This document discusses Japan's current and future technology management challenges across various sectors. It outlines Japan's large-scale projects and research in areas like nuclear energy, space development, aviation, marine development, life sciences, and computer sciences. While Japan has had some successes, it also faces ongoing challenges with safety, cost, and developing breakthrough technologies to solve major problems. The document concludes by noting that Japan has established public and private business incubators, but the results have not been very encouraging so far.

1. Japanese Current and
Future Technology
Management Challenges
Eric Vanderburg, MBA
October 7, 2004

2. Large Scale Projects
 Nuclear Energy
 Space Development
 Aviation
 Marine Development
 Life Sciences
 Superconductivity
 Maglev Trains
 High Definition Television
 Optical Fiber Communication
Network
 Computer Sciences

3. Evaluation
 48 commercial nuclear electric power
reactors
 Concerns- safety and disaster-
prevention systems
 Japan has developed the use of
composite fuel (processing plant will
start operations in 2005(
 Doctoring of nuclear safety records of
five Tokyo Electric Co. reactors -
*Aug. 2002 undermined public
confidence in nuclear power industry

4. Evaluation
 Space development- Japan has launched
over 58 satellites for various uses- weather
observation, communications, broadcasting,
& earth observation- Japan has suffered
setbacks in its attempts at major launch. So
far its scientists have joined American
Shuttle Endeavor & Columbia
 Aviation- Japan participates in joint design
& development with Boeing- 767 , 777, &
V2500 civilian jet engine
 Japan is also working on feasibility of
studies for development of small passenger
planes *75 passengers- commercial &
supersonic transport aircraft

5. Evaluation
 can go up to a depth of 10,911 m
Marine Development- areas of
research are- marine biological
resources, seawater and sea bed
resources, marine energy, utilization
of space in the seas and marine
environment protection- using
Submarines Shinkai 2000 & Shinkai
6500, and latest is Kaiko
*unmanned submarine which

6. Evaluation
 Life Sciences- health care,
environmental protection, farming &
fishing, food processing, forestry, &
chemical manufacturing
 Japan has not made any distinguished
breakthroughs
 Maglev Trains- Japan is continuing
research on magnetic levitation
trains- promising results- test drives
have been successfully done at 400
km/hr. Cost and safety are still iisues
being worked on

7. Evaluation
 High-definition TV- been very
successful and so far has been used in
international sporting events- world
cup and Olympics
 Optical Fiber Communication
network- Currently Japan is working
on a high speed infrastructure that
would allow convergence of voice,
text, & image transmission – received
on all types of network terminals

8. Evaluation
 Computer Sciences- Currently Japan
is working on a four-dimensional
computer- with function closer to the
human brain- use will be automatic
driving systems for cars, and devices
capable of recognizing and identifying
people
 Research is still going on

9. Japan Incubators
 Japan has established incubators
in many parts of the country- both
private and public
 Results are not very encouraging
 There seems to be a problem of
supply push!

10. Japan Incubators
 Japan has established incubators
in many parts of the country- both
private and public
 Results are not very encouraging
 There seems to be a problem of
supply push!