K I Z U NA
Linking Japan and the World

Investing in People
Solutions to Climate Change

Autumn2022

KIZUNA

KANAZAWA SHOKO
Calligraphy Artist
Born in Tokyo in 1985, she started learning
calligraphy from her mother when she wasfive years old. One of the notable young
calligraphers of today, her solo exhibitions
have been held throughout the world,in cities such as New York, Singapore,and Prague. She was selected as one of theofficial poster artists for Tokyo 2020.

Welcome to KIZUNA, the official
magazine of the Government of Japan.
This bold work of calligraphy is
絆(kizuna) written in Japanese. Kizuna
means the enduring bonds between
people—close relationships forgedthrough mutual trust and support.
Originally describing the rope used
to tether domestic animals such as
horses and dogs, the meaning of
kizuna has evolved over the years. A
passage in The Tale of the Heike,compiled in the 13th century, uses theterm to refer to the bonds of love
between a father and his children.
More recently, kizuna has gone
beyond bonds tying together family
and close acquaintances; it is now
used in a broader sense of human ties
and connections. Of particular note is
the kizuna born among people during
natural calamities, which fosters
feelings of solidarity and serves as theunderlying strength to overcome
hardships.
Similarly, the kizuna cultivatedamong the countries of the world has
the power to deepen cooperation for abetter future. By reporting on a wide
variety of topics concerning Japan, we
hope that this magazine will provide
opportunities for Japan and the rest of
the world to connect and build
strong kizuna.

CONTENTS
INVESTING IN PEOPLE

04

Investing in People for a New Form of Capitalism

06

Enabling the Next Generation to Leadin a VUCA World

08

Combining STEAM Education with Playful
Exploration

10

Boosting Recurrent Education that Builds the Future

12

Research Universities Seek to be Competitive
and Collaborative
PORTRAITS OF JAPAN

16

Colors and Savors of Autumn Reflect JapanSOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

18

Hydrogen Power Generation
for a Zero-Carbon World

20

Carbon-Negative Concrete:
A Game Changer for a Sustainable Future

22

Burning Garbage, but Reducing Greenhouse Gases

24

Harmony Between Forests and Communities
Echoes in Tanzania
POLICY & DIPLOMACY

26

Fostering a Sustainable Japan-Africa Partnership

Autumn 2022

COVER
Top: Professor TAKEUCHI Hirotaka
of Harvard Business School has beenendeavoring to develop globally minded
human resources.
Bottom Left: The hydrogen gas turbine
developed by Mitsubishi Power. MHI
Bottom Right: The CO2-absorbing
concrete created by Kajima Corporationand three other companies.

03

INVESTING IN PEOPLEINVESTINGINPEOPLEFOR A NEW FORM OF
CAPITALISM

While capitalism’s advance has brought aboutsignificant growth for the global economy, it has also
created such problems as growing social disparities,
climate change, and issues of economic security. That
is why the Kishida administration considers a revisionof capitalism an urgent matter and has advocated a
new form of capitalism as a crucial, future-oriented
policy for Japan.
Concrete policy measures were announced in Junein the Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Formof Capitalism. Based on the concept of a virtuous
cycle of growth and distribution and the developmentof a new post-pandemic society, the document lays

04

In June, a grand design and action plan wascompiled to implement the new form of capitalism
advocated by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio.
“Two birds with one stone”—the plan, which seeks
to both solve social problems and achieve economic
growth, focuses on several investments, including
investments in people.
out the four pillars of priority investments. Aiming tosolve social problems and achieve economic growththrough new private-public cooperation, the fourpillars will realize a new form of capitalism for thesustainable well-being of all citizens. Those pillars are:investment in and distribution to people; targeted
investment in science, technology, and innovation;
accelerating establishment of startups and promoting
open innovation; and investment in GX (green
transformation) and DX (digital transformation).
Topping that list is investment in and distribution
to people. In order to exercise creativity in thismodern age, in which we experience huge waves ofINVESTMENT IN AND
DISTRIBUTION TO PEOPLE• Promoting wage increases• Facilitating labor mobility through skill increases• Moving from savings to investment: formulationof the “Doubling Asset-based Incomes Plan”• Supporting the efforts of all generations,
including children, working adults, and the elderly• Respect for diversity and flexibility of selection• Formulating guidelines and strengthening
disclosure to the stock market of non-financial
information, such as human capitaltransformation, people are becoming increasingly
important. It is people who will solve the issues
facing society, such as responding to climate change.
Increasing value by investing in people is therefore
becoming extremely important in the face of labor
shortages for Japan.
According to OKINA Yuri, chairperson of theJapan Research Institute and a member of theCouncil of the New Form of Capitalism Realizationthat formulated the policy plan, this investment inpeople represents the vision for the future to which
the new form of capitalism aspires. She said, “It is
important to act in an integrated fashion. That means
raising wages to match productivity; facilitating labormobility through skill increases such as retraining;
promotion of working multiple jobs and assistancefor re-employment; and supporting the activitiesof all generations to enable them to thrive, as well
as shifting personal financial assets from savings toinvestment. This will lead to prosperous lives andwell-being for citizens and growth for the country.
Such a virtuous cycle is the key point to creating a
new form of capitalism.”
Okina has especially high hopes for creating asociety in which young adults and women can thrive
further. “Now is a time when the products andservices that will succeed are those with high added
value from the application of assets such as ideas,
creativity, and data. At the same time, those are fields
in which young adults—the leaders of tomorrow—
can demonstrate their strengths. I expect positive
results from initiatives that further encourage

startups and side businesses from this generation,
known for giving considerable thought to addressing
social problems.”
Okina also talks about the grand design’s vision,
which perceives the problems facing society not as
hurdles, but as sources of energy, thereby becoming
new drivers of growth as they are solved. “Therapid spread of online meetings and remote work
during the pandemic has enabled flexible working
arrangements, and I’ve heard from many people that
their work-life balance has improved. In other words,
these individuals are demonstrating how to turnchallenges into positive change.” In the future, themarket and the state will work together in new formsof public and private cooperation that endeavor tosolve social problems.
Prime Minister Kishida’s belief that valuing people
will lead to growth is the foundation of the new formof capitalism. The aim of implementing the concept
is not limited to Japan’s development. It also involves
taking the lead in addressing issues affecting the global
economy and the international community. Now thatthe grand design and action plan have been compiled,
the world’s attention will be on Japan’s next steps.

OKINA Yuri is an economist, chairperson of the Japan Research Institute,and a member of the Council of the New Form of Capitalism Realization. She
explains how her career advancement was achieved by changing jobs. She also
points out that the pandemic has changed how people work and has provided
a good opportunity for progress toward better working arrangements.

05

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

ENABLING THE NEXT
GENERATIONTO LEAD IN A VUCA WORLDWith the world in the midst of radical transition, Japan is boosting efforts to nurture future leaders to take to theworld stage and supporting startup businesses for the new era. Professor TAKEUCHI Hirotaka of Harvard
Business School has been actively endeavoring, in Japan and the U.S., to develop globally minded human resources.
He explains the qualities needed for the coming times, and details Japan’s possibilities.
“We are living in an era
of VUCA,” says TAKEUCHI
Hirotaka, management scholar
and professor at Harvard Business
School (HBS). VUCA (volatility,
uncertainty, complexity, andambiguity) is the perfect way todescribe the world of recent years,
with Russia invading Ukraine
and COVID-19 developing into
a global pandemic. These aretimes that require humanresources capable of dealing
with social issues across national
borders and opening doors to new
development. Digital technology
enables us to maintain close
ties with the rest of the world
regardless of time or location,
but “a multi-cultural mindset” isProfessor TAKEUCHI Hirotaka graduated fromInternational Christian University (ICU) in 1969
and went on to earn an MBA and PhD at the
University of California, Berkeley. He became an
assistant professor at Harvard Business School(HBS) and subsequently a professor at
Hitotsubashi University in Japan in 1987. He
accepted a position as professor at HBS in 2010and has also chaired the Board of Trustees at ICU
since 2019. His field of expertise encompasses
competitive strategy, knowledge management,
marketing, and international business. He has
authored numerous books and articles thatprovide detailed analyses of Japanese businesses.

06

still indispensable even if we nolonger need to physically travel
abroad, Takeuchi explains. “Theimportant thing is to understandthis ‘dynamic duality’ between
analog and digital and be capableof adapting to both.”Investment in human capitalis at the heart of the Kishidaadministration’s growth strategy,
and Japan is actively cultivating
people who can act on the global
stage in the new age. From early
on, as a private-sector actor
Takeuchi has been engagedin efforts toward those ends,
creating a platform that willproduce large numbers of global
leaders from Japan.
“Agility is important in a VUCA
world,” Takeuchi maintains.
Agility was part of the strengthof renowned Japanese companies
such as Sony and Honda—both
established soon after World War
II—as they became major players
in the world. “Present-day startups
are following in the footsteps ofthese firms that were founded
after the war. Many young
people today, possessing a strong
sense of social responsibility, areseeking to become involved instartups. At HBS, roughly 70%

Left: HONDA Soichiro (center) established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. shortly after World War II ended. Takeuchi,
along with management scholar NONAKA Ikujiro, described the new product development process of Japanesemanufacturers like Honda as being analogous to that of a rugby scrum, based on the image of a rugby team working asa single unit to move the ball forward. “Scrum” became a major concept in agile development in Silicon Valley and has
exerted great influence on software development. Takeuchi and Nonaka are referred to as the “Grandfathers of Scrum”
in the U.S. BERNARD CAHIER/GETTY IMAGES
Right: Takeuchi points to MLB player OHTANI Shohei as a role model who possesses “dynamic duality.” He admiresthe way that Ohtani has not only achieved superb results as both pitcher and batter, but has also succeeded insmoothly assimilating the mindset and values of American culture while maintaining the traditional courtesy andmorals of Japanese society. REUTERS/AFLO

of the graduates launch their own
businesses or go to work for NPOsor relatively small companies. A
small but growing tendency to
do the same can be found among
talented recruits in Japan.”
One region in Japan that has
lured such people is Tohoku, which
was devastated by the Great East
Japan Earthquake in 2011 and is
still rebuilding. “Young people aretaking on leadership roles because
they feel truly compelled to dosomething about the situation inwhich many have lost everything
owing to the disaster.”
In 2012, Takeuchi launched asecond-year field study program
called the Japan Immersive Field
Course (known until 2015 as
the Japan Immersive Experience
Program). During the first six yearsof the program, students carriedout hands-on projects, such as
clearing debris in Tohoku, while
helping to find solutions for local
business problems. In their firstyear strategy course, HBS students
are rigorously trained to adopt an“outside-in” approach that begins
with an objective analysis of theindustry and competition. In
Tohoku, on the other hand, theyencountered social entrepreneurs

who followed a diametrically
opposed “inside-out” approachto strategy that put one’s mission
and beliefs at the core. “Whatour students learned was anintegration of the two approaches
to strategy,” says Takeuchi.
Takeuchi regards the goalof the program to be morethan just “Knowing”—that is,going beyond the acquisitionof knowledge. Also to beconsidered and learned are“Doing”—namely, practicing thatknowledge through action—and“Being”—which is learning thevalues and convictions needed
to become a business leader.
Leadership in today’s world

requires that both organizations
and individuals be socially
responsible, and that demands a
progression from “Knowing” and“Doing” to “Being.” “The ultimate
goal in educating leaders whomake a difference in the world is
to enable them to reach the stateof ‘Being.’ And ‘Being’ is attained
through the act of ‘Doing,’” heconcludes.
The Japanese government aims
to increase the number of startups
tenfold over the next five years. If
that is achieved, the number ofentrepreneurs who can grapple
with social issues on the global
stage may also multiply significantly.
“Many talented young Japanese
students who study abroad on
scholarships are choosing to start
their own businesses instead offinding employment with bluechip companies. Amazing things
are already happening,” Takeuchi
observes. “Enabling Japan tocompete again—that’s what we
aspire to. I hope to see thesestudents break the mold in these
VUCA times.”

Japan Immersive Field
Course ( Japan IFC) was
launched in Tohoku when
the region was stilldevastated by the earthquake
and tsunami, and Takeuchi(photo: second from right)
joined student volunteers inclearing debris. “It was amoving experience for the
students, who have a strong
sense of social responsibility,”he says. Since 2016, Tokyo
has been the locus for Japan
IFC, which is presently
focusing on the fusion ofdigital and analog.
KENICHI NONOMURA07

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

COMBINING STEAMEDUCATION WITH

In 2018, while running her own company, NAKAJIMA Sachiko was awarded a Fulbright
Scholarship to study at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts, where she majored ininteractive telecommunications. There, she first learned to code, finding the cyclical process of
thinking and materialization both interesting and immersive.

PLAYFULEXPLORATION

Given the high degree of change in society through developments in areas such as AI and IoT, there is an increasing needfor interdisciplinary education to resolve social issues via the comprehensive application of knowledge across the wideranging fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). A gold medalist at the International
Mathematical Olympiad—and a jazz pianist to boot—guides us through the essence of STEAM education.
How can we experience thebeautiful tones of handbells
without relying on sound? Inorder to share their performancewith hard-of-hearing children,
students in a certain school’s
handbell club passionately started
learning about programming totranslate their handbell music
into visual animation. Children at
a school for the deaf and hard ofhearing also tried programming
lights to express the high and low
tones of the music with the help ofa hearing-support device. Aided by
Left: Nakajima (back row, third from right) won agold medal at the International Mathematical
Olympiad in India in 1996 during her sophomore
year in high school.
Right: Her fascination with jazz piano while atuniversity led to her becoming a professional
pianist after graduation. At a popular mathseminar for adults, she strove to convey themathematics behind the movement of sounds andchords through hearing and vision. KIOI STEAM LAB

08

The students of Tamagawa Academy’s handbell club studied programming and created animated works to move in harmony with sounds, thereby enablinghard-of-hearing children to experience their performance. The photo on the left shows Nakajima (front, far left) and students of the handbell club checking
their creations. MIRAI EARTH SCHOOL (steAm, Inc.)

computer science, the two groups’
collaborative work made their wish
to share the tonal pleasures of thehandbell come true, letting themdiscover the joy of co-creation.
From such initiatives, we witness
the budding of innovation.
NAKAJIMA Sachiko, founder,
CEO, and president of steAm,
Inc., has been taking on thechallenge of using science andtechnology to nurture creativity.
The program introduced aboveis just one of over 40 Future
Earth School projects led by
the company under the Future
Classroom program supported by
the Ministry of Economy, Tradeand Industry to demonstrate how
students can learn to innovate.
STEAM is an approach tolearning that utilizes knowledge
from the five disciplines of science,technology, engineering, arts, andmathematics to solve problems
and create new value. In this era ofrelentless change, there is a global
demand to nurture such abilities,
and the Kishida administration
has put a concerted focus onpromoting cross-curricular learningthat transcends the boundaries

of arts and science to foster
individuals who are able tosupport our collective future.
Nakajima participated in theInternational
Mathematical
Olympiad as a high school student,
where she became the first female
Japanese competitor to win agold medal. She also harbored afascination for jazz while studying
mathematics at the University ofTokyo, and became a professional
pianist after graduating.
Nakajima uses the commonalities
between mathematics and musicthat she found through her own
background to explain the pleasure
she derives from interdisciplinary
studies and the multifaceted
perspectives of living in such avolatile and uncertain era.
“To me, STEAM represents
diversity. I find it interestingthat there is never just one
answer. It is important toremain inquisitive. Constantly
questioning what one wants to
do inspires creativity,” Nakajima
explains. “The Japanese people
have proved adept at devotedly
pursuing individual topics indepth. While cultivating expertisein each field is important—andis something that Japan has longvalued—I believe that freshviews of the world will open up
if we make connections acrossthe barriers erected between
fields of study. One can enjoy
pursuing one’s inquisitivenesswith STEAM. I consider it myjob to foster inquiring minds.
I support ‘diverse creativity’ by
establishing that initial impetus
and injecting engineering andmathematical expertise along theway to facilitate its realization.”
Nakajima also works as athematic project producer for
Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan,
whose theme is “Designing Future
Society for Our Lives.” Efforts
to revolutionize how we learn
and play to create better global
connections overlap with theworld of STEAM education.
“Think like a scientist, create
like an artist. That’s STEAM.
Persistent inquisitiveness becomesa way of living rather than simply
a way of learning. I hope to see
a future in which everyone,
including myself, enjoys an evenhappier life.”

09

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

ITO Maiko shown running a cell-cultivation
experiment in a laboratory. “Even if one test
produces a good result, I have to repeat it twiceor more in order to write a research paper. It’s avery long path to travel, but it’s fun.”

BOOSTING
RECURRENTEDUCATION
THAT BUILDS THE FUTURE“I keep hitting a wall at
various points in my studies, but
overcoming it is fun.”So says ITO Maiko, an actress
who has been in the entertainment
world since debuting in her teens.
Through her job, she came acrossthe field of preventive medicine
and it sparked her interest. To learn
about the subject more deeply andgive something back to society,10

To create new value in an era ofunpredictability, it is essential to keep
returning to school to update one’s skill set.
A woman who—while continuing her
career in entertainment—has been
studying preventive medicine since entering
university in her mid-40s, talks about thesignificance and joys of recurrent education.

she entered the e-school at Waseda
University’s Faculty of Human
Sciences, a correspondence coursewith most of its lectures available
online. However, Ito found thatbalancing her studies with her
career and family was not aneasy task. Her physical conditionoccasionally suffered as sheburned the midnight oil, trying
to complete her school reports

alongside her regular job. She also
had the misfortune of having aseminar on preventive medicine
canceled because the professor
who had taught the subject retired.
And yet, Ito did not give up.
Whenever she bumped against awall, she returned to her original
intent and asked herself, “Why
did I want to start learning atuniversity? I still haven’t acquiredthe skills to give something backto society, have I?”
Having the longest healthy
life expectancy of any country
has motivated many Japanesepeople to study and continue toacquire and refine skills to lead
their long lives more actively.
The Council for the Creation of
Future Education, established byPrime Minister KISHIDA Fumio
last December, and in which Ito
also participates, is proposingthat Japan create an environment
that
encourages
recurrent
education and advocating theBalancing academia and work is far from easy,
but Ito has had support from those around her.
She advocates changes to society that would
make recurrent education easier to pursue.
Top: She was appointed “traffic safety ambassador”
through her acting job. MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS
Bottom: Ito at the graduation ceremony for her
master’s degree.

transformation of society.
Every time Ito overcomes adifficulty, a new world opens
up for her. The seminar that
she took on robotics to replace
the canceled one on preventive
medicine revealed a new path for
her when she heard that robots
could prevent the decline inmotor function associated withaging. Using this knowledge,
Ito developed a device thatallows seniors to perform squats
properly, thereby helping prevent
musculoskeletal decline. That led
her to pursue a master’s degree
and then work with a company
to develop a more advanced
preventive-care robot called
LocoPyon. The robot talks toseniors to boost their motivationand performs squats with them.
When Ito subsequently decided
to pursue a doctorate, she
enthusiastically approached her
professors about switching the
subject of her research to basic
gerontology. She currently spends
her days conducting cell-cultivation
experiments to find foods thatslow aging.
“To use our skills to solve social
challenges, we need to go back toschool. Recurrent education has
also changed my values. Studying
in a different field is stimulating,and I believe my positive approach
will help me contribute to society.”
However, Ito points out thatthe way that higher education isdesigned may be an issue when it
comes to increasing the numberof adult learners. Regardless, she
has high hopes. “I would expect
the government to create a moreencouraging environment,” sheadded, “such as by lowering
tuition, introducing more diverse
fields of study, and engaging in
more proactive efforts to add
online classes.” In response to theCouncil for the Creation of Future
Education’s suggestion, the Japanese
government’s Basic Policy on
Economic and Fiscal Management
and Reform 2022 has included suchactivities as visualizing the results ofadult education and supporting
the development of programs
addressing the needs of future
growth areas.
As a practitioner of recurrent
education, Ito hopes to giveback to society by becoming a
messenger and talking about her
own experience. “When I entered
university in my mid-40s, a futurethat I hadn’t imagined opened up
to me. The more I learn, the more I
equip myself with new tools. I wantpeople to know the importanceof developing new interests andtaking on new challenges.”
Ito emphasizes the importance of recurrent
education at the Council for the Creation of Future
Education, to which she belongs. ASAHI SHIMBUN

11

INVESTING IN PEOPLERESEARCH UNIVERSITIES SEEK TO BE

COMPETITIVE AND
COLLABORATIVE
To take a social agenda and convert it into an engine for growth, science, technology, and innovation are
indispensable. Japan plans to develop research universities capable of meeting the highest global standards by
establishing the 10-trillion-yen scale University Endowment Fund, which will dramatically enhance the research
power of those universities. In this article, ITOH Kohei, President of Keio University, one of Japan’s top private
schools, and HIRANO Miku, the promising young CEO of an AI startup, Cinnamon, Inc., discuss what it takes tobe counted as a world-class research university.
Generating innovation through science and technology
is one of the key pillars of the Kishida administration’s
growth strategy. As the race to attract outstanding
human resources escalates among nations, the Japanese
government has announced the creation of the
10-trillion-yen (approximately 70 billion dollars) scale
University Endowment Fund to support the buildingof world-class research universities. Universities deemedcapable of achieving research of the highest international
standards will be designated as universities for research
excellence and allocated a share of the fund’s profits. That
will dramatically strengthen the research power of thoseinstitutions by providing long-term and stable financial
support. The fund will additionally boost support foruniversities that have strengths in specific fields, as well as
support for regional universities that play a central role intheir localities and doctoral students of high ability. It will
also assist in creating hubs for research centers and startup
businesses, with the overall goal of placing Japanese
universities at the head of intellectual competition.
ITOH KOHEI
President, Keio University
President of Keio University since May 2021. Awarded a B.E. in
Instrumentation Engineering at the Faculty of Science andTechnology, Keio University, in 1989 and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in
Material Science & Engineering at the University of California,
Berkeley, in 1992 and 1994, respectively. Field of specialization:
quantum computers. American Physical Society fellow since 2021.
Belongs to the Cabinet Office Council for Innovation in Quantum
Technology.

12This article presents the ideas of ITOH Kohei, aspecialist in quantum computers who currently serves aspresident of Keio University, a top-tier private institution,and HIRANO Miku, CEO and founder of Cinnamon,

Inc., a startup that delivers AI solutions. Hirano is also a
selected member of the Forum of Young Global Leaders
2022, organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The two discuss the role of higher education and theprerequisites for a research university to lead the future.

What are your thoughts on the raison d’être of
institutions of higher learning?
Hirano: I think that they are places where people aretrained to create the future. I studied computer scienceand artificial intelligence (AI) all through college andgraduate school, and that is how I came to believe thatAI technology would change the world, and is also why
I launched a startup as a first-year graduate student. I
received help from venture capital awarded to universitybased startups, so you could say that an institution ofhigher learning provided me not only with an academic

education, but also with financial resources.
Itoh: It has been 150 years since the publication of
Gakumon no Susume (An Encouragement of Learning),
which was written by FUKUZAWA Yukichi, Keio’s
founder, with the first edition co-authored by OBATA
Tokujiro, former president of the school. It is a bookthat stresses the importance of education for social
development. The content of education has evolved sincethen to include strategies to deal with global warming, forexample, but the role of the university has not changed atall. It is still a place to learn how to improve society for the
next hundred or two hundred years.
Japanese universities are said to be less competitivein the global field than they once were. What are thereasons for that? The government has decided toestablish a 10-trillion-yen scale University Endowment
Fund to support world-class research universities.
What are the merits of such a fund for universities?
Itoh: Japanese universities have not been innovative

enough with regard to financial management and havenot taken enough action to create the future. At the sametime, it is clear that Japanese college tuition is generally
lower than in other countries. In the United States, theannual tuition at famous private universities stands at
about 60,000 dollars, more than 16 times costlier thanthat of national universities in Japan, which charge theirstudents only 530,000 yen (approximately 3,670 dollars at
144 yen per dollar) per annum. At Keio University, which
is private, the annual tuition for an undergraduate science
major is about 1.7 million yen, equal to just 11,800
dollars. To attract the best students, we need to also
attract the best teachers, but Japanese universities do nothave sufficient funds for that. I have spoken with college
presidents in Europe, where almost all universities are

HIRANO MIKU
CEO, Cinnamon, Inc.
Serial entrepreneur. Awarded an M.Sc. from the University ofTokyo. Founded Naked Technology, Inc., while a graduate student.
Following the sale of the firm to mixi. Inc., founded Cinnamon,
Inc. Selected World Economic Forum’s member of the Forum ofYoung Global Leaders (YGL) 2022 class. Appointed as a memberof the Council of New Form of Capitalism Realization, chaired byPrime Minister Kishida. A mother of three children.

13

INVESTING IN PEOPLE

nationally funded, and they tell me that they have never
had to worry about finance. To be able to compete withsuch institutions, I think it is a good thing for the Japanese
government to be injecting money into universities on acompetitive basis, even if a condition is attached to theuniversity fund that it must maintain a profit margin of
at least 3%.
Hirano: I, personally, could not have launched a businessas a graduate student without having been selected for a
program spearheaded by the Ministry of Economy, Tradeand Industry (METI) to encourage the developmentof human resources in the IT field. So, I have highexpectations for governmental support of this kind,including this fund.
Itoh: My greatest hope is that universities chosen tobenefit from the fund will explore new waters. If a newframework were established where exceptional faculty
members could receive higher pay, for example, I think it
might be a good practice worthy of emulation by otherJapanese universities.
Recent years have seen an increase in universitylaunched startups. What is behind that trend?
Hirano: At the global level, IoT (the Internet of Things),

robotics and storage batteries are fields expected to groweconomically at a rate of 30% per year. Spearheading

cutting-edge fields such as those is exactly what startups
are good at. I think the environment for Japanese startups
will evolve into an open-innovation ecosystem slightly
different from that of other countries. In Japan, major
corporations play an immense role, backed by financial
power and social trust. Cinnamon, the company I
founded, was chosen to be part of a NEDO (New Energy
and Industrial Technology Development Organization)
program that supports university-based startups, and thathas allowed me to develop my business in collaboration
with big companies. While universities conduct thebasic research, startups give the first boost to newtechnologies and also collaborate with major corporations
implementing those technologies across society. Thisis the kind of collaboration we need to generate moreinnovation.
Itoh: I sense a change of atmosphere on campus concerning
startups. Thanks to role-model business leaders like Ms.
Hirano, students are not as averse to risk as they once
were. Startup communities are being built, which act
as safety nets for when things don’t work out. Faculty
attitudes are also changing, so if students express a desire
to do something practical with the technology they haveon hand, they may be encouraged by their supervisor tolaunch a startup instead of being told that a student’s toppriority is to write a research paper.
Although unrelated to startups, there has also been
more collaboration such as that mentioned by Ms.
Hirano. In my own field, which is quantum computers,
researchers at our university have been reaching acrossdisciplinary boundaries to improve computer systems asa whole. If that kind of collaboration is expanded to theinternational level, it will become a global effort.
Hirano: Back when I was a research student, it seemed
to me that labs were very self-contained, with no

My greatest hope is that
universities chosen to benefit
from the fund will explore
new waters.

14

Japanese startups
will evolve into an
open-innovation ecosystemslightly different from that ofother countries.

opportunities whatsoever to share ideas with researchersin other fields or disciplines.
Itoh: The Cabinet Office currently assumes a central rolein providing governmental subsidies for collaborativeinterdisciplinary projects. I think that people are learning
to think more cooperatively by applying for such projects.
The government is also promoting the Vision for a
Digital Garden City Nation, which aims to revitalize
rural areas through digital technology, including theestablishment of digital infrastructure. What are yourthoughts on the role of universities in revitalizing therural areas of the country?
Itoh: Keio University has already established the Institutefor Advanced Biosciences in the city of Tsuruoka in
Yamagata Prefecture in northern Japan. Global startups,
such as a biotech firm called Spiber Inc., have beenlaunched at the Institute, and it is local support thatmakes that possible. Above all, it is important for there
to be support from the community and society. It isvery encouraging when an entire city stands behind theuniversity. We utilized our cutting-edge technology andcollaborated with a local brewery to develop a new brandof sake, and we have participated in other efforts to boost
regional development. When I visited Leiden University
in the Netherlands, many local residents told me that theuniversity has been the pride of the city since its founding
four and a half centuries ago. I believe that it is very
important for regional universities to work together withlocal residents to give more life to regions and to attract
young people. In that respect, I believe that the 10-trillionyen scale University Endowment Fund represents strong
backing by the government.

What do you hope to see in Japanese research
universities to make them globally competitive?
Hirano: Personally, it was only after the age of 30 that I

began to think of myself as working for society as a whole.
Today, I consider it my mission to create a better world formy children and grandchildren and for their children as
well, and for generations living in a hundred and perhaps
three hundred years into the future. If the universities that
educate Japan’s future leaders cultivate high aspirations intheir students at an early stage, I am sure that we can create
a wonderful world.
Itoh: There is no doubt that universities must be moreaggressive in pursuing the means to build a better
society. There is much talk about the downturn in Japan’scompetitive power, but if we consider the story of the
tortoise and the hare, I think perhaps the tortoise may
be a good role model for Japan. One sure step at a time
will surely bring us to our goal. We—universities, theprivate sector, and the government in concert—will work,
Japanese-style, to make a better world.

15

WHITEHERON CASTLE
Himeji Castle (Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture),
owing to its graceful appearance, has been likened
to an elegant white heron or egret stretching its wings,
hence the nickname seen in the title. It is dominated by
the five-story Main Donjon—originally completed in
1609—whose beauty remains undiminished even after
more than four centuries. A masterpiece of Japanese
wooden construction, it was registered in 1993 as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the first places
to be honored so in the country. In the clear blue
autumnal skies, when the surrounding trees
turn bright red, the white castle walls
sparkle even brighter.

COLORS
AND SAVORSOF AUTUMN REFLECT JAPANKitashiobara,
Fukushima
Himeji,
Hyogo
Hiroshima

The wealth of Japan’s four seasons amply satisfies the five senses,
especially in the fall. Leaves turning red or yellow and the tastes ofnature’s bounty are an excellent introduction to Japanese culture.

16

PORTRAITS OF JAPANBBQOYSTERS

AFLO

Tender, ample flesh and the wonderful smellsof the seashore stimulate the appetite for grilled
oysters. Hiroshima Prefecture, which boasts thehighest production of oysters in Japan, begins harvesting
the product in autumn. The calm waters of the Seto InlandSea, enriched with nutrients carried by inflowing rivers,
are perfect for imparting a rich flavor to the local oysters.
For that reason, the fishermen there have long been
active in protecting the forests on the mountains
where the rivers originate. Blessed thus withbountiful mountains and seas, Hiroshima isscheduled to host the G7 Summit in
May 2023.

MYSTERIOUS
PONDS

Emerald green, cobalt blue, turquoise blue,
emerald blue, and pastel blue ... the wonderful huesthat can be found in mysterious ponds lying deepin the forest. These are the Goshikinuma Ponds ofKitashiobara Village, Fukushima Prefecture. Dozens ofponds dot the foothills of Bandai Mountain, familiarly
called “Treasure Mountain.” Their distinctive colors
derive from the volcanic substances particular toeach of their waters, as well as the season, weather,time of day, and angle of view. Red leaves
reflected on their surfaces generate a
special color scheme unique
to autumn.

17

SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

HYDROGEN POWER
GENERATIONFOR A ZERO-CARBON WORLD
Given the urgent need to achieve decarbonization and ensure energy security, expectations have been raised for theuse of hydrogen to generate power since it produces no residual CO2 emissions. This article explores the future ofhydrogen-fueled power generation led by Japan’s hydrogen gas turbine technology.
In bringing about any shift
toward decarbonization while
ensuring energy security—
fundamental to all social
activities—it is critical toachieve carbon neutrality in theenergy transformation sector,
particularly in power generation,
which is responsible for a largepart of CO2 emissions. Sincehydrogen does not emit any
CO2 when used as fuel, it isexpected to play a key role inthe decarbonization of thermal
power generation. The interim
report on the Clean Energy
Strategy, released in May 2022

18

by the Kishida administration,
also calls for the establishmentof a hydrogen supply chain, theexpansion of its use, and thepromotion of infrastructuraldevelopment.
Thermal power generation
today accounts for the largest
proportion of the global
electricity supply. Gas turbine
combined
cycle(GTCC)
power generation—one of thevarious types of thermal power
generation
available—creates
power by firing fuels to drive theshaft that rotates the generator.
Mitsubishi Power, a power

solutions brand of Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI)—
which boasts the largest market
share for power-generating gas
turbines* worldwide—is promoting
the development of a gas turbinethat can be fueled by hydrogen to
generate power.
MORIKAWA Tomoko, chiefengineering manager of the Gas
Turbine Engineering Department,
Energy Transition & PowerHQ, states, “Looking at GTCC
power generation, we have alreadysignificantly reduced CO2 emissions
compared to conventional thermal
power thanks to higher efficiency

Mitsubishi Power has an extensive track record of delivering
M501 J/JAC series gas turbines overseas. Using hydrogen
combustion technology, existing gas turbines can be modified
to economically support hydrogen power generation. MHI

Hydrogen Power Validation Facility(Small- & Middle-size Gas Turbine)(Combustor for Large-size Gas Turbine)

Hydrogen Power
Validation Facility(Large-size Gas Turbine)

Total Energy Management
SystemHydrogen Production Facility(Water Electrolysis System)

TAKASAGOHYDROGEN
PARK

Hydrogen Production Facility(Methane Pyrolysis)
BESS*2

Electricity

Located in Takasago Machinery Works
Image figure (Partly different from the actual
layout and configuration)*1 SOEC: Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell
*2 BESS: Battery Energy Storage Systems

HydrogenHydrogen Piping

Slated to begin operation in FY2023, the Takasago Hydrogen Park has been designed
to consecutively test and verify the technologies involved in creating hydrogen energy:
from production and storage to power generation. It will be the first site in the world
where such operational demonstrations can all be conducted in one location. MHIMORIKAWA Tomoko designs gas turbines.
Having majored in aerospace engineering, shebecame intrigued by the power of industrial gas
turbines and their potential to contribute tosociety when she took part in a corporate visit at
MHI, and thus decided to join the company. MHI(by generating a larger output
from less fuel). However,
we will strive to reduce CO2
emissions even further by
mixing hydrogen—a carbon-free
fuel—with natural gas, aiming
to eventually eliminate all CO2
emissions via a 100% transition tohydrogen.”
One of the advantages ofhydrogen gas turbines is therelative ease and cost-effectivenessof converting existing gas-fired

power plants to hydrogen-fueled
ones. Part of Mitsubishi Power’s
strength lies in its expertiseinhydrogentechnology
stemming from the company’s
development of rocket engines.
Verification of the technology for
100%-hydrogen firing combustion
for 40 MW class gas turbines is set
to be achieved in FY2023, withthe aim of commercialization by
FY2025. Combustion tests of
400 MW class gas turbines cofiring—using a 50:50 mixture ofhydrogen and natural gas—havealso been successfully conducted.
The goal is to commercialize
100%-hydrogen firing combustion
by FY2030. If the full-scale
operation of hydrogen gas
turbines can boost demandfor hydrogen significantly, andreducehydrogen-producing
costs, hydrogen power generation
could become commonplace evensooner than anticipated.
Expectations are building allover the world for hydrogen
power generation. In the UnitedStates, the Advanced Clean
Energy Storage project in Utah,
Mitsubishi Power’s hydrogen gas
turbines have been adopted for anenergy-storage project in Utah,
U.S. that will store and usehydrogen sourced from renewableenergy. The project is planning toconvert to 100%-hydrogen fuelcombustion by 2045. (Conceptual
image of the project) MHI

Hydrogen Storage
Facility
Hydrogen Production Facility
SOEC *1

using hydrogen sourced fromrenewable energy, will utilize
Mitsubishi Power’s M501JAC
gas turbine. Moreover, the U.S.
Department of Energy is theguarantor for a 500-milliondollar loan for the project, with
operation with 30%-hydrogen cofiring slated to begin in 2025.
Large quantities of cheaphydrogen are needed to promotehydrogen power generation, andto this end a hydrogen supply
chain must be established.
Mitsubishi Power plans to initiate
operation of the Takasago
Hydrogen Park at its Takasago
Machinery Works in Hyogo
Prefecture in FY2023. The
park is set to be the firstcenter in the world where thecomplete process—from hydrogenproduction and storage to power
generation—can be tested andvalidated at in-house facilities.
Morikawa enthusiastically says,“Never before has the world
striven toward the use ofhydrogen on such a large scale.
We are making steady progress
toward a decarbonized society as
we find ways to make hydrogen amore practical energy source. I am
convinced that hydrogen energy
will change the world.”*Source: 2022-Q2 gas turbine market share
per OEM; research by McCoy

19

“Developing a new type of concrete takes time. We
would like to keep on making products to protect
people and enrich their lives by fully utilizing theaccomplishments of our many years of research,” says
ONO Kayoko, senior manager of the Technology
Development Department of Kajima Corporation’s
Civil Engineering Management Division.

CARBON-NEGATIVECONCRETEA GAME CHANGER FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Carbon Recycling, which recasts the role of carbon dioxide as a resource to be put to good use, has been positioned by
Japan as a key technology for realizing its goal of carbon neutrality. Pioneering this new role, a domestically
produced type of concrete that absorbs carbon dioxide during the curing process has already been commercialized.
The more structures that are built with it, the morethat carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced fromthe planet—this almost magical product, a concrete
called CO2-SUICOM, was created in 2008, with
Kajima Corporation leading its joint developmentwith three other companies. “The idea originatedwhen we focused our attention on the 5,000-yearold concrete that was excavated from the Dadiwan
Ruins in China, as part of our research on concrete
durability,” says ONO Kayoko, senior manager of theTechnology Development Department of Kajima
Corporation’s Civil Engineering Management
Division. The study led to the realization thatcarbonation, until then considered to be a cause of
the corrosion of structural steel frames, was actually
the key to concrete’s durability. With that serving
as a hint, in 2006, Kajima developed EIEN (Earth,
Infinity, ENvironment), a concrete with an estimatedlife span of 10,000 years. Then, the company adapted

EIEN technology to give rise to CO2-SUICOM(CO2-Storage and Utilization for Infrastructure by
COncrete Materials; the name was also inspired by
the Japanese word suikomu, which means “absorb”),
thinking that it could also reduce CO2 emissions
since it absorbs CO2 during carbonation.
Concrete is made by mixing cement—whichhardens in reaction to contact with water—with
CO2 Emissions[ kg/m3 ]
350
300

288
kg/m3

250

-197kg/m3

200

Reductionof cement amountby changing materials

150
100

-109 kg/m3

50

CO2 fixation

0
-50

20

GeneralConcrete
Products

-18

kg/m3
CO2 - SUICOMSOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

CO2-SUICOM is resistant to harsh environments because its surface
becomes denser due to curing by CO2. It is also aesthetically pleasing since
the carbonation process prevents efflorescence, or the appearance over timeof white deposits on the surface.

aggregates such as sand and gravel. However, thecement production process emits large quantities
of CO2 as it involves heating limestone to very hightemperatures. In order to reduce these emissions,
CO2-SUICOM uses γ-C2S, a special material thatsolidifies when it comes into contact with CO2. Not
only does the material’s use help to cut the amount of
cement needed to about one-third the usual volume,
but the concrete’s net CO2 emissions fall below zerothrough its absorption and fixation of CO2. That
process has made CO2-SUICOM the world’s firstcarbon-negative* concrete. While other types ofCO2-absorbing concrete are available, the product’s
strength lies in the amount of CO2 it absorbs: theact of producing one cubic meter of the concrete initself absorbs more carbon than one cedar tree can ina year. “Our expertise and many years of experience
have enabled us to develop the optimum mixture ofingredients and timing for CO2 absorption,” says Ono.
Although the concrete became commerciallyavailable in 2011, it did not enjoy widespread usageat first due to its high cost and the special equipment
needed in its production that prevents casting-inplace, among other reasons. However, along with theglobal trend toward decarbonization, demand for the
product has heightened in recent years, including
inquiries from abroad. The market size for CO2absorbing concrete is forecast to grow to between
15 and 40 trillion yen by 2030, which has led to a
current acceleration in global competition to develop
such a product.
The “Green Growth Strategy Through Achieving
Carbon Neutrality in 2050”—the Japanese
government’s industrial policy for realizing carbon
neutrality by 2050—has set several ambitious goals,
such as lowering the price of CO2-absorbing concrete
to the same level as that of ordinary concrete by 2030,
and, as part of the “Roadmap for Carbon Recycling

Technologies,” the concrete’s use will be promoted
in such high-demand generic products as building
beams, starting from around 2040. In January2022, as one of its projects, a consortium including
Kajima Corporation was adopted by a governmentalorganization as the implementing body for a projectbased on the 2-trillion-yen Green Innovation Fundto develop concrete that maximizes the level of CO2
emissions reduction and CO2 fixation, as well as todevelop related quality-control technology. For its actualsocial implementation, issues such as cost and on-site
placement will need to be tackled.
As emerging economies grow, the global demandfor concrete and cement is projected to rise by as muchas 23% in 2050 over fiscal 2014 levels. That projection
will have a different meaning altogether, however, if
carbon-negative concrete comes into widespread use.
“Concrete is an indispensable foundation of our lives.
That is precisely why we want to deliver products
to the world that both respond to the social issuesof the time and offer high quality,” says Ono. “Thefirst construction site that I visited when I joined thecompany was that of one of the largest concrete damsin Japan. I was deeply impressed by the scale of thecivil engineering project and the technological skillof the experts involved, as well as by their attention todetail. I look forward to the day when such a dam isbuilt with CO2-SUICOM.”
Top: In the field of architecture, the product is used in such places as theceilings of apartment balconies (photo). Since its dense surface prevents
water intrusion, concrete skeletal structures can be effectively protected, evenin areas exposed to the elements. KAJIMA CORPORATION
Bottom: The CO2-SUICOM products are currently made at precast
concrete plants with special equipment. Among the concrete’s main
applications are paving blocks in parking lots (photo) and road demarcation
blocks. KAJIMA CORPORATION*a state in which reductions of CO2 exceed emissions.

21

A conceptual illustration of how the waste-to-energy plant, currently
under construction in Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam, will look once it iscompleted. The region, with a population of about 1.4 million people,
lies just east of the national capital of Hanoi, and has 16 industrial parks.

BURNINGGARBAGE,BUT REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASESJAPANVIET NAM

Waste-to-energy power generation produces clean energy from garbage. But that is not its only contribution to
decarbonization. One Japanese company with the technology to change garbage into a useful resource is now helping
to drive an energy transition in Asia through its commitment and conviction.
In October 2021, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio
spelled out Japan’s approach to comprehensively
supporting the decarbonization transition ofdeveloping countries through the “ASEAN-Japan
Climate Change Action Agenda 2.0.” The Joint
Crediting Mechanism ( JCM), established in 2013,is a mechanism for facilitating cooperation between
Japan and developing countries toward reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, in which the results of
the reductions are assessed as contributions by boththe partner country and Japan. The JCM backs
Japanese companies in their efforts to offer advanced
decarbonizing technologies, products, systems,
services, and infrastructure to those partner countries.
One example of the JCM in action is theconstruction of a new major waste-to-energy power
project in Viet Nam. Waste-to-energy involves
the burning of garbage to produce the heat to spin

22

power turbines; it is thus a type of biomass power
generation, and the resulting energy is classified as
renewable. Japanese companies are known as global
leaders in the field due to their technological prowess.
One of those, JFE Engineering Corporation, hasreceived financial support for JCM Model Projects
to construct a waste-to-energy power plant in the
Vietnamese province of Bac Ninh, working with amajor local recycling enterprise. The plant, slated
for completion in January 2024, will treat 500 tonsof general and industrial waste per day from threeof the eight districts in the province. The estimated
91,872 MWh of clean energy produced from theplant annually will be sold to a public corporation to
supply electricity.
Waste-to-energy power contributes to theenvironment in other ways as well. In many Asian
countries, much garbage—the total amount of whichSOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

is increasing rapidly due to economic development—
ends up being buried in landfills, causing suchproblems as water pollution and foul odors. Of
even greater concern is the fact that the landfills
emit methane, a greenhouse gas that is 28 times as
powerful as carbon dioxide (according to the IPCC’s
Fifth Assessment Report). Waste-to-energy power
generation enables the reduction of such methane gas
emissions by reducing the amount of garbage going
into landfills.
By generating power without the need for fossil
fuels and through other means, the Vietnamese wasteto-energy project will achieve effective reductions ingreenhouse gas emissions of around 600,000 tons
(CO2 equivalent) over a 15-year period, according
to projections. JFE Engineering will be involved inoperating the plant after its completion, helping toencourage local communities to dispose of their waste
and to recycle properly. HASEBA Hiroyuki, who
is in charge of the project at the company, explains,“Through the JCM, the governments of Japan andViet Nam have both been involved in the project,creating a stronger relationship with local businesses
and providing the impetus to really move the project
forward.”
While garbage is difficult to eliminate completely, it
can be used effectively. Furthermore, waste-to-energy
power generation is highly reliable as it is unaffectedby weather conditions, unlike solar and wind power.
It can continue incinerating waste and supplying
electricity to communities even during disasters,
and there have been cases in which waste-to-energy
plants have even served as evacuation facilities in

WASTE-TO-ENERGY POWER GENERATION
Steam turbine generator

BoilerIncinerator

Platform
Waste pit

Ash

Ash

Flue gas

Previously, waste-to-energy power generation could only generate enough electricity foron-site consumption at incineration facilities, but technological developments such as
major improvements in power generation efficiency have made it possible for most of theelectricity generated in that way to be sold externally. JFE Engineering is working on further
developments, including methods to utilize the carbon dioxide released by incinerators.
Members of the two companies
in partnership, JFE
Engineering Corporation andThuan Thanh Environment
JSC, the Vietnamese recycling
enterprise. Fourth from left is
HASEBA Hiroyuki, directorof the Recycling Business
Promotion Division of JFE
Engineering’s Environmental
Solutions Sector.

Japan. Haseba says, “Though people have a negative
impression of garbage, once they realize that it can beconverted into electricity and benefit the Earth, they
will start to think more positively about waste and its
disposal.” The technological development of wasteto-energy power generation is still in progress. Trashcould be key to saving our planet.
UNFCCC, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

Japan

Decarbonizing
technologies, etc.

PartnerCountry
JCM Projects

Used to achieve
Japan’s NDC

Viet Nam and other Asian countries have been unable to keep up with anddispose of the rapidly increasing amount of garbage that continues to bedeposited into landfills. In addition to producing foul odors and soil
contamination, landfills emit methane, causing a serious environmental
problem. VINHDAV/ISTOCK

JCM
Credits

GHG emission
reductions/removal

While contributing to global countermeasures against climate change by
spreading decarbonization technologies to developing countries, Japan is making
progress toward achieving its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to
the reduction of greenhouse gases under the Paris Agreement. As of July 2022, 17
countries have become partners in the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

23

SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

HARMONY BETWEENJAPANFORESTSANDCOMMUNITIESECHOES IN TANZANIATANZANIA

Protect those beautiful tones! Musical instrument maker Yamaha is working with local communities in Tanzania toconserve the wood used in its products. It is a challenge to preserve species, eliminate poverty, and fight climate change.
Have you ever heard thegorgeous and rich sounds ofwoodwind musical instruments
such as clarinets and oboes?
They are produced by African
blackwood from the East Africancountry of Tanzania. Thanks to its
hardness and resonance, this kindof wood is incredibly valuable
for manufacturing instruments.
However, due to the hardness,

A forest of African blackwood in Tanzania. The trees need about
70 to 100 years to grow to harvestable size. Yamaha has been
explaining to local residents about the importance of imagining
the world in a century’s time and acting accordingly.

24

it is hardly ever used for otherapplications, and only limitedparts of the tree can be used as aresource. In addition, it is said
that forestry tends not to be seen
as a priority industry in Tanzania.
Those factors have resulted inforest management not advancing
in the country, and the amount ofwood resources has consequently
decreased in recent years. Listed

as “near threatened” on the Red
List of Threatened Species by
the International Union forConservation of Nature (IUCN),
African blackwood may bedifficult to obtain in the near
future, some are afraid.
This is where Yamaha
Corporation—one of the world’s
largest general manufacturersof musical instruments—steps

in. The company began a forest
survey in Tanzania with a local
NGO, which confirmed thatsteady resource procurement
could be carried out feasibly
if the forests were properly
managed. With the help of local
villages, Yamaha has provided
them with knowledge on proper
forest management, while alsousing the timber more efficiently
by revamping processing anddistribution approaches. They
have also established a system
whereby they plant the necessary
number of seedlings to obtain
the equivalent amount of wood
sourced by Yamaha to make theinstruments. In the five years since2017, they have planted around12,000Africanblackwoodseedlings.
NAKAI Kazushi, who leads
the project at Yamaha, says, “It
is not enough to just protect

Top: NAKAI Kazushi (center) has been visiting
villages in Tanzania frequently to help growforests with local residents. He also leads
Yamaha’s Tone Forest Project, which partners
with timber-producing communities to manage
sustainable forests.
Bottom: Villagers sow seeds and tend seedlings
that are later planted in the forest. Cultivating,protecting, and utilizing forests now comprise animportant industry in the villages.

forests.” He adds, “Theforest is managed by
the people who live
there themselves. The
most important thingis that when Yamaha,as an end-productmanufacturer in the
supply chain, makes
instruments, it can
improve the incomeof the raw material
suppliers by purchasing
their wood.” Throughthe project, 95% of
the proceeds from thelogging of trees and thesale of logs becomesthe villages’ public
revenue. The goal of
the arrangement is tocreate a virtuous cycleof industrial progressandenvironmental
conservation by developing local
communities and encouraging
them to manage forests on theirown initiative. One can already see
the results from new construction
locally, such as a village office anda guesthouse.
The African blackwood may be
a rare tree, but as Nakai explains,that is exactly why it is important
to use it as a resource. He said,“Using it for instruments increases
the wood’s value and creates anindustry that supports the local
people. As a result, the forests areprotected. That is why Yamaha’s
efforts to conserve the forests in
Tanzania hold significance.” InJapan, non-national stakeholders,
including those from the private
sector such as Yamaha or othersupporters, are collaborating andTop: African blackwood is denseenough to sink in water. The
photo shows a hard, black
cross-section of a cut log. Beyond
musical instruments, the woodhas few applications, which poses
problems for its use as a resource.
Left: The clarinet (right) and theoboe (left) are typical instruments
made from African blackwood.
As one would expect from thewood’s name, the instruments’bodies have a black hue.

taking the initiative to conserve
nature and fight climate change.
The Government of Japan places
importance on cooperatingwith those diverse stakeholders
to tackle such challenges. Also,
endorsing the goal set at the2021 COP26 World Leaders
Summit to halt the reduction of
the world’s forests by 2030, Prime
Minister KISHIDA Fumio hasannounced that the government
will contribute approximately 240
million US dollars in funds tohelp conserve the world’s forests.
Making a contribution topreserving the natural environment,
while sustainably procuring
raw materials and helping local
communities develop, Yamaha
keeps challenging itself as aleading global manufacturer ofmusical instruments to pass on
beautiful tones to the future.

25

POLICY & DIPLOMACYFOSTERING A SUSTAINABLE

JAPAN-AFRICAPARTNERSHIPIn August of 2022, Tunisia hosted the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 8),
which boasts a history of around three decades. At the conference, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio announced thatJapan is going to invest 30 billion U.S. dollars as the sum of the public and private financial contribution over the
next three years. As Japan aspires to be “a partner growing together with Africa,” it supports the continent’s efforts toachieve sustainable development.
“Africa is a young and hopeful continent that can
expect dynamic growth. Japan wants to be a partnerthat grows together with Africa.” Prime Minister
KISHIDA Fumio made that powerful remark in aspeech given on August 27 while participating online
in the opening of TICAD 8 in Tunisia.
As a pioneering forum on the development ofAfrica, the conference was first held in Tokyo in 1993,
and under Japan’s leadership, it has been co-hosted
through the years by the United Nations, the United

TICAD 8 closed with the adoption of the Tunis
Declaration. At the closing ceremony, Prime
Minister Kishida, who joined the conference online,
reiterated Japan’s intent to boost the vitality of theAfrican people and maintain peace and stability.

Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World
Bank, and the African Union Commission (AUC).
Twenty heads of state and government were among
the participants from 48 African countries this year.
At the conference, Prime Minister Kishida shared
his hopes of realizing a resilient Africa that thecontinent itself aims to achieve, with a specific focus
on “investment in people” and “quality of growth.”
He announced that Japan will invest 30 billion
dollars as the sum of its public and private financial

This is the second time Africa has hosted TICAD, the previous instance being the
Kenya meeting in 2016. POOL/AP/AFLO

contribution to Africa over the next three years.
“With the increasing international importance ofAfrica’s development, contact between business anddevelopment is becoming increasingly frequent,”
said SASAKI Nobuhiko, chairman and CEO ofJapan External Trade Organization ( JETRO), whichworks to promote mutual trade and investment
between Japan and the rest of the world. To expand
the investments, which had declined due to thepandemic, JETRO opened a support desk last year,
and is now assisting Japanese companies’ businessexpansion in Africa and matching Japanese firms
with African ones. The Business Forum organized by
JETRO at TICAD 8 had over 500 participants fortwo days, including politicians and businesspeople
from both Africa and Japan.
Prime Minister Kishida stated in the forum that hewould like to highlight the importance of support forstartups, green investment, and investment in humanresources. The Japanese business community is set tolaunch an investment fund for startups of over 10
billion yen. What is more, Japan will also establish
the Green Growth Initiative with Africa, directing 4
billion dollars through public and private cooperation
toward a structural transformation toward net zero,
while developing 300,000 professionals through athree-year period of training in a wide range of fields,
including industry, health, medicine, education,
agriculture, judiciary, and administration.
Chairman Sasaki stated, “I can say with confidence
that this TICAD was an opportunity to make a
new start for African business. The Tunisian AI
startup that spoke at the Business Forum’s panel
discussion garnered major attention at the venue.
African ministers also told me that they had fruitfulexchanges of ideas with Japanese businesses.” Morethan 90 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for
cooperation and collaboration were signed this time.

Over 500 participantsjoined JETRO’s Business
Forum, where they
engaged in a lively
exchange of opinions.
JETRO Chairman and
CEO SASAKI Nobuhikospoke at the opening
session.

“There are high hopes for Japanese companies thatmake a sincere effort to develop human resources andenable technology transfer,” Sasaki added.
With African countries facing economic hardshipdue to soaring food and energy prices stemming from
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Sasaki said that “the veryquestion is whether Japan can be a friend in difficult
times.” With international developments exerting agrave impact on Africa, Japan plans to provide 300
million dollars to bolster food production throughco-financing with the African Development Bank(AfDB). Japan will also provide co-financing of up to
5 billion dollars together with the AfDB to improve
the lives of African people. In addition, it willcontribute up to 1.08 billion dollars to the Global
Fund to support countermeasures for infectious
diseases. Furthermore, it will appoint an ambassador,
namely, a Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, torespond swiftly to the complex challenges facing theregion.
Africa, which is expected to account for a quarterof the world’s population by 2050, is surely a treasurechest of possibilities. Based on the discussions at
this year’s TICAD, Japan will strongly support
development in Africa on the basis of African
ownership.

27

Autumn 2022

Published by

Edited by

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andOffice of Global Communications, Cabinet Secretariat
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