A rare insider's account of the inner workings of the Japanese economy, and the Bank of Japan's monetary policy, by a career central banker The Japanese economy, once the envy of the world for its dynamism and growth, lost its shine after a financial bubble burst in early 1990s and slumped further during the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. It suffered even more damage in 2011, when a severe earthquake set off the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. However, the Bank of Japan soldiered on to combat low inflation, low growth, and low interest rates, and in many ways it served as a laboratory for actions taken by central banks in other parts of the world. Masaaki Shirakawa, who led the bank as governor from 2008 to 2013, provides a rare insider's account of the workings of Japanese economic and monetary policy during this period and how it challenged mainstream economic thinking.
This book consists of 11 papers based on research presented at the KIER-TMU International Workshop on Financial Engineering, held in Tokyo in 2009. The Workshop, organised by Kyoto University's Institute of Economic Research (KIER) and Tokyo Metropolitan University (TMU), is the successor to the Daiwa International Workshop on Financial Engineering held from 2004 to 2008 by Professor Kijima (the Chair of this Workshop) and his colleagues. Academic researchers and industry practitioners alike have presented the latest research on financial engineering at this international venue. These papers address state-of-the-art techniques in financial engineering, and have undergone a rigorous selection process to make this book a high-quality one. This volume will be of interest to academics, practitioners, and graduate students in the field of quantitative finance and financial engineering
Dr. Masaaki Honda has dedicated his life to spreading Dr. Suzuki's method and message of love. The Vehicle of Music relates how he and Dr. Suzuki met and some of the struggles they overcame to introduce the method to the rest of the world. There are also stories about the childhood of both Dr. Suzuki and Dr. Honda. Filled with personal anecdotes and interesting stories, this book offers insights into Dr. Suzuki's philosophy as well as inspirational advice on handling life's challenges. A great addition to any Suzuki library!
The Deep Mixing Method (DMM), a deep in-situ soil stabilization technique using cement and/or lime as a stabilizing agent, was developed in Japan and in the Nordic countries independently in the 1970s. Numerous research efforts have been made in these areas investigating properties of treated soil, behavior of DMM improved ground under static and dynamic conditions, design methods, and execution techniques. Due to its wide applicability and high improvement effect, the method has become increasingly popular in many countries in Europe, Asia and in the USA. In the past three to four decades, traditional mechanical mixing has been improved to meet changing needs. New types of the technology have also been developed in the last 10 years; e.g. the high pressure injection mixing method and the method that combines mechanical mixing and high pressure injection mixing technologies. The design procedures for the DM methods were standardized across several organizations in Japan and revised several times. Information on these rapid developments will benefit those researchers and practitioners who are involved in ground improvement throughout the world. The book presents the state of the art in Deep Mixing methods, and covers recent technologies, research activities and know-how in machinery, design, construction technology and quality control and assurance. The Deep Mixing Method is a useful reference tool for engineers and researchers involved in DMM technology everywhere, regardless of local soil conditions and variety in applications.
I think this book is a great achievement. It is packed with useful information and thought-provoking analysis and discussion. The work on technological development is, especially, a very valuable original contribution to the work in this field. The book illuminates the technological trajectory so often ignored by economists, but which underlies Schumpeter s "clusters" of innovations, and the emphasis on trunk innovations and analysis of their role is of particular interest. Christopher Freeman, SPRU Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Sussex, UK and Maastricht University, The Netherlands This pathbreaking book addresses the economics of technological change as revealed by a unique methodology that uncovers the true nature of technological development. Masaaki Hirooka bases this new approach to the economics of technological change on the recognition of the nonlinear dynamic nature of innovation. In order to provide a richer understanding of technological development, the book focuses on the period of innovation prior to market launch, grounding the analysis within a distinct innovation paradigm. This is expressed using three logistic trajectories technology, development and diffusion which make it possible to interpret and better understand technology foresight, infrastructure formation, long business cycles and national innovation systems. The author emphasizes the importance of the timing of innovation commitment, knowledge transfer between and within these trajectories, and the evolutionary character of innovation. Those with an interest in economics, macroeconomics, technological change and evolutionary economics will find this book to be a highly stimulating and fascinating read.
This book examines the processes through which public art museums, as modern Western institutions, were introduced to Japan in the late nineteenth century and how they subsequently developed distinctive national characteristics. The author focuses on one of the most distinctive forms of Japanese museums: the 'empty museums' - museums without collections, permanent displays, and curators. Morishita shows how they developed, in relation to social and cultural conditions at certain periods in modern Japanese history, by engaging with a wide range of interdisciplinary theories, in particular, Pierre Bourdieu's field theory and the conceptual framework of transculturation. Japan is used as a case study to show in general terms how the elements of modern Western culture associated with public art museums were introduced and transformed in the local conditions of non-Western regions. With its unique empirical cases and theoretical focus, the book makes a significant contribution to existing literature in the field of museum studies, both in the English-speaking world and in Japan, and will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, art history, cultural studies and Japanese studies.
This book provides a unique and highly accessible approach to singularity theory from the perspective of differential geometry of curves and surfaces. It is written by three leading experts on the interplay between two important fields — singularity theory and differential geometry.The book introduces singularities and their recognition theorems, and describes their applications to geometry and topology, restricting the objects of attention to singularities of plane curves and surfaces in the Euclidean 3-space. In particular, by presenting the singular curvature, which originated through research by the authors, the Gauss-Bonnet theorem for surfaces is generalized to those with singularities. The Gauss-Bonnet theorem is intrinsic in nature, that is, it is a theorem not only for surfaces but also for 2-dimensional Riemannian manifolds. The book also elucidates the notion of Riemannian manifolds with singularities.These topics, as well as elementary descriptions of proofs of the recognition theorems, cannot be found in other books. Explicit examples and models are provided in abundance, along with insightful explanations of the underlying theory as well. Numerous figures and exercise problems are given, becoming strong aids in developing an understanding of the material.Readers will gain from this text a unique introduction to the singularities of curves and surfaces from the viewpoint of differential geometry, and it will be a useful guide for students and researchers interested in this subject.
Contrary to our stereotypical views, dictators often introduce elections in which they refrain from employing blatant electoral fraud. Why do electoral reforms happen in autocracies? Do these elections destabilize autocratic rule? The Dictator’s Dilemma at the Ballot Box argues that strong autocrats who can garner popular support become less dependent on coercive electioneering strategies. When autocrats fail to design elections properly, elections backfire in the form of coups, protests, and the opposition’s stunning election victories. The book’s theoretical implications are tested on a battery of cross-national analyses with newly collected data on autocratic elections and in-depth comparative case studies of the two Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
This state of the art monograph presents a unique introduction to thinking about cuteness and its incorporation into modern, especially computer-based, products and services. Cuteness is defined and explored in relation to user-centered design concepts and methods, in addition to considering the history of cuteness and cuteness in other cultures, especially in relation to eastern Asia. The authors provide detailed analyses and histories of cuteness in Japan and in China, the rise of Kawaii and Moe cultural artifacts, and their relation to social, psychological, and design issues. They also attempt an initial taxonomy of cuteness. Finally, detailed interviews with leading designers of cute products and services, such as Hello Kitty, provide an understanding of the philosophy and decision-making process of designers of cuteness. Cuteness Engineering: Designing Adorable Products and Services will be of interest and use to a wide range of professionals, researchers, academics, and students who are interested in exploring the world of cuteness in fresh new ways and gaining insights useful for their work and studies.
This book describes the fundamentals and applicability of the atmospheric-pressure non-thermal plasma surface modification of materials. Non-thermal plasma modification is an effective procedure for chemical activation. In this book, the principles of non-thermal plasma surface modification and its application to various machine parts are described. By reading this book, technologists from a variety of fields can learn about plasma generation and surface treatment technology, which will assist them in performing advanced procedures. This book also explains the basics of atmospheric-pressure plasma and the principle of plasma treatment in an easy-to-understand manner and also provides examples of the application of atmospheric-pressure plasma surface modification technologies to plastics, glass, polymers, and metals. After reading this book, readers can get the knowledge that researchers need to apply the methodology to meet their own research goals. The book is self-contained in the sense that it spans the divide between the fundamentals and more advanced content regarding applications. Many engineers and graduate students working in this field get many helps.
This autobiographical work is full of touching anecdotal references to occurrences in Honda's early life which subtly bring the Suzuki philosophies into focus. Written in the early seventies, this charming book seems at first to be an autobiography (which indeed it is), but as one reads further into the book, one realizes that it is much more. Through the effective use of literary devices, Honda is in reality painting a picture of another life, that of his mentor, Shinichi Suzuki. As Honda tells of his boyhood, each time he learns a lesson in life -- humility, compassion, philosophy, love of life, love of art and music -- he is in fact building towards the core of his later passion, the spreading of Suzuki's teachings worldwide. Contained herewith is a history lesson on the beginnings of Talent Education in Japan as told by one of the few people who was there at the very beginning. "Develop character through music" -- this is how Dr. Honda defines Talent Education at its most fundamental. One learns of the beginnings of Suzuki teaching in the United States from one of the men responsible for bringing Talent Education to this country. This is entertaining reading, with joy, heartache, pain, courage and, above all, insight into this revolution which is still taking place, the development of early childhood education. It should be read by all who have a passing interest in Suzuki and his teachings.
This book is devoted to highly polished and potentiated novel C couplings developed by our group (M. Suzuki) in the course of a long-term, tight collaboration of chemistry, biology, and medicine experts, focusing on advanced organometallic techniques for the construction of a whole prostaglandin (PG) framework and new methodology for introducing short-lived 11C radionuclide into carbon frameworks. The book is written to attract the interest of scientists working in chemistry and interdisciplinary research areas such as medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, chemical biology, molecular imaging, and related industries.
Discussing the philosophy of Ninjutsu, including apparel, weaponry, and training techniques, this is the definitive book on the subject from the most famous Ninja grandmaster in the world. 450 photos.
This book outlines the new concept of user engineering and covers the diversity of users, along with the business process that includes the design and the user’s experience processes. Although the concept of user experience (UX) has become popular, the definition and the methodology are still ambiguous. User engineering is similar to the user-centered design, but differs in that its scope is not limited to the design process but concerns the whole manufacturing process and the whole usage process, i.e., the whole lifecycle of an artifact. User’s perspective is strongly emphasized in this book, hence, its stance is far from that of the marketing approach that usually fails to notice the life and experiences of users after the purchase of an artifact as consumers. Theory of User Engineering differentiates between the quality in design and the quality in use, and the objective quality characteristics and the subjective quality characteristics. In addition to the user research using ethnographic methods, the author introduces a new approach based on the artifact evolution theory that can be adopted in the planning stage.
This book features comprehensive explanations from the classical theory of high-energy particle interactions with matter to their use for a novel nanofabrication technique for various organic soft materials. Potential readers include scientists and engineers in both academia and industry, as well as students of materials science, nanotechnology, and nuclear power engineering. Readers will learn about the historical research background of radiation chemistry and interactions of an accelerated particle with matter, and then move on to recent research topics having to do with nanofabrication of soft materials by using single charged particles with high energy. Target materials of the highlighted novel technique include proteins, thermo-responsive and photo-responsive polymers, semiconducting polymers, and even small organic molecules. The descriptions of these various newly developed nanomaterials will interest a broad spectrum of readers and provide them with a new perspective. The many conceptual illustrations and microscopic images of nanomaterials that are included will help readers to easily understand the contents of the book.
This book covers a broad range of filter theories, algorithms, and numerical examples. The representative linear and nonlinear filters such as the Kalman filter, the steady-state Kalman filter, the H infinity filter, the extended Kalman filter, the Gaussian sum filter, the statistically linearized Kalman filter, the unscented Kalman filter, the Gaussian filter, the cubature Kalman filter are first visited. Then, the non-Gaussian filters such as the ensemble Kalman filter and the particle filters based on the sequential Bayesian filter and the sequential importance resampling are described, together with their recent advances. Moreover, the information matrix in the nonlinear filtering, the nonlinear smoother based on the Markov Chain Monte Carlo, the continuous-discrete filters, factorized filters, and nonlinear filters based on stochastic approximation method are detailed. 1 Review of the Kalman Filter and Related Filters 2 Information Matrix in Nonlinear Filtering 3 Extended Kalman Filter and Gaussian Sum Filter 4 Statistically Linearized Kalman Filter 5 The Unscented Kalman Filter 6 General Gaussian Filters and Applications 7 The Ensemble Kalman Filter 8 Particle Filter 9 Nonlinear Smoother with Markov Chain Monte Carlo 10 Continuous-Discrete Filters 11 Factorized Filters 12 Nonlinear Filters Based on Stochastic Approximation Method
Transform your company’s critical operations—and its destiny—through a powerful kaizen-focused strategy designed for 21st century efficiency A pioneer of the operational excellence movement that continues to transform businesses across the world, Masaaki Imai takes you to the next step of continuous improvement—developing an overall strategy for measuring your company’s operational performance and improving processes in ways that boost efficiency and gain competitiveness. In Strategic KAIZENTM, Imai walks you through the process of shifting your focus from volume and speed to his revolutionary Flow, Synchronization, and Leveling (FSLTM) evaluation—the most effective Lean paradigm available. At the heart of his approach is the concept of flow—ensuring that each work piece flows between processes without interruption and stagnation. This game-changing guide teaches you: The critical importance of assessing corporate performance from both the financial and operational standpoints How to identify basic structures of the ideal production and operating systems Proven ways of implementing FSL to establish where improvements are most needed and build a strategy that takes you to new heights of corporate performance Certain to be another instant classic from Masaaki Imai, Strategic KAIZENTM provides an abundance of case studies from companies that have successfully implemented FSLTM and tangible know-how to improve FSLTM status to achieve a lean summit. Whether you run a business, serve in public service, or practice Lean, this groundbreaking guide provides everything you need to transform your organization—and help lead it to the top of your industry, trade, or business.
The ... thorough update of the definitive work that applies the Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement and process innovation, kaizen, to the critical area of business performance where key transactions take place, the gemba. The result is a streamlined approach to realizing cost-effective, incremental improvements in your most crucial business processes. Written by the renowned quality management expert who introduced the concept of kaizen to the English-speaking world, this innovative guide is filled with hundreds of international gemba kaizen success stories and examples from a wide range of industries. These examples illustrate how to reduce costs, improve quality, and increase customer satisfaction. This comprehensive resource offers detailed coverage of important gemba kaizen topics, including: quality, cost, and delivery in the gemba; the five steps of workplace organization; identifying and eliminating muda - any non-value-adding activity; visual management; supervisors' roles in the lean workplace; gemba managers' roles and accountability in sustaining high performance; just-in-time and total flow management; the CEO's role in leading a kaizen culture"--Publisher's description.
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