By David Hodgson

Opportunities and risks in the Japanese stockmarket

The Kyoto Protocol obliges governments to cut greenhouse gases. With oil over US$70 a barrel, we are likely to see a replay of what happened after the 1970s oil shocks. Market forces are likely to lead to increasing use of more fuel-efficient cars, solar power, liquid natural gas (LNG) and nuclear power to reduce emissions. Japan has world-leading companies in auto fuel-efficiency, solar power, LNG plant engineering and nuclear power.

By Chris Cleary

In investing there is always a tension between the desire to maximize gain, and the wish to avoid loss. These are key parameters in the selection of financial instruments.

By Peter Harris

J@pan Inc’s column concerning business possibilities outside of Japan

“Open a nightclub, sell jewelry, become a land speculator; the choice is yours to make.” No, not the text of one of Donald Trump’s entrepreneur seminars, but the opening invitation on the business page of virtual community Second Life’s website. Increasingly, Second Life (SL) is becoming a place where businesses naturally want to extend their operations to, or entrepreneurs decide to try out one of their latest ideas.

Yoshiki WatanabeBy Anna Kitanaka

Although necessity may be the mother of invention, sadly, war is often the catalyst for contraptions to grow from crude devices to precise, efficient, mass produced instruments. From the aerosol can to the computer, the wars of last century had a major impact on their forward development. This trend is also true for some of our oldest inventions: Springs.

By Joseph Greenberg

Cancer cells exist in all of our bodies. Thanks to the presence of Natural Killer (NK) cells that diligently patrol our system, these cells are prevented from mutating into dangerous cancerous growth. In light of this understanding, the world’s cancer researchers have tried to increase the number of NK cells in cancer sufferers as a way of treating those afflicted by the disease.

By W David Marx (MEKAS)

The overwhelming percentage of Japanese women owning Louis Vuitton handbags—anywhere between 30% and 90%, depending on whom you ask—has transcended objective statistical measure and transformed into a powerful symbol for the insatiable Japanese lust for European fashion goods and luxury brands.

Sukuji Beach, Ishigaki IslandBy Chris Willson

Exploring Okinawa’s Yaeyama Islands

Okinawa’s Yaeyama Islands are at the southern end of the island chain, 2,000km from Tokyo and only a sixhour ferry ride from Taiwan. Surrounded by crystal-clear waters, coral reefs and white sandy beaches, the islands have become a heavenly retreat for urban Japanese, and are in the fortunate position of not playing host to any US military bases.

By Ken Worsley

Back and Forward is a regular column that takes a slightly irreverent look at some of Japan’s biggest business stories.

Compiler: Burnaby

J@pan Inc is offering a prize of two free tickets to see Tokyo Sinfonia—Japan’s finest chamber orchestra conducted by Robert Ryker—for the first completed crossword sent to us at: Crossword, J@pan Inc Communications, Minami Aoyama First Building, 7-8-1 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062