Japanese firms' are cashing-in on the latest market trends with better use of technology and management.
Take for example, India Yamaha Motor, which has realised the potential of India's growing two-wheeler market. It is particularly focussed on women, and introduced "Ray", which is gaining in popularity.
"This is a scooter for women, made by women. We actively employ and promote women throughout our entire business work flow. The sales of the scooter category show a 20 per cent growth over all other motorcycles. This is because there is a phenomenon that more women have started using scooters as they advance and enter into modern society," said Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO and Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt Ltd.
India Yamaha Motor has made women empowerment a key strategic element of its business strategy in India.
At the Yamaha plant in Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh, there is a scooter assembly line which is only manned by women employees.
This is the first time in India that a company has produced a product for women and had it assembled by women. Over 200 female employees are being provided on job training to enhance their skills.
The women receive training for three years from the Industrial Training Institute (ITI).
"I have had a great experience in Yamaha and learnt a lot of new skills; I am so excited about Yamaha making a scooter for women, and made by women," said Geeta Sehgal, Supervisor Final Inspection, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.
Yamaha has proposed to set up a new manufacturing plant in Chennai, which is expected to be operational by 2014.
"We are planning to hire more women, up to 40 per ent of employees, at the new Chennai plant for further contribution," said Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO and Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.
In ASEAN and India, digitalization of broadcasting is progressing.
Fujifilm is reviving the "magnetic tape" to keep audio visual material. The company, which has the number one share to produce magnetic tape all over the world, has been developing big capable magnetic tape.
It will increase its current capacity of 2.5 terabyte to 154 terabyte in near future. It is equivalent to 30,000 DVDs.
"In the market big data is becoming bigger and bigger explosively. We believed that magnetic tape will be revived. Because it enables to preserve big data in long term. Our prospect was correct and investigation bore "fruit"," said Norio Shibata, Corporate vice president general manager, Recording Media Products Division, Fujifilm Corporation.
Utilizing this big capable magnetic tape, Fujifilm launched long term data storage service.
Japanese representative production, which produces movie and TV program - Imagica, adopted Fujifilm big capable magnetic tape to adapt to high definition quality.
The device is also recognized by Google and other world digital companies. Improving and propagating DNA of Fujifilm will develop global market.
If Fujifilm has a solution for digital data storage, JFE Engineering has a key to cycle parking.
JFE Engineering, a company that develops and manufactures the environmental and energy systems, came up an idea to design machinery equipment for bicycle parking, to contribute to the comfortable and convenient society.
"Cycle Tree" is the mechanical bicycle parking system, to store bicycles automatically to the multilevel storage structure.
"We developed this system by taking advantage of the control technology and mechanical expertise gained from our automated warehouse, although there were many technical challenges to adjust to various kinds of bicycles," said Tomohiro Matsuo, Comfortable Community Creation Sector, JFE Engineering Corporation.
Using the Cycle Tree is as smooth as just scanning the card.
It only takes few seconds to check out. There are a variety of sensors and devices to ensure accuracy and safety.
Cycle Tree has received a high evaluation from its function and safety, JFE Engineering has produced the system in 15 locations in Japan, with total 18,000 bicycle parking capacity.
"I feel great security by using this system. no worries for the bike thefts."This revolutionary system solves the problems by e?ectively utilizing the limited space. There are variety of types like this cylindrical Cycle Tree equipped with machines and storage in tower building," said Mitsuyuki Hashimoto, Cycle Tree User.
"There is no more illegal parked bicycles in this area. Cycle Tree also encourages people to use more bicycles to once everyday and contributes to environment," said Tomohiro Matsuo, Comfortable Community Creation Sector, JFE Engineering Corporation.
Cycle Tree, can be the future solution for bicycle parking, in the densely populated urban cities in Asia, and the world.
