A longer term view and a pick of some trends that we think will crystallize or accelerate during 2010.

Cyber figure ARisBy Michael Kerferl, CScout Japan

Augmented reality (AR) is a marketer’s dream, and it is about to hit home.

As digital devices become a more integrated part of everyday life, we live much more of our social lives in digital spaces: writing blogs, sharing photos and generally linking to new information. What happens when we start to live our real-world lives through a digital filter?

By Rebecca Milner - CScout Japan

Ramen companies are kicking back and letting customers write the recipes in smart marketing campaigns

When Maruchan introduced the new cup ramen flavor, “Thick and Rich Miso Tonkotsu,” on February 16, nearly two million potential consumers already knew about it. How did the instant noodle manufacturer manage to create that kind of buzz over the introduction of an ordinary convenience store staple? By teaming up with Japan’s most popular web portal, Yahoo Japan.

By Rebecca Milner - CScout Japan

World’s smallest portable karaoke machine

Toy maker Takara Tomy has come out with Hi-Kara, a miniature portable monitor and headphone set. The device can also be hooked up to your computer, enabling the download of new hit songs.

By Nikolai Proske - CScout Japan

Pets get their own signature style

Dog lovers in Japan are notorious for accessorizing and spoiling their pooches. Now it’s possible to customize a personal hanko—personal stamps registered by individuals to serve as their signature—with a graphic of your pet!

By Michael Keferl -- CScout Japan -- UB Mansion -- A group at the Chiba University Graduate School of Engineering has developed a concept apartment building where everything is connected through an interactive system of touch screen monitors and near-field communication... -- Concept phones -- Japanese mobile carriers are changing the way we think about phone design by making them resemble handsets as little as possible... -- Digital Retail -- Monitors displaying digital ads have been around for ages, but we’re noticing them less and less...

By Michael Keferl -- Japanese toy makers have some innovative, gastronomic ideas -- The International Tokyo Toy Show is the best way to get a grip on the coming year of toys, but when the Cscout Japan team made its annual visit to the 2008 show we saw a lot of toys that, well, are beginning to look a lot less like toys.

By Rebecca Milner -- Digital shopping technology makes models out of consumers -- Thanks to a jumpstart from web 2.0 innovations, online shopping is going from a solitary, static, and ultimately convenient alternative, to an instantly gratifying social experience that aims to bring in as much from the terrestrial shopping experience as possible. Welcome to the new era of digital shopping lifestyle, starring YOU.

By Greg Lane -- What's new and what's hot -- Morpho exhibits a rare case of a Japanese tech company receiving attention from overseas investors. -- In a similar vein, Israel based Gizmoz announced that it has raised $US6.5 million in second round venture funding. -- Monolithic steel maker Kobe Steel has shown that it can be as innovative as the next company with the announcement that they have developed a type of steel sheet that significantly reduces electromagnetic wave emissions. -- Producer of the US$2,500 ‘People’s car,’ Tata Motors of India announced that it will tap into Japanese capital markets with a listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. -- Kakaku.com, a comparative shopping website that attracts more than 6 million users each month, has launched a photo sharing service ‘PhotoHito.’ -- The convenience store operator has announced that they will begin selling an enormous range of alcohol online from late June. -- Trends: When it comes to digital points of sale in Japan, the goal to increase efficiency and provide a better customer experience will always come first.