March 25, 2011 Issue No. 51

Osaka Renaissance News

Special Notes: • Message from Paul Dupuis • Why Umechika Navi?

Umechika Navi: How the System Works ………. ……......3 Panoramic View …………………..4 Umechika Navi: Visual Aid…..... ...…….5 Survey Says?……..…..5

Finding the Way This issue of the Osaka Renaissance News comes to you at a mournful time in Japan. The recent earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis which ensued have reminded many of us here in Kansai of the challenges faced during the aftermath of the 1995 Hanshin Dai-Shinsai earthquake. As things begin to stabilize, our friends in the Tohoku and Kanto regions will need much support from the rest of the country. On behalf of the FBNC, I strongly encourage our readers to contribute to the relief and recovery efforts as

navigate their way around this dynamic city. Umechika Navi was launched in August of 2010, and has been under development as a useful, reliable tool in areas where GPS is not available. The system has received mixed reviews, but it is clear there is an urgent need for it. As the UMEKITA project gets into full swing, underground connectivity, especially in the Umeda and JR Osaka Station area, will be essential in helping people get to and from their destinations without the fear of getting totally lost.

much as possible. Thank you. It is often said that Osaka has so much to offer, and yet for many visitors these sights and sounds are hard to find. Osaka has a massive underground maze of shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities, but even for a long-time resident it is easy to lose one’s way when down below. In this issue of the newsletter, you will get a closer look at an innovative system called Umechika Navi. The goal of this new system is to improve the ability of visitors and residents to

Paul Dupuis,

Adviser to Osaka City and FBNC Chair

[email protected]

Umechika Navi: Innovating from the Ground Up The dream of any smart technologist is to find a problem that needs solving and undertake the challenging work of finding a solution to it. Sounds easy, right? If the problem in question turns out to be the kind that affects many people, then all the better, no? Just such a problem has reared its head with the proliferation of underground shopping malls in Japan and elsewhere. While these malls have extended opportunities for shoppers to indulge themselves, it is certainly no fun when one spends a whole afternoon trying to figure out where one is!

The problem of not being able to find one’s way underground has become a sufficient social and technological issue to the point where a solution just had to be found, and Osaka may very well be leading the way in this quest. The Umeda shopping mall with its labyrinth of sloping pathways, staircases, and elevators, may have been the just the right challenge to trigger the quest for a way to perfectly navigate the nether worlds of shopping and entertainment.

Umechika Navi, as the solution to the underground shopping navigation problems has been dubbed, is not the product of a single mind but rather is the result of true collaboration among several bodies in Osaka, both private and public. In the following pages, find out how technology and plain common sense have been harnessed so that when we descend underground we can shop and play, eat, drink and chat without worrying about how to get out.

AUTHOR Osaka City has commissioned Paul

Osaka Renaissance News

Dupuis to author this series of

Why Umechika Navi?

newsletters. Paul Dupuis, Director of West Japan for Wall Street Associates, is a business development adviser to Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, and is a key member of the Kansai Economic Federation roundtable. Questions & suggestions about these articles can be directed to him at: paul.dupuis@ wallstreetjapan.com

Umechika Navi coverage area: underground and ground level

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Underground shopping malls have become ubiquitous. But some of these shopping plazas have gained a reputation for being so complex that once a person enters, it just might take all day to figure out how to get out! The end result is wasted time – time that could have been used to shop or appraise the wide range of products and services available. Going to a shopping mall ought to be a pleasant experience, not a test of patience and navigation skills. Thankfully, help is at hand to make navigation in Osaka’s foremost underground shopping mall in Umeda a breeze. The Umechika Navi system, launched on August 6, 2010, is aimed at providing barrier-free navigation, which is a clear benefit in the underground environment where Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems are not able to provide the kind of navigational assistance many of us have come to rely upon. The wide range of organizations—business and non-business oriented— that were behind Umechika Navi, can be a model for the solution of other problems in Osaka and beyond. Among these are the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, along with the Osaka Chikagai Map Study Association K.K., Osaka Underground Shopping Mall Corporation, Osaka Urban Engineering Centre, Pasco Corporation, and others. In many Japanese cities, and indeed in other parts of the world, the underground shopping mall has very much become a part of daily life, one that offers protection from the elements in times of bad weather, offers places for meeting friends, or is a haven for indulging one’s fancies and fantasies in the world of consumer products and services. Sometimes, underground shopping centres connect people to transportation networks, thus saving time normally wasted squeezing through crowds, crossing streets, and waiting for red lights. The arrival of the Umechika Navi, which may eventually find use in other underground shopping malls, is a welcome development for those who dread having to walk around with that glazed look of ―lost‖ in their eyes as well as for those who may be in a wheelchair and need to know where the barrier free routes are within the mall.

Hankyu Umeda Station. JR Osaka Station

Area of network coverage underground Higashi-Umeda Station

JR Kitashinchi Sation

Area of network coverage at ground level

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Osaka Renaissance News UMECHIKA NAVI: How the System Works

Osaka City

Yoshio Bono, Manager for International Promotion, Office of the Mayor Tel: (06) 6208-7276 Fax: (06) 6227-9871 E-Mail: [email protected]

We’re on the Web! See us at: http://www.investosaka.jp/en /index.php

Starting Point: Mobile Phone or Personal Computer While above ground, one can use GPS systems in most mobile phones and automobiles to find one’s way through uncharted territory. The same, however, cannot be applied to the world of underground shopping malls. However, the recently unveiled Umechika Navi ( http://www.umechikanavi.jp/pc/index.asp) makes it possible for anyone with access to a personal computer or mobile phone to make it to a target destination in the Umeda Underground Shopping Plaza with a minimum stress. As with other navigation systems, Umechika Navi is a piece of software that you download onto your mobile phone. With this software, your mobile phone can be your guide, displaying a pointer at the upper part of the mobile phone screen to indicate the direction in which you are traveling. This appears within the map of the shopping center, which makes it easy for you to figure out if you are moving in the right direction. It must be noted that in a regular navigation system, the top part of the screen points northward, but with Umechika Navi you see the direction in which you are going instead. Essentially, the navigation system provides guidance on not only how to find shops and restroom facilities within the mall, but also the shortest route to the destination, thus saving the would-be shopper precious time. The new system also includes a guide on how best to connect to public transportation services from wherever one might be within the mall. The Seal and Kokodoko (ここどこ? Where am I?) Number Once underground, if a user wants to know where he or she is, it is important to look for a special seal. These are posted in about 200 places throughout the underground mall. By pointing one’s mobile phone towards a bar code on the seal, it is possible to get information on one’s current location within the mall. Alternatively, one may enter the kokodoko number written at the top right hand side of the seal into a designated section of the Umechika Navi display and receive the relevant information. It is possible to scroll through the Umechika Navi map while walking around. Also, pictures of main intersections appear on both ends of the map route, making it easier to identify key locations on the itinerary. The search function in the system ensures that with a target destination it is possible to tap into the intelligence of the system and allow one to be guided blissfully towards one’s destination. The existence of several different levels in an underground shopping mall adds considerably to the angst of commuters and shoppers, especially those with physical disabilities who may require the use of a wheelchair. Wheelchairs and Baby Strollers Umechika Navi has been designed to take into consideration the needs of wheelchair users and those with baby strollers. Such customers can obtain directions to the nearest elevators and ramps, allowing them to bypass staircases and other barriers which inhibit smooth navigation.

Page 4 of 7 Umechika Navi: How the System Works (Cont’d)

Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life.

- Dr. Wayne Dyer, American motivational speaker

Real life images At either end of the route on which you are traveling there are pictures that show real life images of what you are most likely to see at key intersections. This is no doubt very helpful to those for whom a map does not provide a sufficient sense of realism. Yet, in order to enjoy the benefit of the real-image function one must download a special application, which fortunately is completely free. However, mobile packet charges do apply. It is also possible for the user to transfer the results obtained from a personal computer, a target destination or a picture of the area for example, onto a mobile phone. Luckily, one can share such files with others, so if you are meeting someone who is not familiar with the area in which you will meet, a reliable image will be very helpful indeed. Since the implementation of the system, it has been established that users have found it very useful and are better able to connect smoothly from inside the mall to their desired destinations outside the Umeda area. At least now, moving around the underground mall has become less irksome, and tourists no longer need to live in anticipated fear of getting lost in the subterranean regions of Osaka City!

Panoramic View One of the most interesting elements about Umechika Navi is its panoramic view function. This includes pictures covering as much as 6.5 kilometers of the underground shopping mall at 5 meter intervals, encompassing 1079 locations.

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour. - Japanese proverb The panoramic view, accessed from a personal computer, can easily be transferred to a mobile phone, thus allowing pictures of one’s destination to be on hand while on the go.

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Osaka Renaissance News

Umechika Navi: Service providing information on walking and wheel-chair friendly routes from departure point to destination above and below ground in Osaka’s Umeda area Point of Departure

Umechika Navi Departure point

Target Destination

Under ground

Obtain location using kokodoko number or number on staircases

Go to nearest station exit

How to go from D-49 (e.g.) to destination

Umechika Navi: PC or mobile phone

Ground Level

Confirm location using GPS and facility name

Wheelchairs Underground

View walking and wheelchair route from departure point to destination

Ticket gates of JR, Hankyu, Hanshin, and major facilities around Umeda

Check out the Umechika Navi website: http://www.umechikanavi.jp/pc/index.asp

Umechika Navi: Survey Says? Superb response! In August and September alone 18,000 people accessed the Umechika Navi site; in October, there were 29,000. From August 6 through December 31, 2010 there were a total of 150,000 page views. This remarkably high level of access to the website can be credited in part to the positive media coverage that the system has received from such outlets as Osaka Mainichi Shinbun, Asahi Evening News, Nihon Keizai Shinbun, and Osaka Nichinichi Shinbun. It seems for now the numbers have stabilized around 130-140,000 accesses per month, which considerably exceeds the forecasted 6,000 per month made by a consulting company. Currently, an incredible 850,000 views is anticipated this year. A survey carried out around the time of the kick off received 167 responses. Of these, more than 50% mentioned the service was 1) very convenient; 2) very convenient in terms of barrier free routes; 3) useful in accessing restroom facilities; and made it 4) easy to reach one’s target.

Page 6 of 7 Umechika Navi: Survey Says?

...cont’d

Too complicated? On the other hand, some users indicated the system’s operation method was too complicated and the structure of the map was not clear. Still, numerous people expressed the hope that the system would be continued and any problems associated with it will be fixed in due course. Special needs of wheelchair users Some wheelchair respondents have expressed displeasure at having to seek assistance from security officers every time they want to use an elevator. Also, the system focuses on showing the shortest way, but for someone in a wheelchair a shortcut may not necessarily be helpful. There were suggestions that it is not right to provide the same information to manual and electric wheelchair users as the needs of each differs greatly. What a wheelchair user might really need is to know where to find connecting ramps and elevators, which may not be close by but may simply better meet the needs of the individual concerned.

Foreign Business Spotlight: Douglas Schafer, President, Toyo Beverage K.K. Tell us a little about your background. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA), and have been in Kansai for 19 years now. Although I have a continued love for my hometown teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins, I consider Kansai my home as well. Thankfully, we have the Hanshin Tigers, whose fans remind me of those of my own teams. My introduction to Japan came in the 1970s via the hollowing out of the US Steel industry in the face of Japanese competition. My hometown of Pittsburgh was hit especially hard. However, this piqued my interest in Japan from an economic perspective. In college I majored in Economic Theory and International Relations. This obviously meant I had a lot to study about Japan as it rose to major power status in the 1980s. I never thought I would come to Japan, but after my brother returned from a long round-the-world trip, he suggested I look into visiting or working here. He had had an amazing time while visiting and his stories during the bubble years piqued my interest enough to apply for the JET program. This was in 1990 when the JET program was still in its infancy.

Douglas Schafer

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Osaka Renaissance News

Foreign Business Spotlight: Douglas Schafer …cont’d Like many foreigners living here, it is JET program that got me to Japan. I was living in Kyoto and came to Osaka one day for a visit. Instantly, I knew Osaka was the place for me. The energy and vibrancy of the place caught my imagination. After a shorter-thanexpected stay, I returned to Washington DC, but was determined to come back to Japan one day. And one year later, I did. I went to work for Toyo Shokuhin, K.K., an operator of vending machines and food distribution company owned by my father-in-law to be. Toyo Shokuhin distributes for companies like Suntory, Asahi, Kirin, Coca Cola, and others. After a short time there, I felt I needed to start my own business. I founded Toyo Beverage, K.K., an import, distribution and marketing company dealing in branded food products. We also operate Kansai's premier cafe, Shakers Cafe Lounge, in two locations: Herbis Ent and Nanba City. After having built Toyo Beverage into a successful company, I took over Toyo Shokuhin, K.K. where I also serve as president. As far as I know, I am the only foreigner to take over an established family enterprise in Japan. I also serve as Vice Chairman of the Panasonic Employee Services Supplier Group. Toyo Beverage, K.K. has over 50 employees, offices in Tokyo, as well as a distribution center in Habikino City (Osaka Prefecture). Toyo Shokuhin has around 80 employees with offices and warehouses in Osaka, Mie, and Hiroshima. Both companies operate in very different areas of the food industry supply chain, but between them we serve some of the biggest names in Japan—Panasonic, Sharp, Sanyo, Godiva, Itochu, Four Seeds, UCC, Nippon Access, and Ryoshoku for example. What’s your vision for the future of your organization in Kansai and in general? Kansai is our base, and being a Japanese organization that is owned and operated by a foreign national means we have slightly different priorities than the multinationals based here. For our vending business, we have been looking into ways of consolidating our presence in Kansai rather than expand into other parts of Japan. Our growth depends on Kansai's growth, and with the large number of machines already here, the market is filled with many unprofitable operators. It is our hope that we can take over these businesses.

What makes Osaka attractive as a place to do business and Kansai as a place to live? I am entrepreneur at heart, which means I do not like to be told no or that something is impossible to do. The people of Osaka are much more in tune with taking risks and saying, ―Yes, let's do it!‖ Many Osaka residents are outgoing. As a matter of fact, I find Osaka to be the most colorful and upbeat place in Japan. It is just a lot of fun here. Compared to Tokyo or Nagoya, the layout of the city and prefecture are rather compact and nothing is far away. It makes anything from dining to historical sites, music and art to outdoor activities easy to enjoy. It’s perfect for families and especially for expatriates (expats) living here for a short period of time. Expats can get a real flavor of Japan living here which they cannot get in other parts of the country, especially in Tokyo. This also means your employees do not have the 90-minute commute so they are less tired, and I believe, happier. Kansai is simply the gateway to Japanese culture. What weaknesses do you see for the Osaka/Kansai business area in regard to foreign investment? Osaka has few weaknesses other than they do not seem to get their message out on what a great place it is to set up a business. Tokyo, as the capital city, is the natural choice for companies to look at first. However, Osaka has much more to offer, I believe. If I had to highlight one issue though, it would be the air links to the USA. There are a number of direct flights to Europe and Asia, but there are just too few flights going to North America. What advice would you offer to Osaka City as it works to bring Osaka on to the global business stage? The city needs to promote itself better in concert with the surrounding communities. I wish there was more sense of community and shared interest among the local governments here. Any business that heads to Kansai is good for Osaka even if it is headquartered in Kobe or Kyoto. The more foreign direct investment (FDI) and the more foreign companies head to Kansai, the better it will be for us all.

Since 2003, The City of Osaka has been seeking to attract individuals, businesses, and educational institutions that can contribute to the dynamism, creativity, and vibrancy of the Osaka area. Contact us with feedback and suggestions at: [email protected]