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Building a new world: Japan’s infrastructure andconstruction leaders take their expertise global
From a Shinkansen railway systemboasting zero passenger fatalities in50 years of operation to the world’s
longest suspension bridge connecting Awaji Island to Kobe, Japan isrecognized as a global leader in construction and infrastructure. Since
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prior to hosting the 64’ Olympics,
Nippon enterprises have been admired not only for their ability tobuild engineering marvels, but for
their capacity to do so in one of theworld’s most inhospitable environments, marked by tectonic activity and mountainous regions. It is
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since 1990, the ‘land of the risingsun’ has consistently ranked amongst
the Top 5 in the WEF’s ‘quality ofinfrastructure’ assessment.
Today, the Japanese construction
market has matured. With the oldest population in the world, Japan’s
demographic line has been sharply
declining since 2011, which has lowered the amount of new projects.
The Japanese market is currently
sustained by the rising need formaintenance and repair of aging
infrastructure, which also includes
leveraging the latest disaster prevention technologies to enhance
resilience to natural disasters. Andwith Japan looking to reach carbon
neutrality by 2050, the environmentis also a major priority for those inconstruction and related industries.
“About 50 years ago, around thetime of the Tokyo Olympics, we had
the construction of the Shinkansen,
the major road networks and manyother infrastructure projects tosupport the Olympics,” says Shinya
Okuda, president of civil engineeringmSN'VEP5FUSBi/PX ZFBSTPO it’s time to perform maintenance orrefurbish the road and rail networks
in particular but also infrastructural systems such as the water andsewage pipe networks, and this is ahigher priority than the constructionof new projects.”
In 2021, the Japanese government launched a national resilience
project, allocating a budget of 15 trilMJPOZFOPWFSUIFDPVSTFPGmWFZFBST
“The project will basically reinforce
existing infrastructure to prevent
damage from natural disasters,” explains Katsutoshi Ogawa, presidentof Okasan Livic, a trader and manu-facturer of construction materials.
“We have a lot of old structures, likeroads, and we need to maintain big
rivers and dams also. Our company istrying to supply good techniques andmaterials for this project, including
water and sewer pipes and bridge
reinforcement/restoration.”
Another company playing its
part in the government’s nationalresilience plan is Hiraiwa, which, likemany of its peers, is actively engaged in the maintenance and repairof Japan’s existing infrastructureand facilities built over the last halfcentury. When it comes to disasterprevention technology, Hiraiwa is aleader in the provision of tailor-madeBOUJTFJTNJD SFUSPmUUJOH TPMVUJPOT 
a particularly pertinent area of expertise in earthquake-prone Japan.
“Due to the seismic regulationsin Japan becoming stricter eachtime an earthquake occurs, we geta wave of inquiries. Clients come tous and ask us to inspect their buildings that were built several years
ago to see if they still adhere to themost recent seismic regulations,”
explains Hiraiwa president Toshikazu
Hiraiwa. “Needless to say, new buildings have to be constructed according to safety regulations and seismic
SFUSPmUUJOH1VCMJDGBDJMJUJFTTVDIBThospitals or universities with spacious and wide areas like canteens orgymnasiums request our assistanceto ensure the safety of their roofs
and facilities. It is not only making
sure that buildings can withstandhigh-magnitude earthquakes but
also paying attention to the surrounding infrastructure.”
In terms of natural disasters, perhaps the greatest challenge for Japan– and indeed the world – is climatechange. Like many other industries,+BQBOFTFmSNTJOWPMWFEJODPOTUSVDtion have prioritized green technologies, including Chemical Grouting,an expert in soil improvement andstabilization that has developed environmentally friendly solutions suchas BioJet and ICECRETE.
“‘ICERETE is an environmentallyfriendly ground freezing method thatmeans we no longer have to use
cement to reinforce soil,” explainscompany president Yuichi Tachiwada, who aims to bring Chemical
Grouting’s technologies to countries
around the globe. “We want theworld to know about our technologies. If we have more people collaborating, then we can protect theEarth together. We want to comeup with measures that will tackle
the problems that global warming isbringing about. So, we will continue
to develop technologies that address
this challenge.”Fuji-I-Tec, which specializes inheat insulation, sound insulation,
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the painting of various types ofplants including power generation
facilities, is also playing a small but
important role in the path towards
carbon neutrality. “We do not consider our company a key player
in changing the industry because
we are such a small company,”president Fumio Uchikawa states.
“Nevertheless, we are extremely
proud that our insulation technology highly contributes to the realization of a carbon-neutral society
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Japan’s aging and shrinking population has also presented a challenge to the Japanese construction
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new recruits. With a shrinking domestic labor pool, companies mustturn to new technologies such as
automation, while trying to market
the industry as an attractive career
option for young Japanese.
“Many Japanese companies are
struggling in relation to their HR
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to employ new graduates from university, especially in the construction industry. Less than 10% of ourworkers are between the ages of19 and 25, so something must be
done to regenerate our workforce,”
states Seigo Minamioka, president
and CEO of construction equipment
rental company Nikken. “One of ourstrengths is the ability to recognise
problems and one of those problems
right now is the shrinking laborforce, with the solution being in ourservices and IT.”Japan, traditionally an insularcountry, also aims to welcome
more foreign workers as a means
to address the labor shortage. “TheJapanese government is now pursuing immigration policies for foreignworkers to increase the labor force,
especially in the medical, technolPHZ  BOE DPOTUSVDUJPO mFMET w TBZTYoshinori Takahashi,
1SFTJEFOU NEW COSMOS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Masaaki Katsuyama, president ofFuwa Metal. “We have a stance on
contributing to the industry in ourown way, but in order to make up forthe shortage of human resources inJapan, the government will need along-term strategy.”
A large portion of the foreign
construction workers destined toland on Japan’s shores will comefrom Southeast Asia, a fast-growing
region where many Japanese construction and related companies
have turned their attention amid thedwindling demand for new projects
on the domestic market. Driven by
rapid economic and demographic
changes and by reforms that faciliUBUF111T UIFWBMVFPGNFHBQSPKFDUT
(those worth more than $25 million)in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region alone
stands at an incredible $2.9 trillion.
Since 2000, Japan has financed
more than $230 billion worth ofprojects in the region, more than any
other country thus far.
When it comes to construction
projects and related materials andmachinery, Japan is renowned in
the region for delivering the highest quality, thanks to companies
like Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM), which aims to expand
throughout Asia, as well as theU.S., Latin America and Africa.
For HCM president Kotaro Hirano,
the reputed ‘Made in Japan’ brandgives Japanese construction machinery manufacturers an edge
over competitors. “One characteristic of the Japanese industry
is that the whole supply chain
has high standards, and thosestandards are applied across theentire industry. So as a result, themOBM QSPEVDUT TIPX B NBSLFEMZ
different level of quality.”

CONTENT BY THE WORLDFOLIO

Mitsui Miike, another company
offering machinery of the highest
quality and durability, also has plansto grow internationally, and particularly in the ASEAN region. “Theproducts for which we would liketo expand sales overseas are roadheaders for tunnel excavation, 1-2
MW small hydroelectric power generation equipment, biomass power
generation transportation equipment, and planetary gearboxes (forexcavators, large cranes, excavators,etc.),” explains president MotohikoNakamura. “Hopefully, we will also
be able to provide power through theelectricity generation business weare starting. We would like to takeour hydropower generators overseas
and sell them in relevant markets,
such as Southeast Asia.”+BQBOFTFmSNTFOHBHFEJOXBUFS
treatment and sewage are supporting the development of water infrastructure throughout Southeast Asiaand beyond with the help of Japan’s
overseas development assistance(ODA) programs. “In countries andregions where water and sewage
facilities are underdeveloped, webelieve that pipe jacking methods
can play a major role in achieving asafe and hygienic environment,” says

Kyoichi Yasuda, president of Yasuda
Engineering, a leader in pipe-jacking
solutions. “Some developing countries have already begun to develop
water pipes and sewerage facilities
with loans from other countries including Japan, but Japan plans tocontinue to provide support through
ODA, and we would like to work
mainly on pipe jacking work.”
Addressing the growing global
concern of water scarcity is a major
priority for Nihon Suido, which isinvolved in the ODA business to support developing countries for cleanwater supply and sewage treatment.
“In Indonesia, we started off with
ODA projects. We bought companies
in Jakarta and made that a hub forour business once those projects
were completed,” explains company
president Kazunori Mayama. “Indiais also an important market. Throughthe ODA scheme, we were involved intwo big projects there.” Nihon Suidouses the latest digital technologies
to offer state-of-the-art solutions
for water management, which Mr.
Mayama says “is critical when we
anticipate scarcity in the future”.
'PS JUT QBSU  "XB 1BQFS JT BOother leader in wastewater treatment, having developed innovative

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for membrane bioreactors (MBRs).
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related to water treatment in different industries that require difGFSFOUMZ BEKVTUFE XBUFS mMUSBUJPO
systems,” comments president
Yasuhiro Miki. “Excluding drinking
water and the production of beverages, in the context of wastewater
treatment, we are emphasizing
the recyclability and reusability ofwater, with new initiatives being
applied to what is truthfully anold business. With adjustments inmMUSBUJPOQSPDFTTFT XFDBOSFBDI
OFX FYDFMMFOUmMUSBUJPOMFWFMTBQplicable to different industries.”
Japan’s disaster prevention technologies also cover the likes of gas
alarms and it is another area in which
the Nippon nation excels, thanks tocompanies like New Cosmos and Figaro Engineering. As a result of theincreasing use of natural gas alarms
in Japan, where New Cosmos holds
a 70% market share of the market,
deaths from gas explosions have virtually been eliminated. New Cosmos
president Yoshinori Takahashi wants
to help other countries reach such
milestones. “We feel our experiencein Japan can be replicated elsewherein countries that need it most. In fact,
recent data shows that many people
in the U.S., U.K., France, and othercountries still experience deaths due
to gas explosion accidents and we are
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gas alarms to overseas markets.”
As a specialized manufacturerof gas sensors and modules, Figaro
Engineering made heavy investment
into its R&D capabilities, allowing
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sensor technology. “Our battery
operable sensors can be utilized
in wireless and portable devices.
To that end, we are expecting toexpand our miniaturized products
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frontier of innovation,” says president
Toshihiro Udaka, who adds that thecompany seeks international partners to further enhance innovation
as it looks to strengthen its globalpresence. “Looking to the future, we
are interested in open innovation andworking together not only with domestic but also overseas companies,
especially startups. We are looking
for a partner who can change ourbusiness model by integrating ourcore technology with theirs to create
something innovative.”

Nihon Suido Consultants: Leading thewater sector with sustainable services
Since its inception in 1959, Nihon Suido Consultants (NSC) has been contributing to
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With water scarcity currently
on the global collective mind,
confronting it requires companies with experience, reliability and high technology – andNihon Suido Consultants finds
itself fitting the bill perfectlyfor such a task.
Having already had varioussuccesses overseas – Brazil, Sri
Lanka and Indonesia to namebut a few – NSC’s integrated approach provides the backbone ofJUT TVDDFTT 1SFTJEFOU ,B[VOPSJ
Mayama explains: “So far, wehave accumulated knowledge
overseas through the work ofplanning and designing of many
water and sewage facilities. From
now on, we will use the special
technology we have developed
to provide sustainable services
and contribute to solving water
problems around the world.”

maintenance information, while
guaranteeing effective asset man-To combat such problems, Nihon
Suido can count on technology
which simulates nature’s water
cycle and models the ground inquestion. Then, simulated rain on a
100,000-1 million year timeframe
is added in order to provide a basemodel for future infrastructure
and city-building models. This forecast can be run on a 10-20 year
time period in any area with water
management issues.
The technology can also pinpoint
radioactive substances within thesystem. Later, during the management phase, technology such as
Blitz GROW and Blitz GIS takecenter stage – two cloud-based
services that regulate facility and“NSC is even able to simulate
future water environments
using sophisticatedmodelling, including
technology that simulates
nature’s water cycle.”,B[VOPSJ.BZBNB 1SFTJEFOU and ,ZPHP/PNVSB, Vice
1SFTJEFOU /JIPO4VJEP
Consultants Co., Ltd.

agement. One other technology recently developed by the company
is a high-performance 360-degree
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observe the interior of sewer pipes,
after which AI reads the data andJOTUBOUMZJEFOUJmFTUIFMPDBUJPOPG
any deterioration.

When cutting-edge technology
meets experience and know-how,success is guaranteed. As such,
NSC’s undoubted strengths will
become increasingly needed in aworld where fears increase evermore when it comes to the topic
of the provision of water.
http://en.nissuicon.co.jp