GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE Monthly Newsletter Issue No.21 (Feb, 2008)

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GREATER NAGOYA INITIATIVE Monthly Newsletter Issue No.21 (Feb, 2008)
Greater Nagoya Means Greater Business Opportunities
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1. Greater Nagoya Initiative’s New Brochure!
2. Event: Ubiquitous Seminar in Greater Nagoya (Feb 1, 2008)
3. Event: “Asia SPA Seminar and Consulting Event” in Greater Nagoya (Feb 1, 2008)
4. Event: Taiwanese Tourism Seminar in Greater Nagoya (Feb 21, 2008)
5. Industry: Eco-friendly R&D Bases in Greater Nagoya Link to Forward-thinking of New Cluster
6. Entertainment: Skiing and Snowboarding Resort in Greater Nagoya
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1. Greater Nagoya Initiative’s New Brochure!
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Greater Nagoya Initiative has recently renewed its new brochure. GNI’s new brochure contains information on industry, economy, infrastructure, and GNI’s support. Greater Nagoya might be known as an industrial area for its strength in its industry, but it is not the only place for industry and business. There are many other things to explore in Greater Nagoya. The brochure also contains an overview and information on attractiveness of lifestyle, tourism, culture and entertainment in Greater Nagoya with some visual images. Please come and visit our website for more details on our new brochure.

Greater Nagoya Initiative HP: https://greaternagoya.org/eng/index.php
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2. Event: Ubiquitous Seminar in Greater Nagoya (Feb 1, 2008)
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Experts, professionals, and overseas corporations specialized in Ubiquitous will provide discussions and presentations at the seminar. Topics to be discussed will be on “Application of Sensor Network for Resolving Issues Concerning Food, Agriculture, the Environment and Education”. The seminar is designed to develop a local sensor network project in agriculture. The project was originally launched as an industry-academia project by Mie University and local ICT (Information and Communication Technology) companies in Greater Nagoya. Since Greater Nagoya plays an important role in terms of food and environment and serves as a hub of monozukuri (the Japanese art of creating and making things), the goal of this project was to create a global-collaborative ubiquitous industry cluster by taking advantage of its geographical advantage. Three foreign-affiliated companies from the Unites States, Sweden, and Switzerland will be invited for this event. There will be opportunities for business-partner-matching meetings with local companies.
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3. Event: “Asia SPA Seminar and Consulting Event” in Greater Nagoya (Feb 1, 2008)
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Greater Nagoya Initiative will host “Asia spa seminar and consulting event” on January 31 and February 1, 2008. Peter Sng, A board member of the International Spa Association’s Pacific Chapter (ISPA) and President of Spa Association Singapore, and Chawanat Singthukiow, President of Chiang Mai Thai Spa Co., Ltd. visit Greater Nagoya for the events, and subjects of the seminar are to discuss on spa business activities cooperated with Greater Nagoya Initiative, launching in the area, and Mr, Peter Sng and Ms, Chawanat Sigthukiow expect business matching opportunities with local companies. Two technicians and mission members also visit the hot spa region in Greater Nagoya called Gero, where is well known as one of the greatest hot springs in Japan in January 31 2008 to observe the current state of traditional Japanese tourism and spa area in Greater Nagoya and to consult with local tourism industry representatives to support transfer of modern techniques of relaxation and massage into the long-established tourist regions to enchant people.
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4. Event: Taiwanese Tourism Seminar in Greater Nagoya (Feb 21, 2008)
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Greater Nagoya Initiative will host “Investment in Taiwan Tourism Industry Seminar” on February 21, 2008 13:00 to 17:30 at Hilton Nagoya Hotel on the 4th floor. Three Taiwanese travel agencies will visit Greater Nagoya for the event, and the seminar will extensively discuss on the subjects, how to attract tourism from Taiwan to Greater Nagoya. The seminar aims to increase Taiwanese tourists in GN area, discuss Taiwanese customers’ needs and how to improve and prepare to offer appropriate services to Taiwanese tourists. The seminar will also provide chances to increase the understanding of Taiwan’s tourism industry, updated information of the field, networking opportunities and business-matching meetings to improve the industry’s business models. Tourism businesses such as hotels, traditional commodities, tourist facility tour companies, or tourist departments of municipality are expected to participate. Contact for further details and request for an application form from gni-partner@meti.go.jp.
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5. Industry: Eco-friendly R&D Bases in Greater Nagoya Link to Forward-thinking of New Cluster ====================================================================
Greater Nagoya has been profoundly involved in environmental issues which began with Aichi Expo 2005 whose theme was ‘Environmental protection and harmonization of human life with nature’. These environmental goals – not to waste natural resources and try not to produce pollution – still endure in this area. Greater Nagoya’s two big global companies of Monozukuri (manufacturing “the drive to create products of value”) kick off their preparation on new company buildings opening in 2009. The first company, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announced it will launch the new eco-friendly research and development base for the next generation vehicle aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions which has drawn immediate attention and a recent subject of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); a scientific organization established in1988 by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP）which aim to evaluate the risk of climate change. The Toyota’s R&D center will be located near by its headquarters in Greater Nagoya, and is expected to start operations in August 2009. This very first facility that specializes in the green engineering will focus on the study and development of diesel engine to reduce automotive exhaust gases and on lithium-ion battery for next-generation hybrid cars, since the demand for eco-friendly cars has accelerated worldwide. It also plans to bring forward the research on the high volume production of fuel cell vehicle and ultimate eco-friendly cars. The company will select specialists from each field of development, design, and production engineering. TMC President Katsuaki Watanabe told press release in December. 31. 2007, “The Company will pursue not only the amount of productions, but also quality improvement.”

The other company, Denso Corporation, reported that it will build a new production plant in Greater Nagoya area for automotive parts integrated in hybrid cars. This plant will be a hub of green technology combining R&D function and reinforce supply capacity for Toyota and Toyota groups’ demands. The new plant will produce electronic parts such as inverters and converters used to the control of hybrid car systems. Denso co., looks forward the market expansion of hybrid cars and plans to enhance production capacity. On the other hand, the company will accept the challenge to reduce the size of the hybrid systems and develop new types of eco-friendly products. Koichi Fukaya, Denso president, commented on a local newspaper that Greater Nagoya will be a important area of production development when new products of high value are required.”

Article on Denso Corporation’s new Anjo plant: http://www.densomediacenter.com/news/newsreleases.asp?ArticleID=578
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6. Skiing and Snowboarding Resorts in Greater Nagoya
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In Greater Nagoya, there are many sports and entertainments to enjoy throughout the year. Now, it is time for skiing and snowboarding. Greater Nagoya is sorrounded by the mountain ranges called the Japanese Alpine Mountain Range. There are more than 40 skiing and snowboarding grounds in Greater Nagoya’s mountain range. There are mountains at the height of over 3,000 meters (about 9,850 feet) and has high amount of snow falls through the year. The area are the best places for skiing and snowboarding lovers. Because of the heavy snow falls, some mountains has accumulated snows even in the middle of summer. The area is also famous for its hot springs (“onsen”).

From February 22 to 24 this year, a world-class competition called “IBIDEN SPECIAL NOKIA SNOWBOARD FIS WORLDCUP 2008 GIFU/GUJO” will be held in one of the skiing and snowboarding resort called Takasu Snow Park in Greater Nagoya. Takasu Snow Park is located in the city called GUJO which is famous for its skiing resorts as well as for its historical old town. The FIS worldcup is run by the International Ski Federation (FIS: Fédération Internationale de Ski) and is an international organization located in Switzerland, Oberhofen am Thunersee. FIS manages, organizes, and builds the rules of skiing and snowboarding competitions in the world. Ski federations of 101 countries are the members of FIS. For the winter sport athletes, FIS World Cup is known to be the highest ranked competition in the world and is ranked even higher than the Olympic winter games. About 300 athletes for snowboarding from 30 countries are expected to join the World Cup in Greater Nagoya. One of the largest snowboard halfpipes in the world with the height of 6 meters has been built within the Takasu Snow Park for the World Cup, and this halfpipe is recorded as the largest in Japan. It is expected that many people from all over the world will come to join or to watch the World Cup and experience the skiing and snowboarding resorts in Greater Nagoya.