Month: March 2007

  • 50 years EU celebration in Tokyo

    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo

    Today was the 50th anniversary of the treaty of Rome which was at the beginning of the European Union. In Tokyo we had a big party at the top of Roppongi Hills – 52nd floor. Here are some pictures…

    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo
    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo
    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo
    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo
    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo
    50 years EU celebration in Tokyo

    Copyright (c) 2013 Eurotechnology Japan KK All Rights Reserved

  • eMobile – mobile disruption in Japan

    eMobile – mobile disruption in Japan

    On March 31, 2007 eMobile will start high-speed (3.6 Mbps, HSDPA) mobile data services in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, bringing disruption into the mobile data market in Japan.

    While Willcom offers a flat data rate of YEN 9000 (US$ 77) per month for unlimited data transmission at 128kbps, eMobile will offer 30 times higher speed at about 1/2 the price:

    3.6Mbps for PDAs, laptops and PCs for YEN 4980 (US$ 43, EURO 32) per month flat rate without any data limit (and n.b. no “fair use limit” as many European operators impose in the fine-print). …. and yes- you can probably also do wireless VOIP or Skype if you set this up yourself.

    The established mobile operators (DoCoMo, KDDI/AU and SoftBank) do not offer any flat data rate to connecting PCs and laptops at this time.

    eMobile offers the EM-ONE terminal:

    • data download at 3.6 Mbps (wCDMA-HSDPA)
    • wLAN (IEEE 802.11b/g)
    • Windows mobile 5.0
    • digital mobile TV = 1seg
    • 4.1inch VGA (800 x 480) LCD display by SHARP
    • camera (with QR-Code reader etc)

    (By the way- did you ever wonder why new entrants love flat rates? it’s because telecom billing systems are so expensive and complex. Flat rates are one of many competitive weapons new entrants have over incumbents…)

    eMobile went to market with a splash in Japan – the first terminal was an HSDPA / wLAN and mobileTV equipped pre-smartphone smartphone
    eMobile went to market with a splash in Japan – the first terminal was an HSDPA / wLAN and mobileTV equipped pre-smartphone smartphone

    Copyright (c) 2013 Eurotechnology Japan KK All Rights Reserved

  • PASMO: IC cards for transport

    PASMO: IC cards for transport

    On Sunday, March 18, 2007, about 100 transportation companies in the Tokyo region switched to the near-field electronic money and payment system PASMO. Electronic money is a new battle field which JR-East pioneered with SUICA. Seven & I is still to throw it’s weight into the battle – read about today’s status of the electronic money marketplace in our “Mobile Payment and Keitai Credit” report.

    A new multi-billion dollar power? Here is the character for PASMO: with an antenna on the hat, a pocket on the chest to store PASMO away, and wheels on the shoes, and in cherry-blossom pink… Does this cherry-blossom-pink guy look like he represents a new US$ multi-billion economic power?

    PASMO – near field smart card for fare payment in Tokyo region – started Sunday, March 18, 2007 and exceeded all expectations
    PASMO – near field smart card for fare payment in Tokyo region – started Sunday, March 18, 2007 and exceeded all expectations

    Copyright·©2013 ·Eurotechnology Japan KK·All Rights Reserved·

  • Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day

    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day

    Tokyo Tower was illuminated in green color on St Patrick’s Day – (when I took these photographs a Japanese policeman guarding the Russian Embassy nearby asked me if Tokyo Tower from now on will always be green – so I explained St. Patrick’s Day to the Japanese policeman):

    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day
    Green Tokyo Tower on St. Patrick’s Day

    I took these photographs standing close to the perimeter of the Russian Embassy in Tokyo, which is heavily guarded by Japanese police. When I took the photographs of the green Tokyo Tower, a police officer standing guard asked me, if Tokyo Tower from now on will always be green. I told him that its only today for St. Patrick’s Day. The Japanese police officer did not know about St. Patrick’s Day, so I explained St. Patrick’s Day to him….

    Copyright (c) 2013 Eurotechnology Japan KK All Rights Reserved

  • “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s

    “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s

    Presentation at the Lunch meeting of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan (FCCJ) on March 16, 2007 at the Westin Hotel, Tokyo.

    Summary of the event and photographs here:

    https://web.archive.org/web/20160815232148/http://www.fcc.or.jp/lunch160307.html

    or here

    https://web.archive.org/web/20111022052713/http://www.fcc.or.jp/lunch160307.html

    Dowload the presentation here

    https://web.archive.org/web/20070709231130/http://www.fcc.or.jp/pdf/FCCJ_160302.pdf

    From the Announcement:

    In his presentation, Dr. Fasol will explain the essentials of Japan’s mobile phone market, why and how it is so different to Europe’s. He will also talk about some of the reasons why it is so difficult for European companies to succeed and uncover opportunities and the keys to success for European companies in this important market.

    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan
    Gerhard Fasol “Help – my mobile phone does not work!” – Why Japan’s mobile phone sector is so different from Europe’s, at the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Japan

    More in our report about Japan’s telecom sector.

    Copyright 2007-2013 Eurotechnology Japan KK All Rights Reserved·

  • Mobile payment and the future of money (presentation at CLSA Japan Forum)

    Mobile payment and the future of money (presentation at CLSA Japan Forum)

    Can e-money and mobile payment replace cash?

    Example: mobile payment for the world’s busiest train line

    CLSA – Asia-Pacific Markets – last week organized the “CLSA Japan Forum” here in Tokyo. About 800-1000 investment bankers, portfolio managers, investors, analysts came together. Since last year interest of global investors in Japan has increased a lot.

    Eurotechnology Japan KK participated actively, and on Friday March 2, 2007, gave a presentation on:

    “Impact of mobile payment and the future of money”

    Mobile payment and the future of money (presentation at CLSA Japan Forum)

    The presentation covers the following agenda:

    • Can e-money and mobile payment replace cash?
    • Example: mobile payment for the world’s busiest train line
    • DoCoMo’s target for mobile payments
    • Japan’s mobile payment and keitai credit landscape
    • Free markets vs regulation
    • Mifare and Felica chips and radio communications (NFC)
    • Who drives mobile payments
    • Growth of SUICA
    • DoCoMo’s mobile payment and keitai credit strategy
    • Edy – electronic cash
    • A major bank’s mobile payment system
    • Impact
    • Where to invest – who to watch
    • Summary

    More information:
    “Mobile payment and keitai credit” (download here)

    Mobile payment Japan, e-money and mobile credit report:

    Copyright 2013 Eurotechnology Japan KK All Rights Reserved