December 2003 Issue

On the cover: Just in time for the holidays, the latest Aibo shimmers with comfort and joy. Photograph ©Sony Corporation. "Japanese culture abounds with stories of friendly robots like Atom Boy. In the West, we have killer robots -- like the Terminator." -- A Robopet Revolution

December 2003
No. 50

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December 2003 Issue

Upfront
	Contributors The Editor's page.

	Dances in the Dark A generous glimpse at a Japan you only thought you knew.

	Kirin Plaza Osaka Applies Brains to Beer An unsung Osaka landmark turns slaking thirst into an education.

	Japanese FDI and the China Challenge The where, when, how and why of Japan-to-China FDI.

	Studio Ghibli: Japan's Anime Dream Factory An inside look at Hayao Miyazaki's magic kingdom.

	Rallies in Domestic Markets are Driven by Surging Overseas Stats Money master Darryl Whitten weighs in.

	Osaka Revitalization amid Plummeting Prices Japan's "second city" seeks to save its plummeting prices.

	Keitai Care: James Nakagawa's Mobile Marvel Mobile medical care from an entrepreneur fast on the make.

	Frozen Fish That Tastes Fresh -- Really! Scary but true, Hokkaido's iced sushi is coming to you.

	The Pulse 2 Technology and Finance News.

	Pulse 1 -- The Pension Problem in Japan. -- Too Dangerous to Document?

	To the Editors Asking for a miracle?

	From the Editor Here in Japan, there are lots of bright beginnings to celebrate.

Features
	Digital Television's December Descent Like shooting stars across a winter sky, satellite digital television signals are streaking to earth for the first time ever in Japan. Starting this month, super-sharp TV hits the ground running. Tune in.

	A Robopet Revolution Blue Christmas? The latest breed of Robot pets bows and wows consumers with greater sensitivity and savvy. Buy into the "comfort toy" phenomenon, and you'll never be lonely again.

	Driving Ms Denwa Jeff Funk phones in with news from his latest book, Mobile Disruption: Key Technologies and Applications that are Driving the Mobile Internet, published this month. According to the author, we ain't seen (or heard) nothing yet.

News & Info
	Real Estate Rags to Riches Coyo's Mizukami: King of Factory Leasing

	The Measure of One's Worth: Real Estate Japan has always been heavily populated and short of land. Only about 28 percent of Japan's land mass is inhabitable, so it's no surprise that one of Japan's most precious commodities today is real estate.

Blowfish
	Fulsome figures On networking, booze and battling the blahs.