Japan develop new strategy for Industry 4.0
Japan'sEconomic and Industrial Policy Bureau is ﻿leading efforts to produce a new Industry 4.0 plan for the country. Talks about the strategy will be held by a panel under the Industrial Structure Council, withideas being discussed including﻿ the Internet of Things, big data and artificial intelligence. This article argues that though Japan's Industry 4.0 vision has admirable aims, it is likely to have fallen behind in the arms race to realise the fourth industrial revolution, currently being led by Germany and the USA. ﻿

TOKYO -- Rallying Japanese businesses to bet on the future and charge at the so-called fourth industrial revolution must be the key focus of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's rehashed Abenomics. Falling behind in the next industrial transformation could leave the Japanese economy at a serious disadvantage.

Japan's government kicked off efforts to draw up its new industrial strategy on Sept. 17. This was a highly important step, since the strategy will serve as the so-called "first arrow" of the second stage of Abenomics. At the time, all eyes were on security reform.