tokyo's award-winning urban landscape
TRANSCRIPT
A Bimonthly Review of the Mitsubishi Companies and Their People Around the World 2015
October & November
Official Website ■ http://www.mitsubishi.com/mpac/e/monitor/back/index.html
The Mitsubishi Monitor is published by the Mitsubishi Public Affairs CommitteeMarunouchi Nakadori Bldg., 2-3, Marunouchi 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0005, JapanPhone: 81-3-5218-8660 Fax: 81-3-5218-8661
©2015 Mitsubishi Public Affairs Committee
Volume 29 No.5
For more information about the Mitsubishi companies, see “Mitsubishi Profile” ■ http://www.mitsubishi.com/mpac/e/activity/profile.html
Started in 1990, the Mitsubishi Asian Children’s Enikki Festa is a program that seeks to promote literacy education and to stimulate cultural exchange among children by allowing them to learn about each other through “enikki” (illustrated diaries).
■ http://enikki.mitsubishi.or.jp/e/index_f.html
Printed in Japan on recycled paper
We want your feedback! ■ http://www.mitsubishi.com/mpac/e/talk/form.html
* The Enikki entries above, when necessary, have been translated into English from the language they were originally written in.
The 3D printer has become widely known over the past few years. What triggered this off was US President Obama’s declaration in his State of Union Address in February 2013 that 3D printing has the potential to
revolutionize the way we make almost everything. But actually, the person who developed the technology behind it was Japanese. Hideo Kodama of the Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute applied for a patent for the technology in 1980. Later the 3D printer was commercialized and today has come to be utilized widely in many fields from medicine to entertainment. And the number of fabrication laboratories open to use by ordinary citizens is increasing. By the time today’s children reach high school age they may be using a domestic-use 3D printer for printing out their homework!
3D Printers for Personal Use Come Closer to Reality
We have a big family. We live in the countryside. My brother and I like to play with clay. We make animals and other things. The time is coming soon for the Kathina festival, when we pray to our ancestors and make offerings at the temple. Our relatives come back to our ancestral village to participate in the festival.
Katunyu Wattanapraditchai Age 11, BoyKingdom of Thailand
Every year before the Hari Raya Puasa festival at the end of the Ramadan month of daytime fasting, the women of Malaysia weave sarung skins for Hari Raya ketupat rice dumplings. They use young coconut leaves for weaving them. Ketupat is a Malaysian dumpling. It usually is eaten with rendang, spicy simmered meat, or served with satay, skewered meat. During that time, I and Devi go to my Malay friend’s house to learn how to weave the sarung skins for ketupat.
Ng Qiao YiAge 9, GirlMalaysia
Grand Prix Winners 2012-2013
Intern doctors attending a surgical lesson for using an artificial "Biotexture Wet Model" lung made by a 3D printer at the Jikei University hospital in Tokyo ©AFP / JIJI PRESS Hand created using a 3D printer ©Suljo / PIXTA
Tokyo’s Award-Winning Urban Landscape
Pilot Drinking Water Supply to Private Institution Starts in Vietnam
Mitsubishi Rayon group company Wellthy began a pilot project
for supplying drinking water to a private hospital in Vinh Yen City,
Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam, in April this year. During the year
the project is being run the company will gather know-how
which it will then apply to business projects overseas. In the pilot
project, the company has installed in the hospital a membrane
filtration system which can produce up to 20,000 liters of drinking
water a day from city water. With this system, Wellthy will aim
to realize a stable tap water environment that will supply water
for drinking purposes and for washing hands before and during
surgical operations at a
lower cost than normal.
Furthermore, the
system is equipped with a
remote monitoring system,
thus enabling the real-
time monitoring of water
quality and the system’s
operational conditions.
Front Line
2
A section (1.2km) of the Marunouchi Naka-Dori Avenue in
Tokyo’s central business district has been awarded the 2015
Urban Scenery Grand Prix (urban space category) by the
Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The award was presented to the team upon Public-Private
Partnerships, Chiyoda Ward, The Council for Area Development
and Management, The Area Management Association and
Mitsubishi Estate took the lead in this street innovation
project. In the past, the street and sidewalk were strictly
separated. However after renovation in 2002, the street has been
transformed into a place to stay and interact.
The project has retained and developed the overall urban
design built up over many years by maintaining the historical
eaves height of buildings and in various ways on placemaking.
It has changed what used to be a district almost deserted in the
evenings and on weekends into a thriving and diverse community
visited by many people other than those working there.
Development of the Marunouchi area as Japan’s first and
exemplar leased office district started in 1890. Since then, it
has taken shape as an area of integrated urban scenery as
the local authority and landowners worked together on urban
development. Marunouchi Naka-Dori, in particular, has seen the
unified development of sidewalks and roads in such a way as to
create a “comfortable community space,” providing a quiet and
restful environment as well as a stage for outdoor musical and
other vibrant events. This may be seen in the sidewalks which have
been widened to seven meters on both sides of the avenue in all
same grade level to allow the road space to be
utilized in many ways, including the provision of
trees, benches and sculptures; the organization
of seasonal events such as mid-summer Bon
Festival dances and year-end illuminations; and
the setting up of sidewalk cafes.
The project is designed to increase the area’s value as a
fascinatingly diversified business district and to further expand
its use as a community space so as to increase foot traffic and
promote urban tourism. By so doing it will contribute to making
Tokyo, which is hosting the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, an
even more magnetic city.
News&Products
National Urban Scenery Grand Prix Award for Marunouchi Naka-Dori Avenue
Cover Story
Vietnam
■
http://www.otemachi-marunouchi-yurakucho.jp/wp/wp-content/themes/daimaruyu/pdf/info_daimaruyu_2015.pdf
■
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/products/index.html
Water filtration and supply system
■
http://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2015/html/0000027760.html
Joining Housing Development Project in Vietnam
Mitsubishi Corporation has decided to enter the housing
development project in Vietnam, working in partnership with the
Singapore company Sembcorp Development. The project will
involve the construction of eleven 16-18 story condominium towers
in the province of Binh Duong, just north of Ho Chi Minh City.
Some 1,419 units are planned for the complex, which will be built
in phases in the “main gate” area of Vietnam Singapore Industrial
Park ( VSIP1) in Binh
Duong. Marking the first
collaboration between
them, the two companies
will also work to promote
real estate developments
in the vicinity of other
VSIPs in the country.
Vietnam
Perspective of project
Mitsubishi Estate group companies Mitsubishi Jisho Residence
and Mitsubishi Jisho Community are working together with
condominium home owners associations in conducting
emergency drills aimed at preserving human life and infrastructure
in the event of a natural disaster. Since the major earthquake and
tsunami in 2011, measures taken have included the provision of
warehouses storing emergency food and water and the drawing
up of emergency plans. To ensure that residents are able to
make full and practical use of such facilities in an emergency, the
companies have been conducting more effective and advanced
drills and exercises. In a large-scale emergency drill conducted
at a condominium in Chiba Prefecture in March this year, training
centered on the assembly of
manhole toilets. Homeowners
also received hands-on training
in the use of coagulant agents
for portable toilets for times
when water to flush toilets
is unavailable.
Using Emergency Drills to Form Mutual Assistance System with Residents
Japan
JapanFront Line
Mitsubishi Estate Est.1937
Otemachi Bldg., 6-1, Otemachi 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8133
Mitsubishi Estate is a comprehensive real estate developer operating a spectrum of businesses including the development, leasing and management of office buildings, residential property, retail property and hotels. In the residential business, group company Mitsubishi Jisho Residence undertakes the development, sales and leasing of apartment buildings while group company Mitsubishi Jisho Community undertakes the management of apartment buildings. The Marunouchi Redevelopment Project represents a culmination of the urban and community development the company has engaged itself in over the last 120 years.
■ http://www.mec.co.jp/index_e.html
MU Radar Developed with Kyoto University Receives IEEE Milestone Award
The world’s first active phased array antenna system for
atmospheric radar (MU radar1), developed jointly by Mitsubishi
Electric and Kyoto University’s Research Institute for Sustainable
Humanosphere in 1984, has been presented with an IEEE Milestone
award by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers.
Made available to
researchers at universities
and research institutes
throughout Japan, the
MU radar has produced
useful results in many
scientific fields, including
space and atmospheric
physics, meteorology,
astronomy, electrical and
electronic engineering, and
astrophysics. The radar has
made a major contribution
to the development of
atmospheric science and
radar technology.■
http://www.mitsubishielectric.com/news/2015/0513.pdf
■
http://www.mrc.co.jp/english/pressroom/detail/20150421181221.html
Japan
MU radar antenna area
Aerial view of MU radar
Four to five people work together in actually assembling and installing a manhole toilet.
Helping homeowners confirm the location of manholes proposed for emergency use within the grounds of a condominium.
Smartphone Link Display Audio
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is fitting its Smartphone
Link Display Audio (SDA), which supports both Google Android
AutoTM and Apple CarPlay mirroring solutions, to the 2016 Pajero due
to be launched in the European market this summer. Connecting a
smartphone to SDA allows users, either by touchscreen or by voice
control, to safely and simply access navigation maps and other apps,
to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages,
and listen to music while driving. This will be the first MMC model to
be fitted with this system, and the company will sequentially expand
the models on which, and the regions in which, it is available.
Google Android Auto MapsLet Google Maps lead you to your destination. It’s easy to get where you’re going with free voice-guided navigation, live traffic information, lane guidance and more.
Apple CarPlay Home ScreenCarPlay features Siri voice control and is specially designed for driving scenarios allowing the user to access maps and the Internet, to make calls, and to send and receive messages.
Europe
Note 1: A joint venture between a Singaporean consortium led by Sem-bcorp Development and Becamex IDC, a state-owned enterprise of Binh Duong Province
Note 1: A middle and upper atmosphere radar
3
Gurgaon, where the Mitsubishi Electric
India Private Limited (MEI) head office
is located, is a leading financial and
industrial centre 19.9 miles (32 km) south-
west of the capital, New Delhi. Delhi
has been continuously inhabited from the 6th century BC and is
famous for several UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Qutab Minar, Humayun’s Tomb and the Red Fort.
MEI was established in 2010, with offices in Gurgaon and Bangalore, and has grown to become a
company offering a wide range of innovative and high-quality products for the Indian market. These include
products and solutions for Air Conditioners, Visual & Imaging, Power Semiconductor & Devices. It is also
involved in the manufacture and sales of Factory Automation
products and Computerized Numerical Controllers.
I am responsible for brand management and brand awareness
activities in my role of Corporate Marketing Communications, and I
ensure consistency through all forms of communication. My duties
include creating and disseminating various print and multimedia
materials, managing direct mail appeals, distributing press releases
and newsletters and managing the MEI website.
CSR activities and festivals
CSR is also an integral part of my job. In August 2014,
we conducted tree plantation activites in Gurgaon, which
was an outdoor event with colleagues and children
volunteering from a co-participant school. I thoroughly
enjoy volunteering for CSR activities and feel that it’s
the most emotionally rewarding part of my job. We also
had a proud moment
when MEI received
a “Green Crusader” award at an event organized by an NGO.
We celebrate a lot of festivals at MEI, one of which is Diwali, the
festival of lights, celebrated across India and at all MEI offices. A few
other festivals and events that are celebrated at MEI are Christmas,
Independence Day and Republic Day.
My Personal Life
Outside of work, I like spending time with my family and also love
to go on long drives with friends. There are a lot of places in and
around Gurgaon’s geographic periphery and a host of hill stations
in the Himalayas which make a good outing for the weekend.
Karim Hotel’s tandoori chicken is my favorite delicacy, this being a
popular North Indian dish consisting of roasted chicken prepared
with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the cylindrical clay
oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared.
Global Spotlight focuses on employees from the Mitsubishi companies who are excelling in their respective fields around the world. In each issue we will get to know different employees, who will tell us about their hometowns, businesses, culture, and pastimes.
4 5
GlobalSpotlight
Hong Kongfrom
from India
Hong Kong is one of Asia’s most
vibrant cities — it is bustling, lively
and full of opportunities. The city itself
is beautiful, with a distinctive skyline,
and the infrastructure that has been
developed makes it a very convenient and accessible place to live and work. Hong Kong is also a diverse
city with people from all walks of life including both local people and a thriving expatriate community, which
keeps it very interesting. In particular, I enjoy the large number and diversity of restaurants in the city —
there are new restaurants opening every week and new places to explore, from local hawker stands to
Michelin-starred restaurants.
The finance industry is one of Hong Kong’s four economic pillars, and working in this field in the region
has been a privilege and very interesting. I began my career in investment banking over 25 years ago and
feel I have witnessed Asia change quite
dramatically, with many countries developing
rapidly. We have an inside view of where
investments are flowing throughout the
region and also globally, and the constantly
changing environment means we need to be
flexible and adapt to changes.
Initial Impressions of MUFG
I joined MUFG’s securities business earlier
this year as Head of Capital Markets, Asia,
and it has been a very productive and fulfilling
time so far. I have travelled around the region
visiting our MUFG (including BTMU) offices
and am amazed at the extensive network, long
history and commitment to the region. Clients
talk about the consistency of our relationships
that we have enjoyed during good and more
importantly bad times. I am also impressed with the quality of our people across the region. The Capital
Markets team is here to serve MUFG's clients; without silos (a system, process, department, that operates
in isolation from others), we are integrated with the rest of the group. Clients would always expect to see
“Team A” on their deals because we only have one team!
From what I have seen so far, I am confident we can build a strong business working together as ONE
MUFG. MUFG is not only a powerful Japanese financial group, it is truly Asian and it is truly global. The
Capital Markets team in Asia works with MUFG’s clients to provide access to the international capital
markets across multi-currencies. We have seen some recent successes in the offshore RMB (“CNH”) bond
market where we lead-managed three very successful transactions for our corporate clients and through
our extensive distribution network placed these bonds to high quality end-investors. I look forward to
working closely with members of this big family.
Uniquely Asia
Mr. Abhi Shekhar Sr. Executive, Corporate Marketing Communications
Mitsubishi Electric India Private LimitedA subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric
My Career with MEI
Tree planting activity with local schoolchildren
Lots of enthusiasm at a festival event held at MEI
Karim Hotel’s tandoori chicken is one of the best!
Humayun’s Tomb: a UNESCO World Heritage Site in New Delhi
Building where MEI is located
©Imaginechina / JIJI PRESS PHOTO
Mr. Augusto KingManaging Director, Head of Capital Markets Group, Asia
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (HK) Holdings, LimitedA subsidiary of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings
Yuzawa Geothermal Power Starts Construction Work on the Wasabizawa Geothermal Power Plant
Yuzawa Geothermal Power Co., Ltd, was established in Akita
Prefecture in April 2010 through joint investment by Electric
Power Development Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Materials and
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical. After the environmental impact
evaluation process for the Wasabizawa Geothermal Power
Plant was completed on October 31 2014, construction of
the plant commenced on May 25 this year. The Wasabizawa
Plant will generate 42,000 kilowatts of electricity.
With a view to the plant being commissioned in May 2019,
construction work
is proceeding
with great
care given to
preservation of
the environment
and top priority
on safety.
Project Exhibition on Theme of Upcycling Pressboard Offcuts
Mitsubishi Paper Mills held an exhibition with the
collaboration of creative artists on the theme of upcycling
pressboard offcuts. Made from 100% high-quality craft
pulp, pressboard is a kind of paper used in the production
of insulating material in transformers and in a wide range
of products.
Five works were displayed at the exhibition, including
drink coasters modelled to a tree stump motif, posh food
dishes and a card game using illustrations of different
plants. Visitors to the exhibition were able to handle and
enjoy the highly individual works as well as experience
the attraction and charm of the materials used in
making pressboard.
Green Diamonds
7
Green Diamonds highlights the ongoing efforts of Mitsubishi companies to foster a greener, more sustainable planet and brighter, more vibrant communities through wide-ranging environmental and social initiatives.
Japan
Groundbreaking ritual during Shinto Prayers for Safety Ceremony
Export to Japan of Coffee Beans from Colombian Smallhold Farmers
Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) has decided that, in
collaboration with the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros
de Colombia (FNC), it will start to export to Japan coffee
beans produced by smallhold farmers already receiving
support under its International Contribution Program. MC
began assisting Colombia’s smallhold coffee growers
in 2008 to support the Forest Ranger Families Program
instituted as a national campaign by the Colombian
government for the
purpose of eradicating
the cultivation of
illegal crops. Under its
assistance, MC offers
skills development
training relating to
infrastructure and the environment. MC intends to continue
working with the Colombian government, FNC and other
relevant bodies to support smallhold coffee farmers in
an effort to assist with the country’s efforts to alleviate
poverty and eradicate illegal crops, thereby contributing to
Colombia’s overall development.
■ http://www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2015/html/0000028042.html
With MC’s assistance, advances can be seen in the technology for removing the fruit or pulp from the cherry and in the drying process, leading to a major improvement in coffee bean quality.
Smallhold farmers harvest coffee cherries.
Colombia
Coasters in the shape of tree stump slices. Piled on top of one another makes them look like a real tree trunk. When laying them out for use they make one think of tree felling and when putting them away they make one think of tree planting – allowing the user to experience the forest regeneration process.
Japan
Scholarship Fund for East Timor National University Students
Astomos Energy has decided to establish a scholarship
program in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste1
(East Timor). Over the next four years, scholarships will
be awarded to students at the Universidade Nacional
Timor Lorosa'e2 (UNTL). Since January 2008, Astomos
Energy has purchased all LP gas produced at gas fields
developed by Australia and East Timor in the Joint
Petroleum Development Area in the Timor Sea. The
scholarship program was established in gratitude to East
Timor for its stable and long-term supply of LP gas and
to nurture human resources who would contribute to the
and development of East Timor. In doing so, the Astomos
Energy scholarship program is contributing to the further
strengthening of ties between Japan and East Timor.
Timor-Leste
Mr.Tsutomu Yagi, Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager, International Business Division, hands scholarship award certificates to each of the recipients, together with a UNTL third-year agricultural department student who was selected to visit Japan as a trainee.
6
Works exploiting the features and attraction of the materials used to make pressboard. From left: single-flowervases; food dishes; playing cards; coasters; a cinerary urn for pets.
Note 1: Portuguese for East Timor. Note 2: Native Tetun for East Timor.
Commemorative photo of award ceremony with 20 UNTL scholarship students. From front left, Mr. Abraao Dos Santos, Director-General for Higher Education; Dr. Aurelio Guterres, Rector, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e; Mr. Eiji Yamamoto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan; Mr. Tsutomu Yagi; and Ms. Ligia Tomas Correia, Deputy Rector for Cooperation Affairs, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e.
注)色校時の最終画像に差し替え