The world economic crisis seems to be still on the way to the bottom because
the U.S. government has not revealed the total sum of credit deficits. I
wonder whether they are intriguing the occurrence of actual inflation to avoid
the world-scale panic. Many analysts say
it is the total failure of money-game American capitalism. But how can President Obama make the American
economy revive with good spirit and conscience?
Historically, the U.S. economy (also the world economy) has been sustained
by mass consumption of American citizens who rely upon abnormal amount
of investments and loans. As a result, the government’s deficits have
reached the worst level in the world. If the United States had been any other country, it should have been in
a default long time ago. But the country still holds the status of a
super-power nation. But how? The answer is undoubtedly in military
power. Based on the power as a collateral, G8 and G20 member countries have been
called to get together to abide by the direction of the U.S. Operations of exchange rates and buy-out of
U.S. Treasury bonds are hesitated by some member countries, but it is
essentially an invisible “order”. In other words, so long as the U.S. military power goes beyond those of
other countries, political and financial system should be in line with
the doctrine of the U.S. Therefore, I can say ex-President Bush was a
very dutiful person against such traditional mechanism between politics and
economy over the world. On the other hand, every world citizen knows the current world economic crisis originates to the uncontrolled financial system in the U.S. while European and Asian countries have benefited from ungrudging U.S. investments. Even if other countries have obtained great profits to deal with the U.S.,
they are not essentially in a position to rescue and cover own systemic
failure of the U.S. financial system because it is truly a U.S. fault by
itself. As you know, the fundamental societal concept of the U.S. is freedom and
obligation. If it turns out to be liberty and irresponsibility suddenly, other countries
will tend to have certain distance from the U.S. in the future. President Obama reiterated the phrase “America should recover and become
number one again.” at his inauguration ceremony. We should ponder the real meaning of his words over the ongoing world situation.(Takashi Higashi, President, TCS)
Key articles on Japanese industry scenes selected by TCS
Headlines of the articles:
| ELECTRONICS |
Sophisticated Driving Motor to Reduce Power Consumption in Factories |
|
Compact and Easy-Handling Lithium Battery for Electronic Tags and Papers |
|
| ENERGY |
Very Small Fuel-Cell Using Methanol Applied for Road Traffic Signs |
| World’s Best Power Conditioner Ever for Solar Facilities in Factories | |
| Highly Effective Solar-Cell Whose Ambivalent Panels to Produce Power | |
|
Efficient Hydrogen Separation Technology from Water for Fuel Cells |
|
| MATERIAL |
High-Performance Heat Storage Material at Lower Temperature |
|
Photocatalyst to Realize Great Decomposition of Toxic Chemicals under Room Light |
|
| ENVIRONMENT |
Polyactic Resin-Base Desert Greening Technology with Specific Installation Method |
| MEDICINE |
Unique Molecule Glue Leading to Way for Curing Cancer |
ELECTRONICS
Sophisticated Driving Motor
to Reduce Power Consumption in Factories
February
18--Sumitomo Heavy Industries developed a high-efficient driving motor that
contributes to reducing power consumption at industrial factories.The motor with 2.2KW output realizes 20%
reduction of factory power consumption than the existing motors by adopting
low-energy-loss electromagnetic steel and changing coiling measure.
Compact and Easy-Handling Lithium Battery for Electronic Tags and Papers
January
26--NTT has invented a film-type lithium battery which is thin and easy to
bend. The prototype is sized
12X12X0.06mm. With one hour power
charge, the battery operates with 3.8voltage and 0.3miliampare per cm2. The product will be used for electronic tags
and electronic papers in the future.
ENERGY
Very Small Fuel-Cell Using
Methanol Applied for Road Traffic Signs
February 25--Hitachi announced that it has devised a compact fuel-cell
using methanol, which is called DMFC. The fuel cell realized 45% reduction
of cubic volume compared to the company’s previous cells. The size
is 32X21X22cm. Hitachi targets markets of small power generation equipment and road traffic
signs.
World’s Best Power Conditioner Ever for Solar Facilities in Factories
February
23--Mitsubishi Electric has developed the world’s most efficient power
conditioner for solar cells whose power conversion efficiency rate from direct
current (DC) to alternating current (AC) reaches 97.5%. The conditioner is combined with a pressure
rising device for DC and an inverter to be applied for 100KW output-level solar
power generation system in factories.
Highly Effective Solar-Cell
Whose Ambivalent Panels to Produce Power
February
14--Sanyo Electric starts mass production of a high-efficient solar cell which
enables to generate power on both sides of the solar panel. The HIT type solar cell enhances power
generation amount 30% higher than the existing one-side panel solar cells. The company targets to sell the product for commercial
facilities, railway stations and general households.
Efficient Hydrogen Separation Technology from Water for Fuel Cells
January
15--Tokyo University of Science has developed a technology to produce hydrogen
from water efficiently. The new
technology uses two types of photocatalyst whose main components are bismuth
and strontium. The combination of those two photocatalysts enables to shorten the
process to separate hydrogen from water. The technology is expected to apply for fuel-cell.
MATERIAL
High-Performance Heat Storage
Material at Lower Temperature
February
27--Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a heat storage material by using
wasted heat at 250-300 in Celsius degrees, which realizes heat storage ability
twice the existing materials. The
magnesium hydroxide-base material absorbs heat at around 280 in Celsius degrees
and radiates the heat at about 110 in Celsius degrees
with addition of moisture vapor.
Photocatalyst to Realize
Great Decomposition of Toxic Chemicals under Room Light
January 29--Showa Denko announced that the company will start mass produce
photocatalyst to decompose toxic chemical compounds under brittle room’s
light in 2012. The new photocatalyst whose main composite is oxidized tungsten
has splendid decomposition ability ten times the existing products. The company plans to utilize the product for
construction and housing materials
ENVIRONMENT
Polylactic Resin-Base Desert Greening Technology with Specific Installation
Method
February
27--Toray and Mitsukawa developed a desert greening technology by using a
biodegradable polylactic resin. The tube-shape resins are installed onto sand
in a reticular pattern to prevent moving the sand with which plant seeds are
easy to be rooted firmly. The two
companies target commercialization in 2010.
MEDICINE
Unique Molecule Glue Leading
to Way for Curing Cancer
February 9--Tokyo University and Tohoku University have developed molecule
glue that pastes different biological molecules such as protein, nucleic
acid and sugar. The glue can be applied for
solidifying molecules and preventing decomposition of a group of
molecules. The universities’ group tries to establish cancer cure method by using the glue.
* * *
(Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun)
* * *
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