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Japan Forward
25-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Mieko Nakabayashi on 'Managing Risk, Not Fearing It'
このページを 日本語 で読む Japan faces population decline, labor shortages, geopolitical volatility, and climate threats. Political scientist and former Diet member Mieko Nakabayashi says it's time to rethink how the country approaches risk — and embrace it as a force for growth, not just a danger to avoid. She recently supervised the publication of Risk-Smart: Crisis Management as a Career Strategy ( 危機管理の基礎と実践―リスク管理は最強のキャリア術 , Sanwa, 2025, in Japanese) , a multi-author volume exploring how Japan can better navigate uncertainty across politics, business, and society. The book brings together experts from diverse fields and encourages a mindset shift: from avoiding risk to managing it strategically. In an exclusive interview with JAPAN Forward, the Waseda University professor expands on the book's themes, offering practical insights into the country's labor challenges, security vulnerabilities, climate risks, and the cultural shift needed to face them. In conversation with Mieko Nakabayashi (©JAPAN Forward) "Japan is heading into an era of even steeper population decline," Nakabayashi warns. "With more elderly people and fewer young workers, we'll have to rethink who works — and how." This includes breaking from the traditional model that assumed women would stay at home. "We can't sustain the current standard of living unless women are fully part of the workforce," she explains. "And we'll also need to rely more on skilled foreign workers." Nakabayashi also calls for fundamental changes in corporate hiring and compensation. Japan's seniority-based, new graduate recruitment system must give way to a merit-based, skills-oriented approach. "The idea that everyone is treated equally after joining a company is outdated," she adds. "People need to keep upgrading their skills and be open to changing jobs if necessary." Changes in the United States, particularly leadership transitions that alter trade or security policy, are also a major external risk that Japan must prepare for. "The US is not just our biggest trading partner. It's our most important security ally. We rely on it for deterrence," she says. US President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters aboard Air Force One on February 9. (©AP via Kyodo News) Given Japan's position, surrounded by authoritarian powers like China, Russia, and North Korea, a sudden change in US posture could have profound consequences. "We can't avoid these risks," she states. "Instead, Japan needs to diversify its security and trade relationships, take more initiative, and prepare for a world where the US may not always take the lead." Rising rice prices and aging farmers have exposed another overlooked vulnerability: Japan's food supply. "We're seeing rice shortages now, and part of the reason may be flawed policies that restricted production," Nakabayashi says. With the average age of Japanese farmers nearing 70, she argues that simply aiming for food self-sufficiency is no longer realistic. Instead, Japan needs to "diversify its import sources" and avoid overreliance on any one country, including the US. "Of course, ideally we'd be self-sufficient," she adds. "But unless we reform how agriculture is managed — perhaps by consolidating farmland under corporations — that won't happen anytime soon." Stockpiled rice is transported out of a storage warehouse. March 2025, Saitama Prefecture. Nakabayashi points to climate change as another dimension of national security that already affects Japanese lives. "It's only May and we're already seeing people hospitalized for heatstroke," she says. "The summer will be worse." Rather than follow political cues from Washington, she believes Japan should lead by example. "We should work with developing countries and share our technology, especially with those likely to emit more CO2 in the future," she says. "Our responsibility is to prevent things from getting even worse." Crystal Sound, Antarctic Peninsula, a region experiencing the direct impacts of climate change. Turning to domestic threats, the Waseda professor highlights the rise of misinformation, especially among Japan's aging population. "Unlike in Finland or other Nordic countries, we don't teach people how to spot fake news," she explains. "And it's older people who are especially vulnerable. They'll watch one video after another without knowing who made them or whether the claims are true." She calls for broad-based education on media literacy, not just in schools, but through community programs and adult learning. "We need to give people the tools to question what they see. That's how we preserve freedom of speech without allowing disinformation to run wild." These themes, from economic and demographic risk to international strategy and climate, are at the heart of Risk-Smart . The book is structured in three parts. Historical approaches to risk in Japan are the focus of the first. In the second, academic perspectives and theory are laid out. And the third presents practical risk management solutions, drawing on essays from consultants, executives, and subject-matter experts. "I wanted to provide a 360-degree view — practical, historical, and strategic," she says. "The response has been especially strong from professionals — CEOs, risk consultants, leaders in both the private and public sectors," she notes. "But I want young people to read it too. Japan's future depends on their ability to adapt." Asked about Japan's so-called "zero-risk culture," Nakabayashi doesn't mince words: "Avoiding risk entirely is no longer possible." She emphasizes that risk isn't inherently bad. It's often a doorway to opportunity. "What we need now is a shift in mindset. Instead of asking how to eliminate risk, we should ask how to manage it, and sometimes even turn it into a chance for innovation." Her hope is that readers, especially the next generation, will come away with a new way of thinking: that risk is not something to be feared or ignored, but understood, anticipated, and used creatively. "Change is coming," Nakabayashi concludes. "And Japan can't afford to keep looking for perfect safety. We need to face the world as it is — complex, unstable, full of challenges — and prepare ourselves not to avoid risk, but to navigate it." Author: Daniel Manning このページを 日本語 で読む
Tom's Guide
14-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
This is the most customizable PS5 and PC arcade stick I've tested — and I can't get enough
The Hori Fighting Stick Alpha ($199) is the company's flagship arcade stick and one of the easiest peripherals to customize. Though not cheap, it's one of the least expensive premium fight sticks you can buy. Thanks to its clamshell-like design, the Fighting Stick Alpha lets you access its internal components for simple customization and maintenance. This feature is a huge selling point considering how more expensive sticks force you to undo screws. You can also replace the top panel artwork with something of your own, which is another handy customization feature. Hori's Hayabusa joystick and buttons are arguably as good as the Sanwa parts you'd find in similar peripherals. They're both fast and precise, allowing you to perform complex motions without much (or any) resistance. However, if you're not a fan of these components, you're free to swap them out. Cable management is simultaneously a strength and a weakness. Though there are hooks inside the case to wrap the USB cable around, the cable grazes the smaller cables connected to the buttons, which always makes me nervous. I also wish the cable were detachable. Faults aside, the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha more than earns its stellar reputation thanks to its smart design and fantastic performance. It's certainly one of the best fight sticks out there and one that comes with my highest recommendation. Hori Fighting Stick Alpha Price $199 Compatibility PS5, PS4, PC Connectivity Wired (USB-A) Joystick Hori Hayabusa joystick Buttons Hori Hayabusa buttons Dimensions 18.9 x 6.5 x 14.37 inches Weight 3.31 pounds The Hori Fighting Stick Alpha is one of the finest arcade sticks available, thanks to its smart design, responsive parts and smooth gaming performance. The Hori Fighting Stick Alpha is a relatively large peripheral at 18.9 x 6.5 x 14.37 inches. However, thanks to its all-plastic construction, the controller only weighs 3.31 pounds. Due to that, and its conveniently placed handholds, the Fighting Stick Alpha is easy to carry around at a tournament or at home. Despite its all-plastic body, this is a sturdy controller that's virtually impossible to bend or flex. This ruggedness helps it feel like a true premium product. On the top center, you'll find buttons for PS Home, Share, Function/Profile, L3 and R3. There's also a Touchpad button and two toggles for the tournament lock and hardware switch (respectively). On the top right corner, there's a Start/Option button. All of these buttons are far enough away from the joystick and arcade buttons that you won't accidentally hit them. The rubber padding on the bottom left and right corners does an excellent job of keeping the controller in place on your lap or table. Though rubber doesn't cover the entire bottom as on other arcade sticks, the padding here is spacious enough to accommodate most people's laps. Lastly, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack on the controller's left-hand side. This is smart placement since it makes it harder for you to unexpectedly get your left hand caught in your headset's cable. That said, I'd still recommend you use one of the best gaming headsets with the Fighting Stick Alpha instead. Instead of the same Sanwa joystick and buttons found in other arcade sticks, the Fighting Stick Alpha utilizes Hori's own Hayabusa parts. This immediately helps this controller feel different from its competitors, which could be beneficial or detrimental, depending on your preference. The Hayabusa joystick feels much looser than a Sanwa JFL lever. If you're accustomed to the latter, it might take some time to adjust since Hori's joystick isn't as firm. Once you're used to it, the lever can feel great. Of course, if you prefer this type of looser joystick, you might not have to adjust at all, or might find it preferable to a Sanwa JLF stick. The controller's Noir layout, with a button layout that better conforms to the size of one's fingers and buttons placed further from the joystick, differs from the standard Vewlix layout of most arcade sticks. Though some folks prefer the standard Vewlix layout, I find Noir quite natural to use. I'm a big fan of the matte buttons since the slightly rough texture feels nice against my fingertips and provides a little bit of added grip. They also produce a satisfying snap when pressed. Besides the matte finish, I find these buttons almost identical to Sanwa buttons in terms of responsiveness and firmness. I think they're fantastic. Thanks to its sturdy build and responsive parts, I had a blast playing some of my favorite fighting games and beat 'em ups on the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha. Modern 2.5D titles like Street Fighter 6 and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves that demand a lot of complex motions are a natural fit for this controller. I had no problems dishing out super moves like Ryu's level 1 Super Arts or Tizoc's Big Fall Griffon Ignition Gear. The controller also performs well with older fighting games like Street Fighter Alpha 3, which requires tighter inputs. 3D fighting games like Tekken 8 and Virtua Fighter 5 REVO are also fantastic with this controller. The Fighting Stick Alpha is also great for side-scrolling beat 'em ups like TMNT: Shredder's Revenge and Streets of Rage 4. You'll also have a grand time playing shoot 'em ups like the classic Ikaruga thanks to the controller's smooth performance. Like the Victrix Pro FS and Qanba Obsidian 2, the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha is compatible with PS4, PS5 and the best gaming PCs. I mostly used the controller on PS5, but it worked just as well on my gaming rig. This controller isn't compatible with Xbox Series X out of the box, so you'll need a wired stick converter. The plastic top cover feels good to rest your hands on, even if they become sweaty after some heated ranked matches. This, along with the sloped front, facilitates the controller's overall excellent performance. Customization and personalization are important aspects that make using fight sticks so enjoyable. I'm happy to say the Fighting Stick Alpha handles both of these extremely well. A hatch on the back easily unlocks the controller, which you can then open like a briefcase. It takes some force to open due to the firm hinge, but you won't strain yourself in the process. You're able to open the hinge by as much as 270 degrees, though opening it 90 degrees is also fine. Either position gives you easy access to the internal components since both allow you to lay the controller flat on a table. Despite one issue I'll cover soon, the controller's interior is relatively clean and spacious, making it easier for you to work. I really appreciate the labels that show which cable colors correspond to which buttons. There's even a barcode you can scan that takes you to a site where you can view a button removal tutorial. All of this is super handy, even if you're an expert arcade stick modder. You're free to swap the controller's top plate artwork with one of your own. This process is more involved than opening the controller since you have to remove the eight buttons, the Start button and the joystick's balltop. Still, it's not an insurmountable task. Like the Hori Wireless Fighting Commander Octa Pro, you can remap the controller's buttons and create up to four profiles via the Hori Device Manager PC app. I didn't use this app since the controller's layout was ideal for me out of the box, but I appreciate that Hori allows folks to remap buttons. And in case you're wondering, you can't remap buttons on-device. The Hori Fighting Stick Alpha is certainly a top-end peripheral, but it has one glaring flaw that prevents it from being perfect. While I appreciate that you can store the Fighting Stick Alpha's cable inside the controller, doing so isn't exactly an elegant experience. It's clunky at best and mini heart attack inducing at the worst. Wrapping the cable around the two hooks inside the controller isn't difficult, but you'll need to do so slowly for two reasons. The first is that if you haphazardly wrap the cable, it could be hard to close the case. Secondly, and most importantly, is that you're always grazing the buttons' cables, no matter how carefully or slowly you wrap the USB cable. The button cables are pretty thin, so I'm always worried I might accidentally yank on them when storing the USB cable. This hasn't happened yet, but it's still a concern. If you're at a tournament and need to quickly move to another station, you're better off not storing the controller's cable, which negates having cable storage in the first place. To be sure, this is the Fighting Stick Alpha's major design flaw. The cable and cable opening are located on the back of the controller, which naturally places it close to the buttons' cables. However, the cable management problem could've been lessened or avoided with a detachable cable. And where would you store the cable once it's detached? There's a lot of room inside the controller, so the cable hooks could've been placed across and to the side of the buttons. Since this would keep the button cables safe, you'd be able to store the USB cable without much worry. I've heard many great things about the Hori Fighting Stick Alpha over the years, and I'm happy to see that the hype has been justified. Sure, I would have liked better cable management, but even that flaw doesn't take away from the phenomenal gaming experience you get. This is indeed one of the best arcade sticks I've ever tested, and one I plan to continue using for the foreseeable future. The Fighting Stick Alpha is an easy choice for anyone looking for a highly customizable premium arcade stick that won't completely break the bank. If peripherals like the Victrix Pro FS and Qanba Obsidian are too expensive or heavy for your liking, you won't go wrong with Hori's excellent Fighting Stick Alpha.
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
No Leaks, No Limits: How Sanwa Hydrotech Powers the Net-Zero Future
A Newsweek Web Interview with Kiyotaka Horiuchi, president and CEO of Sanwa Hydrotech Corporation, Japan. Sanwa Pump leak-free pumps special introduction. Credit: Courtesy of Sanwa Hydrotech. Nine Decades of Expertise: The Culmination of Engineering Excellence in Stainless Steel Magnetic Drive Pump Technology Q: Your company was founded in 1934 and now specializes in the manufacturing, sales and distribution of stainless steel magnetic drive pumps. Your products are designed for industries requiring leak-free, safe environments and are trusted across various sectors, including electronics, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and food processing. In the current global manufacturing landscape, while companies face supply chain bottlenecks and rising raw material costs, Japanese firms with unique strengths are attracting worldwide attention as cost-effective options, partly due to the weakening yen. As a recognized industry leader with numerous strengths, what business strategies are you pursuing amid these global transformations? Horiuchi: Last year, we were fortunate to celebrate our 90th anniversary. Regarding our business strategy, I'd like to explain it systematically to your readers. First, why are our products superior? Though I may sound biased, our products have exceptionally high potential value. Our seal-less pumps operate on the fundamental premise that they "absolutely must not leak"—this is a given. However, what's truly significant, though often less visible, is the remarkable excellence of Sanwa products in terms of design, materials and functionality. We've received abundant feedback from various industries noting: "Our productivity unexpectedly improved." This is where our 90 years of know-how and dedication shine through. Given our limited time, I'll focus specifically on how we've become an indispensable partner across the chemical, foods, automotive, equipment manufacturing and semiconductor industries. From a strategic perspective, as these product capabilities have steadily permeated the market and customers have recognized Sanwa's quality, our business has grown substantially. As you mentioned, the fortunate trend of a weakening yen has created favorable conditions for international trade. This represents a significant opportunity for our company. Safety and Simplicity: Chemical Industry Praises Risk Prevention and Maintenance Ease Indeed. While it's difficult to succinctly express your unique strengths, explaining them clearly as you suggest will make it easier for readers to understand. So, in the chemical industry, one of the key sectors you serve, what specific evaluations have you received regarding overcoming field challenges? In the chemical industry, compared to other sectors, there are overwhelmingly more instances of handling hazardous liquids, and fluid leakage from pumps is absolutely to be avoided. When leakage occurs, field workers can suffer chemical burns, and such accidents have been reported. With substances like nitric acid, leaks have even caused explosions. Furthermore, while labor shortages have become serious across all industries recently, the chemical industry particularly faces declining numbers of skilled workers. Therefore, ensuring equipment requires minimal maintenance and can be easily maintained by in-house staff has become extremely important. Our magnetic pumps genuinely address these field concerns with a structure that minimizes leakage risk and simplifies maintenance. The ability to handle maintenance in-house provides tremendous peace of mind for customers. And there's more—our pumps aren't just distinguished by their leak-proof design. In fact, our company's proprietary development enables them to deliver extraordinary performance. Through detailed component design, material selection and assembly precision, we're proud to offer products with unparalleled durability, reliability and operability—strengths that have emerged from decades of accumulated expertise. Safeguarding Food Quality: Industry Praise for Hygiene and Efficiency So, in the food industry, which is essential to our daily lives and continually innovating to meet diverse needs, what specific evaluations have your products and services received before and after implementation? Our pumps have received exceptionally high evaluations from customers in the food industry as well. The most significant factor is hygiene. With conventional pumps, any potential leakage can create puddles that become breeding grounds for bacteria. Our pumps' leak-proof design prevents such risks at their source. Additionally, their completely sealed structure blocks bacterial entry from external sources. This makes them extremely hygienic and reassuring, according to customer feedback. Furthermore, traditional shaft-sealed pumps require water injection at the seal during sterilization processes, necessitating additional equipment and management. With our magnetic pumps, such water injection systems become unnecessary, resulting in reduced equipment costs and simplified management procedures. Meeting these detailed needs effectively is why our pumps are the preferred choice. Kiyotaka Horiuchi, President and CEO, Sanwa Hydrotech Corporation, Japan. Credit: Courtesy of Sanwa Hydrotech. Kiyotaka Horiuchi, President and CEO, Sanwa Hydrotech Corporation, Japan. Credit: Courtesy of Sanwa Hydrotech. As we approach our centennial, we remain committed to this legacy of innovation—continually evolving our technology to meet tomorrow's challenges while maintaining the uncompromising quality and reliability that have defined Sanwa Hydrotech for nearly a century. Kiyotaka Horiuchi, president and CEO, Sanwa Hydrotech Corporation, Japan. From Parts Manufacturing to Hydrogen Fuel: Automotive Sector Success Stories In the automotive industry, a core industrial sector in Japan, your products are also highly regarded. What kind of evaluations have they received? Our pumps serve in extremely sensitive environments with demanding conditions, such as painting processes and automotive parts manufacturing facilities. For instance, quenching oil used in automotive parts heat treatment is a high-temperature, flammable liquid that poses fire hazards if leakage occurs. There have been actual cases of fires caused by leaks from conventional pumps. By switching to our leak-proof magnetic structure pumps, safety has significantly improved, and accident risks have been proactively mitigated. Our technology also plays a vital role in hydrogen stations. The pre-cooling chiller in dispensers needs to circulate and transfer extremely cold brine liquid at minus 40 degrees Celsius. Very few pumps can reliably handle such ultra-low temperature fluids, making our magnetic pumps a rare capability in the market. Additionally, their low heat input characteristic provides major benefits in circulation lines, earning exceptional trust from field operators. "Tremendous Peace of Mind": Equipment Manufacturers' Testimonials We understand your products are also highly valued in the equipment manufacturing industry, which has seen remarkable innovation and growth in recent years. What kind of evaluations have they received? We've received exceptionally high evaluations for our magnetic pumps from equipment manufacturers as well. First, since equipment must fit systems into limited spaces, minimizing footprint becomes a crucial factor. Our pumps feature a compact design that addresses these needs, making them a differentiating element for manufacturers aiming to miniaturize their equipment. Additionally, when problems such as fluid leakage occur within equipment, manufacturers must dispatch technicians to the site, incurring various costs including labor, travel expenses and time. Our magnetic pumps' completely leak-proof structure significantly reduces such risks, and we frequently hear that they provide tremendous peace of mind." Furthermore, the elimination of shaft alignment work represents another major benefit for equipment manufacturers. Our magnetic pumps connect motors and pumps with a flange connection, unlike conventional volute pumps with coupling connections that require axis alignment. This user-friendly design significantly reduces the field workload for equipment designers and manufacturers. "Zero Malfunctions": How Semiconductor Producers Rely on Sanwa's Technology In the semiconductor industry, which is undergoing various transformations and evolutions in the global market, including supply chain developments, your unique products are also making significant contributions. What evaluations have they received? While the semiconductor industry has an extremely broad scope, our magnetic pumps are adopted particularly in chemical production facilities. Since many chemicals are highly corrosive, applications demand selective use of resin and metal materials, depending on requirements. Our stainless steel pumps excel in corrosion resistance and have earned high trust over many years. Additionally, semiconductor manufacturing equipment requires compact design to fit within limited spaces due to their highly condensed structures. The ability to operate with complete leak prevention and without water injection is also highly valued by equipment manufacturers. Once adopted, our pumps establish a stable operational track record of absolutely no malfunctions. Cross-Industry Excellence It's very clear how your products are solving challenges across different industries. I understand there are many more fields where your products excel, but among the industries you've mentioned, what's the common secret behind the high overall evaluations your products receive? How can the same products effectively support different industries? I'll explain the technical details later, but a key factor is our extensive experience in the petrochemical industry, which we've been involved with since our company's founding. The expertise we've gained meeting the stringent requirements of the petrochemical industry is reflected in every single pump design. This is why our pumps can excel across such diverse industries. Technical Superiority Your company possesses a history, know-how and track record that competitors find difficult to replicate. Could you explain the technical content that underlies these numerous positive evaluations? Your stainless steel magnetic drive pumps are considered ideal for high-purity, cutting-edge applications requiring safety and reliability. Could you elaborate on the technical advantages of your products? I'll focus particularly on explaining the safety and reliability of our products. First, the aspect customers value most: no liquid leakage. This is largely attributable to the magnetic coupling drive system employed in our MP series. Unlike conventional pumps using mechanical seals, our design structurally eliminates the risk of fluid leakage to the exterior, enabling safe handling of everything from organic solvents to dangerous fluids like sulfuric acid and caustic soda, and even ultra-pure water, where high purity is essential. This represents a significant advantage in today's environmentally conscious world. Additionally, customers highly appreciate that maintenance is straightforward. We maintain a simple structure with minimal parts. This allows for disassembly, cleaning and reassembly in a short time without specialized knowledge or special tools. We've received specific feedback from customers saying they can clean it daily, indicating that we're contributing to reducing the burden of daily operations. Next, the aspects of trouble-free operation and stable performance. We've standardized bearings in our MP series. These SiC-D bearings significantly reduce friction resistance compared to conventional bearings through special coating, achieving high lubricity, stable rotation and low wear levels, greatly contributing to the pumps' longevity. Finally, to ensure customers can use our products with peace of mind, we conduct performance tests using actual liquids on each unit before shipment, followed by thorough cleaning and leak testing. We believe this rigorous quality control system also contributes to the trust our customers place in us. Sanwa Pump team with an EU distributor at Achema 2024. Credit: Courtesy of Sanwa Hydrotech. Global Partnerships Partnerships are a critical element in many companies' growth strategies. Your company has established alliances with various firms in Europe and the Americas. Are you considering new partnerships overseas in areas such as product development, production and sales? Beyond Europe and the Americas, we're currently establishing new partners in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. We believe these regions still have significant growth potential. Asian Market Strategy What strategy are you employing to expand your customer base in Asia? Currently, we're looking for distributors who can not only sell our products but also provide maintenance services. Maintenance is an extremely important element to us. We're seeking partners with facilities capable of not only selling but also collecting, servicing and even modifying pumps when necessary. Therefore, we're approaching potential partners one by one to confirm partnership possibilities. In Asia, we're placing particular emphasis on Thailand. Many of our Japanese customers are establishing factories there, and we're increasingly selling to these customers. Currently, customers often handle maintenance and parts procurement themselves, but going forward, we aim to create a system that can provide them smoother local support. Carbon Neutrality Initiatives Carbon neutrality is a major business area for your company and forms the core of your initiatives. Could you explain in detail why this field is an important business target for Sanwa Pump? This is a growth sector for the future, and we need to accelerate applications in this field to achieve carbon neutrality targets for 2030 and 2050. Of course, this is an entirely new undertaking for both us and our customers, requiring trial and error. Nevertheless, we believe Sanwa Pump can become a leading company in this field. Our decades of experience with high-performance, leak-free fluid handling positions us perfectly to pioneer this attractive new market that will certainly expand dramatically in the coming years. What strategies do you plan to adopt to succeed in the carbon neutrality field? Our approach is to first conduct surveys and research, then approach companies where our products could potentially be utilized. Subsequently, we receive and will continue to receive consultations from some companies. Water Electrolysis Applications As we understand it, water electrolysis is one of the key technologies in carbon neutrality efforts. It enables the production of green hydrogen by decomposing water into hydrogen and oxygen, using renewable energy. Could you tell us more about Sanwa Pump's initiatives regarding water electrolysis? In Japan, the technology of generating hydrogen through water electrolysis has been employed for some time. Our company has been providing products for such hydrogen generation equipment for the past 20 years. However, the pursuit of carbon neutrality has accelerated these efforts. We hold a considerably high market share in the water electrolysis market, with our pumps being used for water supply and circulation purposes. We expect this share to continue expanding. Currently, evaluations are progressing in numerous test facilities. For example, in Yamanashi prefecture, our pumps are used in a hydrogen generator that uses surplus electricity from solar power generation. Adjacent to this device is a methane synthesizing device, and the hydrogen generated is used to generate synthetic methane. Using synthetic methane enables carbon neutrality. Our pumps are also used in the methane generators. These pumps must withstand temperatures as high as 230 degrees Celsius, and there are only a few manufacturers that can meet this specification, and we are one of the few companies among them. Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai We understand that Sanwa Pump will provide important equipment for the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai. We also hear that several key products will be exhibited. What specific technologies will you be showcasing at the Osaka Expo? How do these technologies connect to carbon neutrality goals? A: Our pumps have been adopted for use in the methanation pilot plant managed by Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. at the Osaka-Kansai Expo. They're being used as water electrolysis equipment for the methanation pilot plant and also as high-temperature liquid circulation pumps in the equipment performing the methanation reaction. The methane gas synthesized here will be supplied to the Guest House kitchen and used as a heating source for cooking meals served to VIPs from various countries. Note: The Guest House is a project commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment: Project to Construct and Demonstrate a Model for Reducing the Cost of Hydrogen Supply by Utilizing the Existing Infrastructure. Aspirations Toward Our Centennial: Building the Next Century of Innovation In 10 years, your company will reach the significant milestone of its 100th anniversary. Do you have any goals or aspirations for this important occasion? Of course carbon neutrality is one of our major goals. Another guiding principle for our company comes from our founder's words. Inscribed on a monument in our current office are the words: "New Technology, New Materials, New Products." Our company started as a casting company but ceased casting operations in 2003. We preserved the founder's words in a monument during the final casting. These words embody the philosophy that even as the world changes, we must respond to the needs of the times. As we approach our centennial, we remain committed to this legacy of innovation—continually evolving our technology to meet tomorrow's challenges while maintaining the uncompromising quality and reliability that have defined Sanwa Hydrotech for nearly a century. For more details, explore the company's website at: All interviews were conducted by The Worldfolio and can be found at This report has been paid for by a third party. The views and opinions expressed are not those of Newsweek and are not an endorsement of the products, services or persons mentioned.
