Japan-made products and globalization: Future Economic aspiration

Japan-Made Products and Globalization : Future Economic aspiration

JFTC Essay Writing CompetitionBy Ibrahim B. Lawan For essay writing competition organized by Japan Foreign/Commerce Ministry (Aug. 2015)

Japan-Made Products and Globalization: Future Economic Inspiration

INTRODUCTIONThis essay is aimed of weighing Japan’s future glory in a wake of intense economic and market competition between her and other industrialized counterparts particularly China, while lagging behind economically. It’s to examine the current and future impressions for Japan-made products among purchasing/user communities particularly youths in developing world whose dreams for economic comfort and fashions would determine future flavors for tomorrow innovations and their markets. Doubtless, radiant Japan was blinking at reflections of emerging trade/economic rivals. As on media-based economic stories, the land of rising sun gave up as one of the most frequently uttered nation on international media, beside United States contrary to the miracle booming eras known as “Golden sixties” While youths of today are sharing somehow similar dreams and interest patterning persuasion for education, career and entertainment/fashion activities of which Japan’s technologies have influenced their forthcoming cyber-age dreams, worldly focus is mapped by future innovations and technologies in which Japan has already positioned herself as an awesome telescope for the futuristic innovations regarding its considerable roles and contributions toward simplifying human survival with supporting innovations and serving intelligent devices. While we heard echoes of persuasive and vogue campaigns pro and against gays and same sex marriage, just as a favor for the most and ever obsessed human rights campaign from the houses of views and interest in Europe and United States, Japan-made magic cameras of Sony and Canon brand enriched humanity with production of living pictures of beauty, dreams and anticipated futures. Even though there were popular grounds behind lagging Japan in economic growth/trade, there were two other impressions that still felt in mind whenever we hear about Japan of today. The classic impression remain intact as gigantic brain of hi-tech in the eastern end of our planet earth of glorious hi-techs. The other one was more of pop impression, a kind of views among youths whose future dreams are somehow similar and consolidated by the impacts of globalization despite ethnic and cultural differences in life styles. It was an impression more of machine maker for high life. This unclear impression has created a feeling for Japan as god of magic technology. This is a total fun if wasn’t a total sentiment. But another considerable issue here is that, Japan-made products in developing markets especially Africa are adjusting backward and being replaced by China Products. Where are the previous favors that made the booming years of Japan economic superlative advanced? Well, the favors should or even must be alive. It’s only a competitive economic/trade tugging.

China-made products: Intangible flavor Or Classic taste? China economic force has roughly advanced into capital economy since 1990. In Africa we have seen a lot more impacts and changes. As China-made electronics helped to emerging of a new culture of communication. As some tradition-based individual and community relationships were replaced with new kind of connections in which business transactions, self-expressions as well as human relations are connected and communicated, to and fro over much more longer miles with sensational satisfaction than ever before. Although these impacts might have encouraged China-sentiment in the minds of users of China-made products. China economic greediness kept striving to appeal fashionably for international acceptance and regional favors. In this regard, telecommunication is one of the most developed sectors . as messages were reshaped and sent to distant miles of love, business and interests with establishment of easier way of dissemination of knowledge and awareness among communities, encouraging communities to participate in universal activities and dreams attainment. Even though, the sprouting of communication based innovations across the world in a more accessible and affordable means was a collective consequences of economy/trade competitive pressure, new technological needs existed in the recent human cultures.China’s mobiles phones have quickly generated a rough favors. According to Wikipedia encyclopedia: Mobile phone Industries in China. The volume of China export cellular phones in 2007 reached 483 million, and was 35.6 billion dollars’ worth. So this was an obvious evidence that China mobiles- phone Markets expansion have influenced on telecom transitional era in African. Let’s look briefly at recent telecom development in the most populous country on the continent of Africa, Nigeria. Telecom In NigeriaIn Africa, most telecom companies are state-owned. In Nigeria, there Nigerian telecommunication Company (NITEL) which said to have 230,000 subscribers to telephone lines toward the end of December 1986, putting the total installed capacity at 320,834 and telex stands at 11, 577. By then only richer families could afford telephone lines, a kind of affordability that portrayed richness .Fortunately, the technological breakthrough in which long awaited dream of inventing long lasting and fordable mobile phone battery was achieved in 1990s, an attainment that suggested to be, to the advantage of general population in African countries like Nigeria. Soon there were emergence of changes in the way people delivered their messages as majority of Africans shifted to a cellular-age. Even though the first generation SIM cards were very costly, the existing of more manufacturers and competitive markets along with fashionable sales strategy, population of mobile phones grew miraculously to convey Africans’ utterances of love, business and expressions. The impact of this development was positive as Africans were more connected to their families, friends, business associates than before. Mobiles phone are now as important as ATM card, purse, watches or cosmetics. And they have( Mobiles phones) made it possible for the existence of new communication culture in which their fun have over-whelmed the curiosity about the country of manufacturing. They were just being welcomed freely by Africans without serious taboo or technophobia. The following mobile phones such as Inter-cellar, Motorola, Nokia, L.G, Blackberry, Siemen, Alcatel, Gionee and Techno were considered the first generation to West African Communities. There were some other falls into a category of mobile phones popularly favored by elites and their families such as Sony, Sanyo, Toshiba, Panasonic, Blackberry, Thuraya and Samsung . From these category only Blackberry, Samsung and Thuraya were non-Japanese ( South Korean, Canadian and Emeriti ) And are only fordable to rich families . Does this means that Japan made mobile phone does not contribute better in the communication of new Africans communication culture considering the small rational percentage of its mobile phone ?

Japan and Globalization: Hi-Tech Innovations for Happy Humanity The glory of Japan-made products seemed to be classically unique for its hi-techs standard with tendency to remain highly favored by rich societies. Nevertheless, there are desperate needs for innovations in favor of future knowledge dissemination, messages of awareness and leisure. And the dreamed innovation must appear from futuristic Japan, despite a crazy suspicion against Japan-made technologies which said to have encouraged imbalanced in capital possession and life styles between rich and poor communities through which positive human advancements does not sprout better in order to benefit all levels of humane endeavor as a result of affordability crisis among us . Wither this saying is such a funnier criticism against Nippon of the year 2015 or not, Japan-made products of today are either lagging behind other products in developing markets for many reasons, or are inaccessible to certain class of people. Thus, we should not just keep on relating it to economic aspect as we normally does. I would like to briefly now link the Japan’s economic blinking to its foreign policies particularly on Africa, which are based on (1) Promotion of free trade (2) securing natural resources vital for the survival of her superb industries (3) Promotion of Japan developmental missions in the third world (4)Promoting/Improving the developing nation with her technologies. These policies have gave birth conferences, programs and initiative such as Tokyo International conference on African developments ( TICAD) of 1993, 1998 and 2003. And the TICAD IV, 2008. TICADs were aimed at strengthening African economic growths; Ensuring and promoting of human security, including attainment of millennium development goals (M.D.Gs); Consolidation of peace and democracy as well as awareness and guide on climate change and environmental problems. Among other Japan initiatives were Infrastructure Consortium For Africa (ICA) with a prime mission of increasing finance for sustainable infrastructures in Africa; Accelerated Co-financing scheme in Africa (ACFA); FUKUDA Initiative etc. Doubtless, Japan has secured its global potency in providing aids/assistance for international developments ; And she maintained a prime influences through developmental activities runs by agencies like Japan International Corporation agency ( JICA) which provide technical assistance and projects for capacity and institutional developments, Feasible and master planning as well as expertise and strategic counseling and guidance. Thus, in this point-of-view we can confidently claimed that Japan made products had some indomitable auxiliaries to win global markets in the future if redesigned to fit African ego

China and Globalization We are in the most competing moments of trade. It’s obvious that China has striven to rise as global exporter, and positioning herself as rival to countries like United states, Europeans Union and Japan. Factors such as economic recession, climate change as well as terrorism menace gave China a chance to accelerate in the race of the giants. Before 1960s and 80s China was totally cast away by communism system of government which theatrically inspired nationalism than freedom and democracy, which are the main pillars of practical progression and wisdom. Thus, China seemed to be lucky in taking advantages of global transition and that of new-fangled era of innovation and technological breakthroughs. Even though, the effects and impact of these transitions have reflected back negatively on world economic atmosphere. In developing world, the dimensional degree of these impacts were equally weighed between negativity and positivity. In Africa, the positive impact remains as flowing of technologies which transformed life much more friendlier and oriented. People were exposed to new inventions that maximized life huddles with such products like mobiles phones, computers, electronics devices and toys. More over foods such as Chocolates/Candies, biscuits and even popcorns from China introduced new eating psychology . Toys from China became the simplest way for China to enthuse feeling for China among children of the rest world. Youths who were emotionally obsessed with western life style through dream-like blockbuster and romantic films, turned to the China’s cheaper and fashionable products to feel like European or American model. While textiles product as Garments, Fabric, cotton and wool products are one type of China population spreading over other world regions. This is not only because China-made products are cheap but also because are priced affordably and compatible to the African Pop culture and even weather.China products are in almost every everywhere around the globe, indirectly portrayed her economic maturity.While United States, European Union and Japan concentrate primary in building costly space laboratories, huge civil and mechanic machines, magic military hardwires, supersonic Jets, luxurious automobiles, China manufacturing economy/trade focused on exportation of vital items to developing world. Pressure as well as impact of the need of our populous world have helped China to grasped a potential opportunities of creating new markets across the world, a part of the existing ones mainly dominated by Japan, west Europe and America. The China as the second largest economy behind the United States, with gross domestic product ( GPD) double digital zero over the last three and half decade ( Investopedia –China’s Economic Indicators, Impact on Markets by Windy Connett). Despite emergence of “ the mystery meat of the emerging-market countries” as Bill gross once called China, Japan was still potent enough to retrieve her glorious fame by taking advantages of China’s fault of greenness ( to remain irresistible ) . While a projection indicated a bright future for Japan economy for next two decades to come, with GPD per capital will be twice or higher. Other considerable factors for Japan of the future to flush out China’s markets dominance is that : The possible loss of confidence and emergence of boredom with China-made products across the world due to the following factors.

Corruption : There were volumes of corruptions and money launderings involving Chinese companies or business men as reported ( Leadership, Jan. 12 2015) “Eight official of two Abuja-based Chinese firms, Sunju Sunny Nigeria Ltd and China Railway Engineering Nigeria Ltd have used the name of Nigerian first lady Dame Patience Jonathan, state governors and commissioners to lauder millions of dollars under the guise of bribing them to execute projects in Nigeria” While importation of electric generators to Nigeria is expected to grow up to 950.7 million dollars (Vanguard, Thursday, 13 August 2015) There a lot of suspicion that some Chines Companies and business men were involved in the long and frustrating shortage of electric power by bribing some Nigeria’s officials for a deliberate delay in the restoration of sufficient electricity energy in favor of China-made generators’ sales. This is highly related issue to the future of China fame, which is diminishing by out-put of its inequality goods and corruption involving Nigerian official and Chinese business men “Cheap knock-off is a sort of things in China” There a lot of concern regarding the future of world innovations and technologies which are extremely challenged by cancerous piracy and infringements, with China on the top list known country where imitation and piracy based. “Cheap knock-off is a sort of things in China. They call it Shanzhai-“ ( Forbes : In China, Why piracy is Here to stay , 23 July 2012). How did Piracy confided with rapid economic growth of China? It’s ridiculous as the answer might be mysterious. Reports have indicated that, courts in China are not as serious as they should be to protect individual innovation. Therefore, the caretaker of intellectual property is becoming non-recognized value. Despite the fact that Intellectual property rights (IPRs) have been on existence since 1979 along with back-up of international conventions on protection of IPRs in which China signed, and become member of the world intellectual property organization. China also acceded to the Paris convention for the protection of Industrial property in November 1984. The decency of some China product are not as authentic as those from other super powers. Mass production of Pirated versions of software and imitated products speed up unorganized entrepreneurship which spread the whole world with less-quality products. Today in Africa, a word China has two interpretations. The first one refers to a large country, powerfully famous for its civilization and as economic play maker in the globe. The second seemed much like an E-age mock for products of less quality even if are fashionably designed. Such products served fairly as they are the cheap, accessible and affordable than other items from Japan, United States or European Union. Most of business people in the West African cities like Kano, the largest Sudanic city, who used to travel to Saudi Arabia or Dubai to import goods in 1980s and 1990s have changed their route to China’s Cities. With only seven to ten thousand dollars’ worth capital one can travel to Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou or Macau to purchase textiles products, electronics and Junks whose quality was reduced down to what quality means to a product user. So China is somehow open and easier to reach than United States, Europe or Japan whose laws, rules and regulation on visa and traveling (For International business transection) are highly strict, with the most valued monetary but difficult for intermediate business men to afford a costly foreign rate exchange. Environmental Issue : A part of quality product issue, China does not consider minimizing environmental problems which is worsening as a result of fashionable but un-qualitative rough products that ends up as mountain of electronic and mechanical waste. China-made electrical generators took opportunity of electricity scarcity to generate power and then emitted million tons of carbon monoxide to atmosphere, as most noted causes of lungs diseases. A part of sound pollution that become part of natural ambient in both urban and rural Africa by China made motor cycles which also contributed immensely to the air pollution in most urban areas. Certainly, the commercial motorcycle which begins in late 1980s as a result of economic downturn and joblessness ( Premium Times, April 2014) have helped to ease transport hardship in both rural and cities were comman taxi and buses could reach. But they were at top list on road accidents and casualties. For example, in the West African city of Kano, an average of 40 to 70 accident was said to be recorded each day involving mass commercial motorcycle riders in just Kano metropolitan. A according to Sunday Vanguard newspaper of August, 07 2005, about 90 per cent of road accident victims taken to both public and private hospital in Kano were either passengers or riders of the China made motorcycles Jincheng model whose number reached 8 million, according to the association president( Premium Times, April 11 2014).The worst negative part of these machine ever was the opportunity taken by Boko haram of its accessibility and launched an attacking innocent civilians. An attack on Amir of Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero by group of armed motorcycle riders on Saturday 19, January 2013 in which the Amir narrowly escaped death was most unforgettably worst E-age moment in the thousand years old history of Kano city, in which China-made transportation vehicles were clearly used in the assault. As economic friend what kind of concern do future China has for better management of African resources compatible to future dreams?

Japan as Important Partner in Globalization.As most powerful country on the planet earth, United states would definitely proceed even greedily to secure legacy and glory of democratic, around the globe. Indeed, she has the most potential resources to dealt with a cumbersome terror menace with her superb military and diplomatic power , at least to eliminate the most eyesore chapter in the dramatic human history. Even though, it’s all-man war, humanity is on the frontline being faced by a nightmare, the Al-Qaeda, the ghoulish ISIL and the Savage Boko Haram as well as cyber terrorists, costing which cost United States billions of dollars on the winning process . In addition, being her influential economy is the most capable of all nations to lead the world, the United State might have herself puzzled with busy concentration in the world multiple affairs that she engaged her power. Japan, could manage her support in the counter-terror war and then re-show-up in the exhausting American moments. While China habitual human rights abuse remained a subject of concern. The Japan radiant future of less antagonists set to re-emerge in the internationally inspiring nation of the future, with technologies-humanity.Ebola : African Pain and Globalized Cure As it has happened in Ebola epidemic response, United States and European union had a better use of their humanitarian interests in research, percussions, prevention as well as medical aids to the effected regions. Japan responded quickly and excellent, as prime minister Shinzo Abe announced an additional assistance of 40 million dollars to fight Ebola virus disease in United nation higher level meeting on the response to Ebola virus disease out-break ( Sept. 2014); This is an extra support in line with Japan’s concept ” human security” which was a mission set aside for capital and technical assistance on health improvement and epidemic control that comprised provision of medicines, training and guidance to third world countries especially at the time of emergency need. In this regard Japan has enriched her fame to the best of her foreign policies as well as humanitarian interests. But there was some doubt if loud-mouthed and pleasing media houses of Western Europe and United States haven’t dominate the international impression in the issue, putting their expertise/ assistance as top as lasting and best of all other nations. This is to do with uncertainty about if Japan has done it best through media power, to grasping her interest like the way other media houses like V.O.A, BBC, RFI, Deutsche welle Radio and China International does, in order to pleasantly appeal and win world impression. Japan’s excellent media has capability to generate International impression for her indomitable roles in the world but on a another way round, the inter-relationship in contents and missions have put American media and that of European union’s somehow as similar as their style of attracting audiences that could easily beat Japan’s media style of interest campaigning. So, Japan melodies among other super power has a tendency to be distortedly muted in other counterparts. To win the futuristic voice of the globe, Japan should invest more on world tuneful media competition. This would empower her superb spirit to a maximum liveliness and enrich glorious Japanese as well as keeping her sounding much more louder in the new world economy/trade/culture. There is strong need to have new media age for Africa as a medium to touching dreamy consumers of her future products with awareness and catchy persuasion about Japan of tomorrow. Thus, Japan Broadcasting Corporation (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) now. N.H. K should consider additional and extra inspirational messages by offering more foreign languages to the present 18. Along with programs that would magnetize universal invitation and new acceptance, of which the target audiences should specifically concern youths and their accented dreams. Therefore there should be adjustment on N.H.K’s goals and missions that could make young visions more clearer, strengthened, attainable and compatible to the future socio-economy and technological developments of the future. Despite economic and social problems facing the youths in developing countries today, there was an extra vogue impact of globalization resulting on emergence of more exciting dreams among youths regarding economic, social, cultural and entertaining activities, in connection with globalization. In developing Africa, most items aimed for use as necessity and vital are seen as luxury. In some societies, rich father or mother would express his/her happiness and joy to a family member ( in an occasional events of life achievement, like school graduation or birth day anniversary) by prizing an expensive mobile phone or fashionably luxurious car. In Nigeria a well-to-do family would possess at least from five to ten cars, which usually cater for children school transport, house servicing errands and tours. Electronics are being swapped almost every six to twelve months. Although these uncared-for behaviors might have been within minority but rich elites, such psychological behavior is on transition. How rich and decent culture of Japan marry and sharpen the future visions of the youths?

For Japan to benefit from economic growth of the developing countries, perhaps it need to re-structure its fundamental economic focus on costly, high- tech technologies and services, and engage in low cost technologies and services. Japan should set to establish new and vibrant concern to international communities through exciting touches at community grassroots. There should be extra initiatives and programs with dream name like Japan for International Inspiration or Admirers for the Japan innovation, that could provide technical assistance to youths especially these engaged in technical repairing of electronics without formal guidance of certificate. As millions more different kind of machines/devices( Cars, televisions, computers, mobile phones etc are imported to developing world, but majority of aftermath technical faults are fixed or mended by number of untrained youths who gained experiences through learning by watching. Japan could inspire these population of gifted youths with supports in order to be technical and psychological Japanese.Ibrahim B. Lawan