Best & Worst of the Japanese Decade

A look back at the last decade in Japan, the land where sake flows like a never-ending river. Japan. 24/12/2009. (Images taken between 09/2009-12/2009)

In Japan, the land where sake flows like a never-ending river and lubricates both awkward social interaction between men and women as well as cements business transactions amongst a bevy of black-suits, it's easy to think of the past, present and the future in terms of drinking. There is the sobering post-war period of infrastructure and economic rebuilding called the 日本の一番長い日 (Japan's Longest Day). Then came the exuberant 80s, which were the time of overflowing Cristal pyramids and buying and selling the world's treasures like so much Bolivian blow in the bathroom, known as the のんべい時代 (Drunken Days). The current sobering 15+ year recession can be termed 二日酔い (The Hangover). Clouded by our splitting headache and blurred vision, it's difficult to see what the future may hold without a bit of help, a time I like to refer to as 向かい酒 (The Hair of the Dog). As of January 1st, sure it's technically 2010, but is it the same 2010 that Arthur C. Clarke foreshadowed in his science fiction classic 2010: Odyssey Two? Even close? Wasn't Japan supposed to save the world with a super robot by now? Are they suspense freaks or just waiting till we buy more Toyotas? What's the deal? For those of you Nippon-o-philes who have never set foot in Japan, and have only heard of Moe but not yet experienced it in all its sticky Akihabara glory, let me guide you through the last inebriated whirlwind decade of technological development, the current Delirium Tremens economic shakedown, as well as what the future and sociological implications of living side by side with high functioning alcoholics on an archipelago of more than 2000 islands made up of both the first and third world could look like for a population set to decrease by roughly 30,000,000 by the year 2050.

We all know Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru reign supreme in the automotive universe while Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Fujitsu, Sharp, Epson and Toshiba are developing some of the most advanced technologies in electronics, optics, robotics, semiconductors and more, so what’s next? Despite Japan being 16 hours in the future of Tomorrow (L.A. PST) as well as the supposed technological Mecca of the world, what the day after tomorrow brings will be an evening of the interactive 4D playing field across the international dateline.

What Japan does well:

* Digital Cameras (Do they even make that other kind anymore?)
* Mobile phones (How much does the iPhone cost in your country?)
* Flat panel TVs
* Video Games
* Cars
* Bullet Trains
* Robotics

What Japan does not do well:

* Web Design / Usage
* Hands free connectivity
* Debit cards
* Wi-Fi
* Recycling (Over 10,000,000 pairs of disposable chopsticks used daily)

Read the rest of the article here: http://hesomagazine.com/feature/recovering-from-the-hangover-best-worst-of-the-japanese-decade/