On-Site Report Along with the increased popularity of Japanese food, rice cookers are starting to become more prevalent globally. By incorporating everything from traditional Japanese earthen ware to newly developed enamels, 2 Japanese companies are taking both price and flavor to unheard of levels as they seek to break out of Japan and find new customers for their high-end rice cookers in both Asia and North America. World Perspective Rapid growth in recent years has brought higher incomes to Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy. This is fueling consumer trends, and one of the newest is a taste for Japanese cuisine -- both at neighborhood eateries and in a growing number of kitchens across the nation.

On-Site Report The heat island effect is a common issue that many cities around the world have to struggle with during the summer months. Tokyo is among those cities and now with the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics on the horizon, the health of both the athletes and spectators is becoming a major concern. From road temperature reducing coatings to bio heat shields for buildings, we will look at some new heat reduction technologies that Japanese companies hope will help Tokyo and other hot spots around the world to cool down. World Perspective With rapid economic growth and a market that is still opening up to foreign companies, Myanmar is often referred to as Asia's final frontier. The country has recently been expanding its Special Economic Zone, located near the business center of Yangon, in hopes of attracting more investment from abroad.