Articles

Competitiveness in space infrastructure is no longer decided by how many satellites one owns. In the first half of 2026, a rapid succession of developments—the Ministry of Defense's contract for its "Tri-Sat" satellite program, the reorganization into the Japan Aerospace Self-Defense Force, and the selection of J-LEO to carry communications autonomy—moved Japan's space infrastructure from the stage of "concept" to that of "implementation." The real question is who links the information gained from space to decisions, when, and in what order of priority. Drawing on the author's own experience operating satellite communications within the Japan Self-Defense Forces, this article examines the design of a next-generation space infrastructure that keeps national security and commercial space in mutual circulation.

Regional banks in Japan face structural challenges: shrinking local economies driven by population decline, prolonged pressure on interest margins, and declining visibility into commerce flows as payments and customer touchpoints shift to external platforms. Traditional banking models reliant on financial statements and ex-post transaction data are increasingly unable to capture real-time local dynamics or provide practical, high-value client support. One potential lever is the combination of BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) services and advanced data analytics. This paper examines local economic contraction and the information-infrastructure constraints facing regional banks, with particular attention to the structural problem of limited commerce-flow visibility.

In Part I, we presented the results of an estimate indicating that electricity demand in 2050 could reach 1.5 times the current level. In Part II, we focused on next-generation nuclear power as a key technology for providing the supply capacity needed to meet that demand, and examined the challenges involved in promoting it as well as possible solutions. In this final installment, we frame the coming era—when the wave of carbon neutrality (CN) investment has run its course and CN is no longer the top priority—as the "world after the end of CN momentum." We then identify the social demands the industry will face in that era and consider what kinds of strategies can spare the industry future rework.

In Part I, we presented the results of an estimate indicating that electricity demand in 2050 could reach 1.5 times the current level, and examined the power generation mix that could meet such demand. The analysis confirmed the reality that even if renewable energy and thermal power generation were utilized to their fullest extent, around 40% of total electricity demand would still remain unmet, meaning that nuclear power would inevitably have to play a substantial role. In this second installment, we summarize trends in new technologies that address the greatest challenge facing nuclear power—safety—and examine the issues surrounding the promotion of nuclear power, as well as possible measures to resolve them.

Driven by a sharp increase in electricity demand, the electric power industry has once again entered a growth trajectory. At the same time, carbon neutrality (CN) initiatives are advancing at a rapid pace. Given the limited time remaining until 2050, there is no longer room to postpone discussions on “realistic CN measures.” On the other hand, when CN momentum eventually settles down, will the electric power industry be able to respond smoothly and without backtracking to the new social demands it will face? This article looks ahead to the world after the end of CN momentum and re-examines the initiatives currently underway. It then considers what kinds of strategies will prove effective for the industry over the long term.

The peacetime logic of low-cost, efficient procurement transforms directly into vulnerability in times of crisis. The Strait of Hormuz crisis has laid this fact bare, and its essence lies in a structural reality: constraints on fuel itself cause "price" and "supply" to falter simultaneously. For companies, energy is no longer a mere cost item but a strategic foundation that defines business continuity and competitiveness. This article dissects the structure through which energy risks arise and considers the shift in corporate decision-making now required.

This article examines the ideal vision of mobility as part of a three-part series exploring the future of the mobility industry. Though we appear to drive mobility, we are in fact driven by it.Our values and the very form of our cities take shape in accordance with the specifications of the mobility systems offered to us — and not a few of the resulting arrangements are, at root, deeply skewed. By examining the major modes of mobility — automobiles, railways, aviation, and maritime transport — across sectors, this paper surfaces the distortions embedded in today's systems and articulates the configuration that mobility's future genuinely demands.

This article focuses on the automobile sector as part of a three-part series exploring the future of the mobility industry. The automotive industry, which has long been built on the assumption of private car vehicle ownership, is now confronting a major turning point. With population decline and the spread of autonomous driving, the once-absolute value placed on private vehicle ownership is beginning to erode, and automotive OEMs are being forced to adopt business structures that differ from those of the past. Building on a forecast of future private vehicle sales volumes for Japanese OEMs, this article explores the potential emergence of new business models in an era of declining private vehicle ownership.

This article focuses on the railway sector as part of a three-part series examining the future of the mobility industry. Japanese railway operators, which have long borne the burden of maintaining and renewing infrastructure, are now being forced to transform their traditional business structures due to declining revenues caused by population decline. Looking ahead to a future of accelerating depopulation, this article explores the business models that railway operators should aim to adopt.