have a complex about your nose? Then reach for the Hana Twin Nose, a much cheaper alternative to plastic surgery and it doesn't hurt either!

'After slipping this clip gently into your nostrils, the supports on either side will help balance and push up the bones and contours of your nose, so it has an overall sharper, straighter shape, less round and more graceful.'

The name comes from the word Hana, meaning nose in Japanese, and 'tsun,' meaning to perk or stick up, which is a characteristic of what is deemed to be the ideal nose shape. Other unusual products sold on the website include the £80 Eye Slack Haruka, which is aimed at combating sagging skin around the eyes with battery-powered vibrating pads, and the £70 Beauty Lift High Nose, which applies vibrations to help push the nose higher and make it firmer.

The manufacturers insist that just three minutes' use a day will make enough of a difference that others will notice the user's perky new profile. For those who hanker after the plumped-up lips of the likes of Katie Price, or even more extreme, Pete Burns, the rather cartoonish Face Slimmer Exercise Mouthpiece slips over the wearer's own mouth with the ultimate goal of boosting the lips to a more prominent pout.

And a facial toner - the Facial Lift At Once Toner - in the form of a cylindrical plastic gadget is gripped between the user's lips where it buzzes at a high frequency, thereby toning the area. 'All you do is put on the mouth cover, pop it in your mouth and it does the hard work for you!,' the website claims, adding: 'If only running a marathon could be as easy!' The Japan Trend Shop claims the results are instantaneous.

Other gadgets include rubber masks that can be strapped on to provide resistance for facial exercises (just 10 minutes a day will provide staggering results, they say) and a pair of outlandish goggles that the makers claim will mean you 'won't look old and tired any more' thanks to their ridged form that massages tired, lined eyes.

Whether the gadgets will take off in this country is doubtful. Last year a survey found that seven in ten young British women wanted to have plastic surgery.

1,150 women aged between 18 to 30 revealed 72 per cent were looking to have breast enhancements, nose jobs and liposuction. The survey said the trend to plastic surgery was 'worrying' and that young women saw surgery as a normal, desirable and acceptable way to make facial changes.
(The Daily Mail)

]]><![CDATA[Exclusive Tokyo Building Ground Sold: $445 Million for 2.5-Acre]]>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 02:52:11 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/03/exclusive-tokyo-building-ground-sold-445-million-for-25-acre.html

Just when you thought there was no more commercial land left on which to build in Downtown Tokyo, here comes Japan Prime Realty Investment Corp. with an announcement of a planned 47 story, 2.13 million square-foot office complex on a little more than 2.5 acres.

The planned project is the most ambitious of its kind in Tokyo over the last five years, according to recent economic announcements from private and government sources. Tokyo's depressed economy has not lent itself to large commercial, residential or luxury resort development.

For the 118,777-square-foot pad itself, Japan Prime will pay $445 million or about $3,746 per square foot. In Japanese currency, the acquisition price is 36,000 million yen. One yen on Mar. 1 equated to a .012456 U.S. dollar.

Japan Prime is buying the dirt from Tokyo Prime Stage Y.K., another prominent commercial operator. The deal is scheduled to close March 12 in the offices of Mizuho Trust & Banking Co. It will be an all-cash deal.

The announcement is newsworthy to the real estate industry for its transparency. For example, the brokerage firm coordinating the land sale deal stands to make a cool commission of $13.34 million, or about 3 percent of the purchase price.

The building site is the one marked on the left side.

The agent is Tokyo Tatemono Co. Ltd. Hajime Sakuma, the firm's president and representative director, coordinated the deal. His firm has been in business since 1896, another milestone that few comparable brokerages in the U.S. can match.

The announcement is equally newsworthy in showing Japan's developers are not dismayed by the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters that struck the island country of 126 million residents in 2011. Hirohito Kaneko, executive officer of Japan Prime, one of the largest commercial developers in Japan, issued the press release.

The temporary name of the building is Otemachi 1-6 Plan. Japan Prime paid below the Jan. 31, 2012 appraised price of 36,900 million yen or about $460 million U.S. Daiwa Real Estate Appraisal Co. Ltd. of Tokyo made the appraisal. Japan Prime says it will not own the building but will derive leasing revenue from surface rights and a 70-year lease with the building's owner. The lease will run from Mar. 11, 2012 to Mar. 11, 2082.

The owner's name was not disclosed in Japan Prime's news release but is expected to be announced at the closing, World Property Channel has learned.

Japan Prime projects gross annual rents from the building should total 2,695 million yen or about $33.29 million U.S. Net operating income is projected at 1,304 million yen or about $16 million U.S.

The building has been under various stages of construction since November 2009. It is scheduled for completion by May 2014. The structure will have 38 above-ground stories, six underground levels and three additional floors built over the rooftop.

The structure is being built in Otemachi, one of the leading office areas in Japan. Kaneko, Japan Prime's executive officer, said in his new release the Otemachi area "boasts superiority and high-value in aspects such as name recognition and brand strength as an office location."
(World Property Channel)

]]><![CDATA[Waterproof Japanese Phones coming to Europe]]>Wed, 07 Mar 2012 06:03:49 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/03/waterproof-japanese-phones-coming-to-europe.html

Japanese women are so fond of their phones, they even use them in the shower, say manufacturers. This makes waterproofing a must -- also good against rainstorms and accidents while texting on the toilet. Panasonic and Fujitsu are touting their waterproof and dust-proof phones as they seek to charm the overseas market at the world's biggest mobile phone show in Barcelona this week.

"In Japan, you can't sell a phone if it's not waterproof. About 90 to 95 percent of all phones sold now are already waterproof," Panasonic executive Taro Itakura told AFP at the Mobile World Congress.

"Why? This is very unique -- young Japanese women prefer to use their cellphones even when taking their showers," Itakura said. "Cellphones have become 'must products'." Panasonic is looking to re-enter the European market after pulling out in 2005 to concentrate on its domestic sales.

"The reason we decided to come back is that there have been a lot of changes in this industry with the introduction of the smartphone," which has become a "global product," he said. "In order to survive in this industry as a manufacturer, we, Panasonic, have to be strong in terms of global competition."

It is not known whether Europeans share the Japanese fondness for phoning in the shower, but Itakura hopes they will consider the benefits for chatting in the rain. A third of damages to phones comes from water, said Florian Sohn, a Panasonic marketing specialist for Europe. "You may drop the phone in the bathroom, or bring it close to water when you wash your hands or it may fall inside toilets," he said.

Dust-proofing meanwhile can appeal to customers such as construction workers, he added. Fujitsu, which has a fifth of the Japanese smartphone and tablet markets, also sets great store by waterproofing. "The mobile phone is with us 24 hours a day. It accompanies us to the bathroom, to the shower, or under the rain.

So it is a necessity for the phone to be robust," Nobuo Ohtani, Fujitsu corporate senior vice president, told AFP. While better known abroad for their laptops, the Japanese giant is now also trying to sell phones to Western markets.

In Barcelona, it showcased its range of phones already available in Japan, as well as a new "quad-core" phone with extra processing power. Besides being waterproof, the phone also appeared crack-resistant when hammered repeatedly with a falling steel ball. Ohtani said Fujitsu's smartphones will also offer "human-centric technology" that makes the devices easier to view or hear, a particular advantage for the elderly user. This technology includes sensors that raise or lower the volume of a call, or even slow down speech if the caller is speaking too quickly.

]]><![CDATA[Japan Making the Meaning of "Drive-Thru" even more Literal]]>Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:33:48 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/03/japan-making-the-meaning-of-drive-thru-even-more-literal.html

Drivers may soon be able to order food using their car navigation systems en route to restaurants with drive-thru service. A group of 26 private-sector firms, including McDonald's Holdings Co. (Japan) (2702), and the government-backed Highway Industry Development Organization will test a service that makes use of so-called intelligent transport systems.

Eight cars will be employed in a test at a McDonald's store in Ibaraki Prefecture on March 5-16. When vehicles enter a region covered by an ITS -- which offers real-time traffic data and other information -- a McDonald's menu will be transmitted to car navigation systems, allowing users to order items via the touch screen.

Users can pay with their credit cards through ITS-compatible devices in their cars. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (7011) and Panasonic System Networks Co. will manage ITS and point-of-sales terminals used in the test. Toyota Motor Corp. (7203) and Pioneer Corp. (6773) will supply ITS equipment and car navigation systems.

Such financial institutions as Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co. will also participate. In the suburbs, roughly 90% of newly built McDonald's restaurants will feature drive-thrus. The company believes that cutting the time for ordering and handing over products will attract customers averse to waiting in lines.

An official at the Highway Industry Development Organization said that the service could spread to other retailers and restaurants once ITS equipment comes into widespread use and compatible credit card payment systems become established.
(Nikkei)

]]><![CDATA[Airbag House Could Protect Japan from Future Earthquakes]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:33:47 -0800http://www.japanretailnews.com/2/post/2012/03/airbag-house-could-protect-japan-from-future-earthquakes.html

As Japan continues to rebuild after last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami, one company has developed an ingenious new method to protect homes from the shaking—let them ride it out on a cushion of air. The technology is already being implemented all across Japan – at 88 sites, to be exact (based on company data as of 06/2011). Air Danshin Systems Inc. was originally established in 2005 to market and sell the technology, which was invented by a man named Youichi Sakamoto.

The method, developed by Air Danshin Systems Inc., is radically different than conventionally employed dampers and band isolation systems. When the quake strikes, it activates a sensor on the property. This sensor then activates a large air compressor that forces air into a bag situated in the home's foundation. As pressure builds, the home will levitate 3cm and gently ride out the shaking, safe from the tremors below. Homeowners can also steady the home as it floats by using an indoor air valve. As the shaking subsides, the house settles back upon its foundation.

As mentioned, the system is currently being installed in 88 homes across Japan. It is also being considered for larger structures and more important structures—including government buildings, office high-rises, and life-size Gundam statues.

In addition, the company claims that it’s a low-cost alternative to other earthquake-proofing. On average it’s supposedly 1/3 the cost of other systems and requires very little maintenance. I’m impressed to see that they’re also marketing their technology to larger facilities like laboratories and factories that often house sensitive, delicate and potentially hazardous material.

If there was a way to implement this technology beneath the country’s 50-some power plants that would really be something. The company has created a couple video to demonstrate the capability of their product. The video above shows one of their model homes levitating. (Spoon & Tamago; Gizmodo)

]]>