By Anna Kitanaka -- Mitsuo Sawada - Inventor climbs mountains one step at a time -- Excellence in two areas of natural ability and an obsessive tendency seem to be a regular formula for the personality of an inventor. A deep-rooted sense of mechanics on the one hand, combined with a burning creativity on the other, is common to a number of the world's most celebrated inventors-add to this natural mix an obsession with making things and we have it, a simple flowchart for a highly productive innovator. Often these three ingredients of inventors manifest themselves in childhood-Galileo apparently made his own toys as a child while the boyhood Alexander Graham Bell reportedly used to experiment with his pet dog's vocal faculties by pressing on his pet's voice box.

Tim Coghlan reviews Japan Fashion Week and ponders its failure to establish Tokyo on a par with Paris or Milan. -- Japan Fashion Week (JFW) in Tokyo was held from March 10-15 in various locations around Tokyo. After attending a fair portion of the 50 fashion shows held during JFW it was clear that it has a long way to go before it becomes truly international and part of the world fashion week circuit which is dominated by cities like Paris, Milan and New York. JFW—the country’s ‘official’ fashion week, has been attempting to gather momentum since it started in 2005. Yet, despite Tokyo being the fashion capital of Asia and certain Japanese brands being very popular overseas, JFW has been struggling to gain international attention for several reasons.

Ken Worsley's nuggets of economic wisdom -- Domestic mobile handsets just not worth it... -- ...but TVs and camcorders are -- Toshiba reeling... -- Beware the Internet Service Providers -- Cut out the credit... -- Down the pan

Jobs -- Services -- Groups/Events -- Support