2013"First Group Work" Activity Report for the Science and EngineeringDojo

The lecturer spoke about the energy problem as a global issue by covering topics such as the transition of primary energy, the transition of the breakdown of electrical energy, demand response, electricity liberalization, and renewable energy. Based on this, students were given homework, which was to think about the best energy mix for Japan in 30 years time from the three perspectives of technology, economics and the environment.

Three groups gave presentations, with each group corresponding to the three perspectives in the previous session’s homework, and a questions session and debate were held. This significantly clarified the whole picture of Japan’s energy problem. However, it also exposed the difficulty of making developments in response to discussions with a global, long-term perspective that encompasses all energies. While there are expectations towards the possibility of realizing new energy sources, these also have various uncertainties, and the difficulty of reaching a national agreement in Japan’s long-term energy was confirmed.

Based on his experience for many years as an ODA consultant, principally in Cambodia, the lecturer spoke about the difficulty of providing support to developing countries (for instance there is no concept of predicting the future), the large influence of the European countries’ past colony policies, the meaning of providing support and how to provide support, the problems with Japan’s ODA (the application processes are slow, etc.), and other issues. Following this, there was a debate on topics such as what a global leader is, and the meaning of the gender problem.

Mr. Matsumoto, who spoke to the students during their educational visit to California in February, was invited to speak about the recent situation in Silicon Valley, using the opportunity of his business trip to Japan. In particular, he spoke about the situations that are unfolding with the interaction of various talents, ideas, funds and cultures, such as disruptive technological innovations and business expansions, using specific examples. He also spoke about how Japanese businesses should expand enthusiastically in Silicon Valley.

Firstly, from his experience as the UNIDO Head Statistician/UN Consultant, the lecturer spoke about the differences in the ways that Japanese and European people debate, and the importance of points such as saying the subject of the sentence clearly, speaking in the active voice, talking about the basis of the argument concisely in a list, speaking directly and clearly, and answering questions clearly with a “Yes” or “No.” Next, he spoke about the importance of discussions that are founded upon statistical information and objective information, and precautions that need to be taken when taking part in such a discussion. He also spoke about international cooperation/collaboration and global sensitivity, the problem of developing countries, and Japan’s ODA problems. After this, as task for the next session, the lecturer gave an explanation on the specific method of “positive analysis by country for macro development policy proposals.” Two groups were formed, with Malaysia and the Philippines as their respective subjects, and it was decided that both groups create policy proposals based, on the UNIDO’s statistical data, to present.

Firstly, the group with Malaysia as the subject presented on themes such as, based on the analysis of a variety of data, the overview of the country Malaysia, its economic position in Asia (its GDP has grown more or less steadily for over 20 years, GDP per person has almost reached ten thousand dollars, and it can already be called a semi-developed country) , and its future industrial policies (It is transferring its focus from machinery to the information communications industry, it is increasing its trade with the Arab regions, it is increasing its research and development investments, and it is expected that it will put more emphasis on receiving tourists). Next, the group with the Philippines as the subject presented on the Philippines’ economic position (in particular its comparison with Indonesia and Japan) and proposals for its future policies as a country (the provision of internet infrastructure, the adequate provision of secondary education - particularly the provision of education programs to develop personnel in research and development, the need to create employment opportunities for young people, and the adequate provision of nursery education). Finally a general discussion was held on the two groups’ presentations and students learned about the importance of the presence of a leader in a developing country, and the importance of policy proposal based on solid data analysis.

Students learned about topics including contracts within the business society. As specific examples, they studied what to write in confidentiality contracts, the laws of individual autonomy, compulsory provision, discretionary provision, the basics of intellectual property (types of intellectual property, the protection of inventions, the protection of authored work, the protection of designs, the protection of screens, and other matters), the structure of patent application documents and how to read them (the coverage of patent requests, the role of statements/designs/summaries, the publication of unexamined patent applications and the publication of applications, searching patent literature, the analysis of the scope of patent requests, and how rights are defined).

Students read the example publication of patent application, with a focus on its substance, which was set as homework last time, discussed the task of separating the claims by element, and learned about how to write patents. Students continued to learn about the following subjects; The coverage of patent rights (types of infringement: literal infringement, infringement under the doctrine of equivalents, contributory infringement, and the scope of rights of the aforementioned publication of patent applications), Trademark rights (logos and products, roles, the image of trademark rights) and, Treaties (Paris treaty, National Treatment, Laws of patent independence, priority) How to protect inventions (patent laws, anti-competition laws, copyright laws).