Magic Out Of Okayama

The third of the Laws of the late great science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke states:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Bet old Arthur would have loved to have seen this.

A bit of magic out of Okayama to keep in mind when one is exhausted by the demographic and debt trend lines or when the televised form of State Minister Inada Tomomi presiding over yet another bogus innovation or Cool Japan forum sends one searching for a shoe to throw.

In Business - Cars And Cancer Insurance

Two recent offerings worth a look:

- Dr. Mike Smitka putting a torch to the idea that Japan will be playing to its strengths if Japanese companies push forward in developing innovative hybrid and electric car technologies (taking a swipe along the way at the larger fallacy of engineers, bureaucrats and lobbyists being able to identify and nurture technogies with real potential economic impact). (Link)

- Why behind closed doors discussions about liberalization of Japan's insurance markets bog down in fighting about what to do about a single company and its almost worthless (for the consumer -- it a gold mine for the company) product. It's about money and fear -- lots and lots of both. (Link)