GREATER NAGOGYA INITIATIVE Monthly Newsletter Issue No.19 (Dec, 2007)

********************************************************************
GREATER NAGOGYA INITIATIVE Monthly Newsletter Issue No.19 (Dec, 2007)
Greater Nagoya Means Greater Business Opportunities
********************************************************************
1. Event: Greater Nagoya Cluster Forum (Jan 23 & 24, 2008)
2. Report: Greater Nagoya Initiative’s Mission to Germany and France
3. Ubiquitous Cluster in Greater Nagoya
4. Arrival of the world-fascinating entertainment show, Dralion Cirque de Soleil, in Greater Nagoya
==================================================================
1. Event: Greater Nagoya Cluster Forum (Jan 23 & 24, 2008)
==================================================================
This is an exhibition on “Monozukuri” (manufacturing “the drive to create products of value”) organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as well as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Many corporations participating in industry cluster projects run by METI and MEXT will be participating in this Forum and exhibit their technologies, research findings, products and services. Overseas corporations will also be invited to participate in this event. Participating corporations are specialized in manufacturing, IT, biotechnology and varieties of industries. In addition to exhibitions, lectures and symposiums will also be held in order to create industry clusters and exchange of business of Greater Nagoya. There will also be opportunities for business partner matching meetings for the creation of new businesses.
==================================================================
2. Report: Greater Nagoya Initiative’s Mission to Germany and France (Nov 19 to 23, 2007)
==================================================================
Greater Nagoya Initiative sent its mission to Germany and France for the promotion of Greater Nagoya region as well as exchange of business activities. GNI mission team visited Düsseldorf in Germany on November 19, Monday and 20 Tuesday. Then, the mission members moved to France and stayed there from November 22, Thursday to 23, Friday. In Düsseldorf, mission members attended “Japan Business Forum (JBF), hosted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan and Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)”. Members also visited Minister Mr. Andreas Krautscheid of Federal and European Affairs, State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and held GNI seminar. The state of NRW is located in the northern part of Germany with its capital city, Düsseldorf which has a population of about 18 million, and has close relationships with Japan with leading Japanese corporations in their region. In France, we visited leading companies in Val d’ Oise and held GNI seminars. Val d’Oise is located in the north west of Paris and has Charles de Gaulle International Airport. The area has many global enterprises with leading-edge technologies and many corporations from Greater Nagoya operating this area.

In Düsseldorf, at JBF, leaders of GNI mission members such as the governor of Mie prefecture provided presentation on attractiveness of Greater Nagoya. GNI placed an exhibition booth during JBF for the promotion. We had many visitors interested in investing Japan and Greater Nagoya area. The governor of Mie prefecture went to pay his courtesy call on Minister Mr. Andreas Krautscheid of Federal and European Affairs, State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and shared information for further cooperation of both regions in the future. At the GNI seminar in cooperation with Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy of the NRW, about 30 people from companies, academia, and administrations in both private and public sectors in Düsseldorf participated in the seminar. The seminar enabled us to introduce and understand both areas’ attractiveness. In France, GNI members exchanged information with the members of Economic Expansion Committee of Val d’Oise (CEEVO) for the future cooperation. During the GNI seminar in Paris, GNI introduced and exchange information on Greater Nagoya’s leading-edge industries such as aerospace and automotive. About 100 people from companies, academia, and administrations in both private and public sectors joined the seminar and exchanged opinions about further progress in our activities. GNI mission members were able to promote its activities and exchange views and opinions through many events during the mission.

North Rhine-Westphalia: http://www.nrw.co.jp/ (Japanese Language Only)
Val d’Oise (CEEVO): http://www.ceevo95.fr/heading/heading3865.html
==================================================================
3. Greater Nagoya’s Focus on Ubiquitous Cluster
==================================================================
Greater Nagoya Initiative is promoting to develop a local sensor network in agriculture, Ubiquitous Cluster. Ubiquitous computing is a network that enables people to access necessary information from everywhere at any time. Since Greater Nagoya plays an important role and has its strength in food and environment, its goal is to create a global-collaborative ubiquitous industry cluster by taking advantage of Greater Nagoya’s geographical advantage. In Greater Nagoya, there are many leading research institutions and researchers with their focus on agriculture and pursuing collaborative works with private sector industry. For example, Mie University Graduate School Faculty of Bioresouces in Greater Nagoya has been working closely with a company called Elab experience, Inc. in Greater Nagoya to be able to utilize the sensor network technologies and spread such technologies in agriculture for actual use.

Recently, there is a high demand to develop technology to distribute data and images in cultivation, which are obtained by Field Server (sensor network), through internet with low cost and stability. Field Server is an automatic monitoring system by using web servers. If this technology spreads, it will be advantageous not only for agricultural industries, but for who will have a better and easier understanding of global environment. Moreover, the technology is expected to apply with a natural disaster monitoring system as well. If the Field Server can be installed in a field, then monitoring and measuring environment, farms, plants and animals becomes possible. Sensor network technology is expected to enable monitoring conditions (temperature, humidity, amount of insulation, insects, use of pesticides, growth of plants, etc) 24 hours a day, then monitoring and measuring of environment, farms, plants and animals becomes possible with lower costs.

Mie University (Graduate School/Faculty of Bioresources): http://www.bio.mie-u.ac.jp/en/
elab experience Inc.: http://www.elab-experience.com/ (Japanese Language Only)
ALFAE: http://www.alfae.org/en/index.html
==================================================================
4. Arrival of the world-fascinating entertainment show, Dralion by Cirque de Soleil, in Greater Nagoya
==================================================================
An entertainment show, Dralion, presented by Canada-based performance group, Cirque de Soleil, began in the center of Greater Nagoya, on October 31. 2007 and will continue ‘til January 6. 2008. Cirque de Soleil now has expanded to more than 3,800 employee world-wide and inspires many people around the world. Recent shows performed by Cirque de Soleil, Love (with the Beatles music) in Las Vegas and Alegría in Spain and Brazil have built up a solid reputation. The European and Japanese show, Dralion is not an exception. The show has succeeded in 45 cities in nine countries including Valencia Spain, Quebec Canada, and Tokyo and Osaka Japan. Over six million people have enjoyed the show since April 1999. Greater Nagoya is the latest location to hold the show.

The name of Cirque de Soleil, stands for “Circus of the Sun” in French, and the origin of the name, Dralion, drawn from dragon and lion, represents a mixture of the Eastern taste of performance and Western innovative style of art. The venue can accommodate 2,600 guests, and the Greater Nagoya show particularly entertains with acts such as the Aerial Hoop, Aerial Pas de Deux, Ballet on Lights, Bamboo Poles, Striding on Stilts and more. Not only is their acrobatic performance amazing but their creation of imaginary worlds in western style of arts like artistic make-up, colorful costumes, lighting effects and prominent stage techniques fascinate sights that Japanese and multinational audiences can experience at the show. Greater Nagoya is ready to entertain people with a taste of a world renowned show within the sphere of activity.

Official Website (English): http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/dralion/Tickets/Nagoya.htm