Japanese International Research Articles

Japanese Green Tea Export and International Marketing

Japanese Green Tea Export and International Marketing

Current Development of Japanese International Standardization(Trend and Strategy of International Standardization)

Current Development of Japanese International Standardization(Trend and Strategy of International Standardization)

Impact of Population Aging on Japanese International Travel to 2025

In this article, the authors forecast Japanese international travel to 2025. In addition to the usual economic variables, their model also captures both population aging and birth cohort effects on Japanese travel abroad. They predict the number of future Japanese overseas trips for males and females separately by 5-year age groups and in 5-year increments and conclude that the Japanese will continue to travel abroad in increasing numbers but that population aging will dramatically slow the rate of growth of future Japanese overseas travel. Although the number of overseas trips taken by “seniors” is predicted to increase sharply, the authors foresee fewer trips taken by the Japanese in the 20s and early 30s age groups. Finally, they examine the responses of the industry and the public sector in Japan to implications of a rapidly aging population on future international travel.

REMOTE SENSING OF MALARIA IN URBAN AREAS: TWO SCALES, TWO PROBLEMS

Dear Sir: Two articles published in a supplement of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene make assertions about the use of remote sensing (RS) in urban areas that warrant further discussion. One evaluates qualitatively the impact of an eight-year investment of US$17 million by the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) to control urban malaria in Dar es Salaam,1 and the other investigates the impact of urbanization on malaria in sub-Saharan Africa and the implications of this for control.2 The first article states, after a limited investigation of aerial photography, that only optical imagery of 1 × 1 meter or finer spatial resolution is of use in delineating water-bodies for mapping malaria risk in urban areas,1 a point further emphasized in an accompanying article.3 The investigators then discuss the feasibility of the existing optical sensors in providing this information against issues of cost and opportunities for cloud free observation at tropical latitudes. There is a significant history of discussing these issues4-9 that cite many examples of the cost-effectiveness of using aerial photography for mosquito larval habitat identification during control operations. Two further points should be made. The first is that exclusive use of optical sensors is not ideal for water-body discrimination, particularly in the cloudy tropics. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors are independent of solar radiation and thus can capture images at night and through complete cloud cover.7 They have the further advantages of significant interaction of microwaves with water10 and lower cost (e.g., complete coverage of Kenya at 25 × 25 meter spatial resolution with Radarsat US$5000 [Radarsat International http://www.rsi.ca/]). Furthermore, SAR imagery will soon be available at 1 × 1 meter spatial resolution from a variety of sources (e.g., http://www.terrasar.de/ and http://alos.nasda.go.jp). The second clarification is that not all remote sensing of urban areas11-13 is focused explicitly on improving the ability of operational staff to identify larval habitats for larvicidal applications. Many studies have found that coarser resolution sensor information is also useful for identifying mosquito habitats.12 The second article attempts to estimate malaria incidence in African urban areas using an approach of dubious accuracy.2 In the calculation of the land area that is urban in Africa, the investigators use night-time lights’ imagery14 developed by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The use of these data in demographic applications has a substantial pedigree in RS. In night-time lights imagery, however, considerable contamination of dark pixels can occur from adjacent bright pixels (a phenomenon known as blooming) and adjustments need to be made. The RS specialist must therefore balance the likely underestimate of urban centers because some of these lack bright lights (factors between two and three are applied to allow for this effect) and the certain overestimate of other urban areas through blooming effects.14-18 When only the first factor is considered, between 1.7% and 2.6% of Africa is estimated to be urban2; this is likely to be an overestimate because of the second effect. In a recent analysis of settlement patterns in Kenya,18 a number of estimates of urban areas were tested. Those incorporating night-time lights imagery predicted significantly larger urban areas than those using visual interpretation of satellite imagery (http://www/africover.org). The most recently available Global Urban Rural Mapping Project19,20 reported that only 0.8% of the surface of Africa is urban. Extrapolating these values to malaria incidence using only eight studies, and thereby claiming 6–28% of the global malaria incidence may occur in African urban areas,2,3 should therefore be treated with caution because it is almost certainly an overestimate of unknown magnitude.

Acculturation, Internalization of Western Appearance Norms, and Eating Pathology Among Japanese and Chinese International Student Women

In the context of the sociocultural model of eating disorders, this study investigated the hypothesis that Westernization would be positively associated with eating pathology among non-Western women. International participants from Japan ( n = 26), Peoples Republic of China ( n = 25), Taiwan ( n = 30), and Hong Kong ( n = 25) who were studying in the United States completed the Eating Attitudes Test, Symptoms Checklist, Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire, the American–International Relations Survey, and a demographic questionnaire. Awareness and internalization of Western appearance norms were positively associated with eating disordered symptoms, but acculturation was not. Results lend further support for the sociocultural model. It is suggested that measures of eating pathology and acculturation be closely examined with respect to their cross-cultural relevance, particularly when conducting research involving international populations.

Internationalization of Japanese Multinational Corporations in Central and Eastern Europe

The paper focuses on the internationalization activities of Japanese MNCs in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) analyzing data on national level considering Japan's modes of market entry in the CEE region and some of the countries in it. Major trends and the development of Japanese internationalization in CEE are presented. Individual mini case studies contribute to the analysis using the experience of several major Japanese MNCs that have invested in the region. The goal of the paper is to uncover the specifics of the internationalization process of Japanese corporations in the CEE region. Main characteristics of the penetration of Japanese MNCs in CEE are unveiled and discussed in the concluding part of the paper. The management implications and conclusions from the study are discussed further in the final part of the paper.

Japanese Higher Education Internationalization Policy: 1983-2003

Japanese Higher Education Internationalization Policy: 1983-2003

The Operating and Balance Sheet Performance of Japanese International Banks in Relation to Safety Levels: A Comparison with Western European Banks

Using a simultaneous equation model initially developed by Shrieves and Dahl (1992) this paper shows that Japanese banks have focused on factors other than those that impact on bank safety levels. This has left Japanese banks in a vulnerable position with respect to levels of non-performing loans and indicates that less attention has been paid to prudent credit risk assessment and management practices. Recent empirical work suggests that Japanese banks are in crisis in terms of their dangerous large burden of non-performing loans. The broad objective of this study is to demonstrate that the attention of any healthy and safe banking system needs to be focused on operating and balance sheet fundamentals. Focus needs to be on maximization of earnings, determination of the appropriate level of financial risk, careful management of expenses and the optimisation of bank size in a deregulated, competitive environment where prudent lending criteria are applied without compromise.

Analysis of natural medicines by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) (II)--determination of atractylenolide III in Atractylodis Rhizoma

We have investigated a method to analyze the marker substance of natural medicines by employing capillary electrophoretic techniques such as micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). We previously reported a simple MEKC assay method for calycosin in Astragali Radix and its fluid extract. In this investigation, we analyzed the marker substance atractylenolide III in Atractylodis Rhizoma. Atractylenolide III was clearly separated from the other components in A. Rhizoma and its dried extract by simple solvent extraction with hexane and subsequent MEKC analysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) within 10 min. Validation of the analytical procedures of the assay method was performed according to the Japanese Pharmacopoeia and International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. As a result, we confirmed that capillary electrophoresis, including MEKC, is a powerful method for estimating the quality of natural medicines and traditional Chinese medicines consisting of various components.

Last Ten Year's History of Japanese Standards and International Standards for Thermometers

Last Ten Year's History of Japanese Standards and International Standards for Thermometers

The current status of major tick borne diseases in Zambia.

Tick-borne diseases occurring in Zambia are assuming more importance as they continue to be a major economic problem not only in Zambia, but in many parts of Eastern, Southern and Central Africa. The current control methods, which include the use of toxic acaricides to kill ticks, and the virulent sporozoite infection and treatment method have limitations. Recombinant vaccines, currently in their experimental stages, offer hope for the future. The use of acaricides is hampered by the development of acaricide resistance and live vaccines are dependent on cold chain facilities, which are a formidable obstacle in the poorly developed infrastructure in parts of Zambia where the vaccine is most needed. Amidst these drawbacks are the results of the recent research on parasites and vector recombinant vaccines which promise to circumvent these problems. The history, current status and attitudes regarding the control of these diseases, taking into account their complexity, are reviewed. The establishment of the well-designed Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI) and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sponsored veterinary school, both have a potential for high quality research, with access to a wealth of specimens a veritable goldmine of research material. It is thus hoped that this review will stimulate the desire to maximize the value of the tick and tick-borne disease research in both Zambia and the international research community.

OUTSOURCING AND THE VARIABILITY OF PRODUCT PERFORMANCE: DATA FROM INTERNATIONAL COURIER SERVICES.

While transaction-cost economics has considered the effect of make-or-buy decisions on expected product performance, research has not explored the effect of make-or-buy decisions on variability of product performance (i.e., reliability). We argue that firms that differentiate their products by pursuing low variability face exchange attributes for which outsourcing the corresponding performs worse than vertical integration. Nonparametric density estimation and parametric tests of variance from Japanese International Courier and Small Packages services industry data provide general support for our hypothesis.

Japanese International Fisheries Cooperation: Constraints and Efforts for Success

Japanese International Fisheries Cooperation: Constraints and Efforts for Success

Perspectives on Vocational Education in Africa

The aim of this paper is to provide a landscape view of the values and justifications of different types of vocational education, specifically in Africa. At first, the paper will review the justifications of vocational education. African governments often state that vocational education is the most efficient means to meet the manpower demand in the labor market. However, this justification is rarely supported by empirical data. The paper reveals that there are other reasons that governments do not give up this form of education. Three different types of vocational education are here examined: Separate-track vocational education; vocationalized general education; and non-formal vocational education. Based on the review of the opinions of people who promote or criticize each types of vocational education, the paper will show the strengths and weaknesses of each type. This analysis will serve to better understand and consider the vocational education in Africa. Vocational training/education in industrial technology has been the largest part of the JICA's (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) cooperation in the field of education (see Figure 1). So far, JICA's programs in this category have been infrastructure building, technical assistance, and trainin of teachers/trainers and administrators for the establishment of independent vocational education/training institutions at the secondary and higher levels of formal and non-formal education. The types of vocational skills taught in these JICA-funded institutions have been diverse: fisheries, farming, electronics, automobile repair, information technology, architecture, etc. The types of skills taught have been decided basically according to the request of the respective government. Although JICA also conducts a needs assessment before implementation, it mostly assumes that the request from the government is based on the forecast of manpower needs on the side of the government. Given the fact that one third of JICA's fund for education has been spent for vocational education (34.1 percent in FY 1998), it is important to review whether or not the funding policy in this area meets the general economic and labor market conditions of the countries' JICA support and to consider the future policy so as to maximize the utility of the funds JICA provides. The purpose of this paper is to overview the recent debates about vocational education in developing countries as a basis for considering what direction the development assistance in the area of vocational education might head. Arguments in support or critical of different forms of vocational education at the secondary level will be examined. In the formal education sector, many people believe that secondary schools are the most

From ‘culture of dehumanization of childbirth’ to ‘childbirth as a transformative experience’: changes in five municipalities in north-east Brazil

Brazil has become a country known as having one of the most extreme examples of the consequences of the hospital-based medicalization of delivery care, while a model of humanization of birth was developed in the State of Ceará in the 1970s. The Government of Japan, through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Health of Brazil and the Government of the State of Ceará, in implementing the Maternal and Child Health Improvement Project in north-east Brazil (1996–2001). This project focused on ‘humanization of childbirth’, with training based intervention activities. Behavioral changes among health professionals who received the project's participatory type of training were described using rapid anthropological assessment procedure (RAP) survey results. Changes from ‘a culture of dehumanization of childbirth’ to ‘childbirth as a transformative experience’ were observed.

Some Remarks on Japanese Finance, Growth and International Integration

Abstract Despite the fact that the last century was characterized by an impressive increase of cross-border capital flows, Japan remained a relatively closed economy up to the late 90s. Only when the “bubble” burst was the impetus given for more rapid opening up of the economy and the closely related liberalization of the financial sector. In general economic theory sees international financial market integration as an important instrument for increasing economic productivity. Japan, however, remains mired in an ongoing deep financial crisis even following the implementation of this measure. To understand this phenomenon better, this paper connects ideas from endogenous growth theory with the introduction of new rules of the economic game on the financial market. It can be demonstrated empirically that in Japan, the “old” internal institutions on the financial market have continued to exist even after the change in external institutions. Against the backdrop of these tensions, it is unlikely that the form...

Japanese Foreign Direct Investment, Employment and International Migration in East Asia

Unlike other developed countries, Japan achieved high economic growth without relying on foreign workers to supplement domestic labor. The appreciation of the yen against the US dollar after the Plaza Agreement in 1985 triggered the inflows of foreign workers and outflows of Japanese foreign direct investment. The increase of Japanese foreign direct investment to East Asia played an important role in the region's economic development. In particular, the relocation of labor-intensive operations and the transfer of highly developed technology contributed to job creation, which might have helped reduce migration pressure from East Asia to Japan. The importation of foreign labor in Japan has stalled with recent high unemployment rates. The Japanese government should make a concrete and transparent national policy on foreign labor as the Japanese population continues to age and shrink.

Resource Commitment, Entry Timing, and Market Performance of Foreign Direct Investments in Emerging Economies: The Case of Japanese International Joint Ventures in China

Resource Commitment, Entry Timing, and Market Performance of Foreign Direct Investments in Emerging Economies: The Case of Japanese International Joint Ventures in China

Population Aging and Japanese International Travel in the 21st Century

Given Japan's role as one of the world's leading touristgenerating countries and its relatively low overseas travel propensities, travel forecasters believe that significant potential remains for increases in Japanese overseas travel. Yet, Japan's demographic transition into the world's fastest aging country could spell an end to the postwar boom in Japanese overseas travel. This article extends the research on the economic determinants of travel demand to explore the effects of demographic change. The authors, using pooled cross-section time-series data (1968-1995), show that age and cohort membership are significant determinants of Japanese international travel demand. Given reasonable assumptions about future real wage growth, labor force participation, and currency exchange rates, they demonstrate that increasing numbers of Japanese will travel abroad in the 21st century, although at a much slower pace. They also demonstrate the benefit of analyzing travel propensities for men and women separately.

Definition of a responder in clinical trials for functional gastrointestinal disorders: report on a symposium

On 10 and 11 September 1998, about 125 participants met at a symposium in Vienna, Austria, with the goal of determining whether a consensus could be developed on the definition...