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As the global economy adapts to the transition away from carbon-based sources of energy, there is an increased focus on the use of renewable energy to provide a zero-emission source of electrical power. An integral part of the solution is batteries and energy storage systems. One Japanese company that is leading the field in this respect is The Furukawa Battery Company (Furukawa Battery).
Furukawa Battery traces its origins back to 1914, when Furukawa Electric established its battery factory in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture, and started production of lead-acid batteries. In 1950 Furukawa Electric spun off its battery business, and Furukawa Battery as a separate company was formed. Since then, the company has continued to evolve & expand, and now employs over 2,400 people.
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INTERVIEWER Japan’s Fourth Basic Plan for Space Policy over the next decade was announced in the summer of 2020. What direction will Japan be taking in its space activities?
MATSUI TAKAFUMI I have been involved in Japan’s space policy since before the current Committee on National Space Policy took shape. This committee was formed under the auspices of the Cabinet Office after the 2012 abolishment of the Space Activities Commission in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology.
Initially, Japan’s space policy was focused on research and development under the Education Ministry. Not enough attention was being paid to security issues or space utilization, though, and the budget was limited. This discouraged many small businesses from participating in the program and there was a real fear that Japan would lose the capability to build its own rockets to launch satellites into space.
The best present this holiday season came in a small package, parachuted into the Australian desert from far within our Solar System on 5 December 2020.