革新的な日本

innovative Japan

Japan is often associated with futuristic cityscapes from science fiction, and it’s no wonder. Just visit Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing at nightfall and you might imagine you’re on the set of another Blade Runner sequel. With more and more visitors coming to Japan, the country is eager to show off its forward-looking approach to technology. It’s building a maglev Shinkansen bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka and a network of hydrogen stations for fuel-cell vehicles, and the government has launched a plan for a super-smart society, in which artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data will become ubiquitous, changing the lives of citizens. For travelers to Japan, however, it can be the little things that impress: a warm toilet seat; trains that run on time; an airport luggage receptacle that automatically sends your suitcases. Quirky but dependable, Japanese technology is always an eye-opening experience.