On-Site Report The wearable device market continues to expand rapidly around the world. One company that is currently receiving lots of attention is Mitsufuji, a small maker with a staff of just 35. The company is creating woven smart-wear products that contain silver-metalized fibers. The material is so conductive it has the potential to transmit heart-rate and other sensitive biometric information. They hope to use it to gather a wide range of useful data ranging from the vitals of the elderly, to biometric data from athletes and people who work in extreme conditions. World Perspective At the recent Bangkok International Motor Show -- the largest show of its kind in the region -- many automobile companies featured eco-friendly cars. Japanese automobile companies have dominated the Thai market for many years with an 80% share of the market. But recently, competition has intensified in the electric vehicle sector.

On-Site Report Cross-border e-commerce websites continue to expand in China. Some of the most popular items on these sites are Japanese products such as cosmetics and food items. Many of these sites are now competing to sell Japanese products. NetEase, which runs one of China's largest cross-border e-commerce sites, provides extremely detailed descriptions of commodities and appeals to consumers by pointing out the safety and trustworthiness of the products. Meanwhile, bolome, a site that attracts a lot of younger Chinese, uses celebrities to promote their products and increase sales. World Perspective People in the US are developing a serious thirst for sake, and drinking it well beyond its traditional home in sushi restaurants. But the selection so far has been limited mainly to mass-produced imports from Japan. That's changing in places like New York City, where sake lovers can now enjoy microbrews that offer both freshness and unique characteristics.