Between the late April and the early May every year, Japanese people usually enjoy long holidays including three national holidays, called gGolden Weekh. Some of them go for travel nationwide and overseas. Others are relaxed in entertainment, hobby and cuisine, so on. Most companies are closed in this season except those in industries to respond to specific commercial demand. In this yearfs season, TV news introduced many business people spent time for learning new skills and acquiring qualifications such as real estate, accounting and law in their house studies and business schools. I respect such people to try to make their dream into reality by reducing their relax time. In this-time season, I myself had time with my old parents to go local hot-springs and enjoy fresh air in a rural area. On a cloudy sky day, I happened to have an idea for fishing in a local small river where few fishermen appear because the river size is too small for professional fishing. I prepared a short fishing rod, thin thread and compact hook and went out to the river. To tell the truth, I had fished out small landlocked salmon there before but was not satisfied with the size, so I had made my mind to catch bigger size one someday. In the river, unexpectedly, there was one fisherman already, so I climbed up the winding road to avoid him. On the way to the fishing points, I gathered river insects as bait in a stagnant stream. I started fishing around 10 a.m. because I thought the timing is good for fishesf breakfast in the cold river connecting to a mountain highland. I carefully flopped up the rod and flew the line under the big rock at the opposite side of the small river. After ten minutes or so, I felt some touch onto the hook but still became patient. The next was the moment that a fish drew the line firmly, so I rapidly erected the rod without hesitance. It was a mild-size char fish, the first ever I caught in the river. I moved to another place to change the point. I flew the rod again and took same action targeting under a rock. The next phase saw a surprising strong pull all of a sudden. Vehement heavy touch on the rod came. When I straggled with the fish and drew it to the river sand with effort, I noticed it is a 30cm-long glamorous char fish. I was greatly surprised with the acquisition of two species in a short time. Two good fish in thirty minutes in such small river no one cares about. Going back home on the rural mountainous road, I asked myself why I was able to catch two wonderful fish. If it was not an accident, there are several reasons: cloudy weather, starting time of fishing, river insects as bait, rod handling, choice of fishing points. But the most important thing is I learned from my past failures in the same river. Because of several regrettable mistakes, I devised new approach and made it with patience. Device and patience, both together brought me such surprising result. Walking down the narrow country road reflected by small birdsf twittering, I secretly felt proud of myself like gMid Man and Riverh humbly in recalling the story of gOld Man and Seah(Takashi Higashi, President, TCS)
Key articles on Japanese industry scenes selected by TCS
Headlines of the articles:
| COMMUNICATIONS |
Speedy Data Transmission for Video Cameras to Personal Computers |
| ELECTRONICS |
Worldfs Thinnest White-Color Organic EL Panel Realized |
| Extremely Error Restrained DC Sensor Appears in Magnetic Fluid | |
| Name-Card Size Video Camera to have Priority with Social Network Service | |
| Human Ear Switch Manipulates Mobile Music Players | |
| ENERGY |
Solar Power Conversion Device with More than 90% Efficiency |
| MATERIAL |
Three-Color Glittering Silicon for Color Display and Lighting Devices |
|
Heavy-Duty Plastic Optical Fiber with Easy Handling and Long Life |
|
| Super Nylon Resin Similar to Steel Appears | |
| MEDICINE |
Perfect Method to Cut Most Human Cancer Cells Tested |
COMMUNICATIONS
Speedy Data Transmission for Video Cameras to Personal Computers
April 2--NEC
developed a technology to facilitate data transmission speed on digital
equipment, 40 times the existing data transmission speed, by devising signal
process measure on recoveryh data. Based
on this technology, it is possible that 2 hour-duration images of full
high-vision in video cameras will be transmitted to personal computers in 22
seconds only.
ELECTRONICS
Worldfs Thinnest White-Color
Organic EL Panel Realized
April
15--Tohoku Device succeeded to devise the worldfs thinnest white organic EL
panel. The thickness of the panel is
0.3mm. The company will introduce the
light-weight and low-cost panel as an optical source for mobile information
devices.
Extremely Error Restrained DC Sensor Appears in Magnetic Fluid
March 17--Japan
Eco Sensor invented a direct current (DC) sensor whose measurement accuracy is
100 times the existing DC sensors. The
sensorfs error rate for current detection is restrained by using a magnetic
fluid. Sales price will be similar or
less than the existing ones. The sensor
is expected to be utilized for electric cars and solar power generation
facilities.
Name-Card Size Video Camera
to have Priority with Social Network Service
March 15--Realfleet
sells an ultra-compact video camera that can send pictured motion movies easily
in cooperation with social network service such as Mixi. The new video camera, whose thickness is 1cm,
has similar size to name card. The
product includes 300,000pixel of CMOS, sensor, data transmission software, etc.
Recording duration is about 2 hours.
Human Ear Switch Manipulates Mobile Music Players
March 9--Osaka University devised gEar Switchh by which mobile music
players can be manipulated by moving userfs ear and mouth. An optical sensor
embedded into the earphone detects movement of human ear hole in accordance
with change of his face muscle. The
product can be applied for TV switches and cellular phones.
ENERGY
Solar Power Conversion Device with More than 90% Efficiency
April
1--Yasukawa Electric developed a power conversion device for solar power
generation-use. By applying its inverter technology, the company realized 94%
of power conversion rate. They will start shipping the device to solar power
generation system makers overseas this fall.
MATERIAL
Three-Color Glittering Silicon for Color Display and Lighting Devices
April 15--Hiroshima University and JST announced that they have developed
silicon which glitters in three colors of red, green and blue. By using strong laser power, they
transformed silicon crystal into 5 nanometer particles and succeeded to lighten
them with the three colors separately. The new silicon is expected to be applied for full-color display devices and lighting products.
Heavy-Duty Plastic Optical
Fiber with Easy Handling and Long Life
March 17--Asahi
Glass announced that it has developed a plastic optical fiber with high
durability. It is featured that the fiber is easy to handle without damage even
in its bending and making it knot. The
company expects application in household AV devices and peripheral equipment of
personal computers.
Super Nylon Resin Similar to
Steel Appears
March
1--Toyobo announced that it has developed a nylon resin whose strength is like
that of steel. The resin named gJF-30Gh is made by devising an additive agent and
production process to enhance proportion of glass fiber. It is expected to be applied for compact cars
and small household appliances.
MEDICINE
Perfect Method to Cut Most Human
Cancer Cells Tested
March 21--Tokyo University and Olympus developed a new method to almost
perfectly remove human cancers as well as confirmed its effect in animal
test. Cancer cells are lightened by a specific medical
agent and cut out by an endoscope. The
measure enables to make surgery without leaving even 1mm-size cancer cells.
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(Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun)
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