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Orders for Gas Turbines through Partner Firm in China Reaches 150 Units

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) held a commemorative ceremony on October 15 to celebrate reaching cumulative orders for 150 gas turbines units through Dongfang Turbine Co., Ltd. (Deyang, Sichuan Province), a subsidiary of Dongfang Electric Corporation, MHI's partner for the gas turbine business in China.Commemorative CeremonyThe ceremony for the 150-unit milestone was attended by Zhang Yanjun, President of Dongfang Electric, with Liu Hui, Chairman of Dongfang Turbine. MHI was represented by Toshiyuki Hashi, Executive Vice President/President and CEO, Energy Systems, Takashi Tozawa, Senior Vice President/Vice President, Energy Systems, and Takashi Kubo, Senior Vice President/Chief Regional Officer, China. Also attending as a special guest was Qin Zhaohui, President of China Huaneng Group Co.,Ltd., Jiangsu Branch, the customer for the 150th unit.Dongfang Turbine is one of three major manufacturers of heavy electrical equipment in China, handling manufacturing and repair services for steam turbines, gas turbines, and auxiliary plant equipment used for power generation. Since 2003, MHI has gradually expanded its licensing of large-scale gas turbines to the company. In 2015, Mitsubishi Power (China) Co., Ltd., the headquarters for MHI's thermal power systems operations in China, opened the Chengdu Branch in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, with the aim of strengthening the collaboration. In addition, MHI and Dongfang Turbine provide localized after-sale services through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Dongfang Gas Turbine (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd., a joint venture established in 2004 to enable a swift response to local customer needs.Electricity demand continues to rise in China, and the gas turbine market remains robust against the backdrop of increasing demand for replacing aging coal-fired power generation facilities, as well as demand for load-following power sources in line with the expansion of renewable energy. Amid the rising demand in China for high-efficiency gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power generation equipment as a means of reducing environmental loads, MHI has steadily accumulated orders for its highly competitive gas turbines, owing to its state-of-the-art and high-efficiency models, and hydrogen co-firing technology. Shipments of gas turbines made in collaboration with Dongfang Turbine reached 100 units in March 2024, and the number of cumulative orders for gas turbines has now reached the 150 unit mark.Going forward, MHI, along with its power solutions brand, Mitsubishi Power, will continue to work in cooperation with Dongfang Electric and Dongfang Turbine for the development of electric power in China, and contribute to the improvement of energy efficiency and the reduction of environmental impacts.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

16 10 月, 2024

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Treatment “Rozebalamin(R) for Injection 25 mg” Receives The Good Design Award 2024 for Light- Proof Vial Packaging

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment “Rozebalamin® for Injection 25 mg” (mecobalamin) has received the Good Design Award 2024 (by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion) for its light-proof vial packaging.“Rozebalamin for Injection” was approved in Japan on September 24, 2024 as a treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Its active ingredient is mecobalamin, which was developed as a freeze-dried formulation which is dissolved into a solvent at the time of administration. Mecobalamin is chemically unstable when exposed to light, therefore requiring a higher level of light-protection than that of the commonly used light- blocking film made by depositing aluminum onto a PET film (aluminium-deposited PET), from the time of distribution/storage until immediately before administration. However, there is also some necessity for visibility, such as the ability to visually confirm the medication inside the vial at the time of use and see the needle tip when extracting the medication with a syringe.For Rozebalamin, packaging was created with a high level of light-protection by applying a black print to aluminium-deposited PET. While the entire vial is covered by the light-blocking packaging, a resealable window to visibility to inspect the solution inside, and the neck of the vial allows that can be peeled back. In addition, perforations were not added to the film with the aim of maintaining the high capacity for light- protection. In doing so, the conflicting issues of increasing light-protection while maintaining visibility were solved, which was also highly evaluated in this selection. This packaging was co-developed with IL Pharma Packaging Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Aichi), and the award was also presented to both companies.Eisai considers neurology a therapeutic area of focus. As a human healthcare company, Eisai is committed to further addressing the diverse needs of, and increasing the benefits of, patients, their families, and healthcare professionals, by providing high-quality and easy-to-use Rozebalamin as a new treatment option for ALS patients.About Good Design AwardA Japanese design evaluation and promotion mechanism that was first established in 1957 as the Good Design Product Selection System. As a global design award with participation from numerous domestic and international companies and organizations, it is held annually with the aim of improving the quality of life and utilizing design to solve social issues and themes. The "G Mark," which symbolizes the award, is widely recognized as an emblem of excellent design. www.g-mark.org/en.Media Inquiries:Public Relations Department, Eisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120 Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

16 10 月, 2024

Fujitsu to combat fake news in collaboration with leading Japanese organizations

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Fujitsu today announced that it has begun a project to develop a disinformation countermeasure platform alongside a consortium of leading academic and private sector organizations. Fujitsu was selected as a primary operator for this initiative in July 2024 through a public call for proposals by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (“NEDO”) (1). The effort is part of the Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration Program (“K Program”) (2), which was established with the collabor"ation of Japan’s Cabinet Office, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and other related Japanese ministries, to strengthen and drive Japan’s economic security. The consortium, assembled by Fujitsu, includes the National Institute of Informatics (NII), NEC Corporation, Keio Research Institute at SFC, Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Tech), The University of Tokyo, University of Aizu, Nagoya Institute of Technology, and Osaka University.The project aims to develop the world’s first comprehensive disinformation countermeasure platform that can process false information from initial detection to evidence gathering, analysis, and evaluation, with development slated for completion by the end of fiscal year 2025.Vivek Mahajan, Corporate Vice President, CTO, CPO, Fujitsu Limited, comments: “We are excited to be working on this initiative with a top-tier consortium of Japanese academic and private sector organizations that have a proven track record of combating disinformation. In addition to our consortium partners, Fujitsu will collaborate with relevant government agencies and other organizations to develop a robust countermeasure solution and contribute to solving this serious societal challenge.”Figure 1. Consortium member organizationsAs prime operator of this project, Fujitsu will lead the R&D efforts, technology integration, and construction of the overall platform. Leveraging the latest trends in disinformation tactics and technologies, Fujitsu will also create use cases for public and private sector organizations, facilitating the practical application of the research findings.Technology to be developed and consortium roles1. Information analysis by media type and disinformation detection (Responsible parties: NII, NEC)NIILeveraging its track record in the field of fake media detection, NII will develop a technology to detect deepfakes of images, video and audio from social media posts and other content. The technology will identify how the media content has been created and any areas that have been manipulated and assign a confidence score which will be provided as supporting evidence.NECNEC will develop media understanding technology that extracts content including images, video and audio as text and uses it to analyze matches with social media posts and to collect supporting information.2. Evidence/endorsement management (Responsible parties: Keio Research Institute at SFC, Fujitsu, Osaka University)Keio Research Institute at SFC and FujitsuKeio Research Institute at SFC which has a track record in the field of trusted internet architecture and Fujitsu develop technology to integrate evidence collected from the internet, including the analysis results from technology 1 above. This evidence will be structured and stored as an evidence/endorsement graph (3) to verify authenticity and assess impact.Osaka UniversityOsaka University will leverage its expertise in IoT data analysis to develop technology to collect sensor data as a source of evidence. In cases where information for the target area is incomplete, the system will infer evidence based on available data from neighboring areas. This proactive, AI-driven evidence gathering, mimicking human information collection and inference, is a highly advanced initiative.3. Comprehensive authenticity determination (Responsible parties: Fujitsu, Nagoya Institute of Technology)Fujitsu- Fujitsu will develop technology to analyze the consistency of evidence linked to target information using evidence/endorsement graphs from technology 2. This technology enables comprehensive information authenticity analysis, presenting the results and supporting evidence in a user-friendly manner.- Fujitsu will also develop a specialized Japanese LLM for disinformation countermeasures, utilizing its supercomputer (Fugaku) and LLM (Takane) expertise. This specialized LLM will enhance comprehension of news and social media data, improve logical reasoning capabilities, and enable high-speed, high-accuracy inference for authenticity verification while mitigating hallucinations.Nagoya Institute of TechnologyFujitsu will collaborate with Nagoya Institute of Technology to develop a user interface and information provision technology based on cognitive science, considering factors related to human psychology (e.g., continued influence effect). This will help users to accurately judge the truthfulness of information and encourage appropriate actions, including making efforts to avoid the unintentional spread of false information.4. Evaluation of disinformation impact (Responsible parties: Institute of Science Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, Aizu University)Institute of Science Tokyo, The University of Tokyo, and University of Aizu, with their expertise in computational social science related to social media, will develop technology to assess the impact of disinformation. By extending LLMs to build an AI model for disinformation assessment, the three parties will analyze characteristics of disinformation, such as similarity to past disinformation and proliferation speed, focusing on the source, content, and social context of messages from social media data. This will allow for the evaluation of metrics such as proliferation scale and social impact. This development of technology to visualize and quantitatively assess the social impact of disinformation represents a highly advanced endeavor.Figure 2. Diagram of the disinformation countermeasure platformFuture PlansIn fiscal year 2024, the project will focus on analyzing use cases for private companies and public institutions, defining functional requirements, and initiating R&D of individual technologies, with the final system scheduled for development by the end of fiscal year 2025.By developing this platform, Fujitsu and its consortium partners aim to contribute to economic stability in the face of increasing disinformation risk and with NEDO’s support aid in increasing new industry development, international competitiveness, and strengthening Japan’s global position.Comments from partner academic-industrial organizationsProf. Junichi Yamagishi, National Institute of Informatics, comments:“Combating disinformation demands a sophisticated, integrated arsenal of technologies. Leveraging years of cutting-edge research in technology for detecting fake media, we are going to create a robust foundation for a powerful disinformation defense system.”Motoo Nishihara, Corporate Executive Vice President and CTO, NEC Corporation, comments:"We are excited to join this important initiative. As AI is linked to the production of increasingly sophisticated disinformation, AI-powered countermeasures are paramount. Leveraging NEC's cutting-edge AI technologies, we aim to contribute to the development of truly effective solutions."Prof. Hiroyuki Kusumoto, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University, and Project Professor Shigeya Suzuki, Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, comment:“Information on the internet nowadays is not only transmitted by individuals, but also by information systems utilizing LLMs. Leveraging cutting-edge digital identity technology, we will create a platform that meticulously tracks sender identity and information relationships, enabling multifaceted analysis for more informed and accurate end-user decision-making.”Prof. Kazutoshi Sasahara, Institute of Science Tokyo, comments:“The increasing scale and sophistication of disinformation pose a grave threat to our daily lives and democracy. With AI making truth increasingly indistinguishable from falsehood, developing technologies to assess the influence of disinformation is a critical, urgent task. We aim to spearhead the development of widely accessible tools to combat this escalating challenge.”Prof. Masashi Toyoda, The University of Tokyo, comments:"We are excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with experts from diverse fields in tackling the challenge of misinformation. We will leverage a wide range of expertise and technologies to build a foundational infrastructure for assessing the impact of disinformation."Yasuhiro Hashimoto, Senior Associate Professor, Aizu University, comments:“The generation and spread of disinformation pose a grave threat to societal stability and national security, demanding a multidisciplinary approach drawing on informatics, engineering, social sciences, and more. We will develop technologies to visualize the large-scale structures and complex relationships in which disinformation circulates, and build an environment where the dynamics of disinformation can be quickly viewed and analyzed.”Prof. Yuko Tanaka, Nagoya Institute of Technology, comments:"I am pleased to participate in this project that integrates cutting-edge technologies to address the increasingly sophisticated and serious circulation of disinformation. I am contributing to the development of interface design that effectively communicates the results—from disinformation detection to evaluation—by considering human cognitive characteristics."Shin’ichi Arakawa, Associate Professor, Osaka University, comments:"We are excited to be involved in R&D that addresses the growing problem of disinformation. Within the project, we will focus on practical research and development, and on delivering real-world impact, going beyond theoretical evaluation."(1) Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration Program Press Release regarding the Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community Collaboration/Development of Disinformation Analysis Technology (K Program) :www.nedo.go.jp/koubo/CD2_100359.html (in Japanese)[2] Key and Advanced Technology R&D through Cross Community (“K Program”) :www8.cao.go.jp/cstp/anzen_anshin/kprogram.html (in Japanese)[3]Evidence/Endorsement Graph :Information added to the target information that serves as the basis for authenticity judgment, such as the sender (person or organization and its attributes), location, and date.About FujitsuFujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.7 trillion yen (US$26 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.About National Institute of InformaticsNII is Japan's only academic research institute dedicated to the new discipline of informatics. Its mission is to "create future value" in informatics. NII conducts both long-term basic research and practical research aimed at solving social problems in a wide range of informatics research fields, from fundamental theories to the latest topics, such as artificial intelligence, big data, the Internet of Things, and information security.As an inter-university research institute, NII builds and operates academic information infrastructure essential for the research and educational activities of the entire academic community (including the Science Information Network) as well as developing services such as those that enable the provision of academic content and service platforms.https://www.nii.ac.jp/en/.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.About Keio Research Institute at SFCThe Keio Research Institute at SFC was established in 1996. In its capacity as an academic entity and research institute affiliated with the Graduate School of Media and Governance, Graduate School of Health Management, Faculty of Policy Management, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, and Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, the institute serves as a platform for promoting advanced research activities and collaborative initiatives involving the community and local regions. By 2021, the institute had more than 40 laboratories (transdisciplinary research groups with advanced research missions) and more than 30 SFC research consortiums (joint research deployed by the Keio Research Institute at SFC in conjunction with a number of external organizations), and together with approximately 500 senior and guest researchers from various industries, government, and academia, aims to develop unique research to create a vital society. In this manner, the Keio Research Institute at SFC has an impressive wealth of experience and track record in the creation of pioneering knowledge through collaborations among industry, government, and academia.About Institute of Industrial Science, The University of TokyoThe Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS) is one of the largest university-attached research institutes in Japan. UTokyo-IIS is comprised of over 120 research laboratories—each headed by a faculty member—and has over 1,200 members (approximately 400 staff and 800 students) actively engaged in education and research. Its activities cover almost all areas of engineering. Since its foundation in 1949, UTokyo-IIS has worked to bridge the huge gaps that exist between academic disciplines and real-world applications.About University of AizuNurtures talent who will exercise leadership in the knowledge-based society.Nurtures computer scientists and highly-skilled computer engineers who will create and exploit "knowledge" for the new era.Has first-class faculty members from almost twenty countries around the world.Provides an outstanding computer environment unparalleled by other universities.Established the graduate school open to the world, where English is used as the common language.Fosters students' latent limitless creativity by training critical thinking and appreciating their curiosity, free from preconceived ideas.About Nagoya Institute of TechnologyNagoya Institute of Technology (NITech) was founded as the first national institution of higher education in central Japan in order to develop the region as Japan’s center of industry. Maintaining a respect for this historic mission and acting as one of the leading engineering institutes in Japan, NITech shall therefore make its fundamental mission as follows: developing revolutionary science and technologies, fostering rich human resources, and contributing to peace and social welfare of the future by acting as a source to consistently produce and develop new industries and culture.About Osaka UniversityOsaka University was founded in 1931 as one of Japan’s imperial universities through strong demand from political and business circles in Osaka, as well as the people of Osaka City and Prefecture. The spiritual roots of Osaka University can be found in Kaitokudo and Tekijuku, educational institutions of the Edo period. After its merger with Osaka University of Foreign Studies in 2007, Osaka University became a comprehensive university with its own School of Foreign Studies. Boasting 11 undergraduate schools, 15 graduate schools, and 6 affiliated research institutes excelling in the fields of the humanities and social sciences, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, science, and engineering, Osaka University is one of Japan’s premier comprehensive research universities.Osaka University will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding in 2031. We will contribute to the creation of a society where each member feels worth living through co-creation with diverse stakeholders to solve local and global challenges in accordance with the university's motto of “Live Locally, Grow Globally.”Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations DivisionInquiriesNational Institute for Informatics Research Organization of Information and SystemsPublicity Team, Planning Division, General Affairs DepartmentTEL: +81-3-4212-2164E-mail: media@nii.ac.jpNEC Corporate CommunicationsE-mail: press@news.jp.nec.comKeio Research Institute at SFCOffice of Research Development and Sponsored Projects Shonan Fujisawa CampusE-mail: kri-pr@sfc.keio.co.jpThe Institute of Industrial Science, The University of TokyoPublic Relation OfficeE-mail: pro@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jpUniversity of AizuPlanning and Collaboration DivisionPlanning and Public Relations SectionTEL: +81-242-37-2510E-mail: cl-planpr@u-aizu.ac.jpNagoya Institute of TechnologyFoundations GroupProfessor TANAKA YukoE-mail: tanaka.yuko@nitech.ac.jpOsaka UniversityGraduate School of Information Science and TechnologyAssociate Professor Shin’ichi ArakawaE-mail: arakawa@ist.osaka-u.ac.jp Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

16 10 月, 2024

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Invests in Koloma, a US-Based Geologic Hydrogen Exploration Startup

TOKYO, Oct 16, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) announced that it has invested in Koloma, a startup company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The investment has been executed through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. (MHIA), which joins a syndicate of investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, United Airline's Sustainable Flight Fund and Energy Impact Partners.Koloma Natural Hydrogen Exploration SiteKoloma is a geologic hydrogen company that leverages its technology, proprietary data, and human capital advantages to identify and commercialize geologic hydrogen on a global scale. Koloma is actively engaged in exploration and appraisal of assets that will play a significant role in global decarbonization efforts. As the rapidly emerging geologic hydrogen industry takes shape, Koloma's data-driven approach helps power the discovery of geologic hydrogen resources around the world."Building a hydrogen solution ecosystem is one of the core strategies in the energy transition business for MHI," said Takajiro Ishikawa, President and CEO of MHIA. "In MHI's role as a value chain solutions provider, we are aiming to accelerate the hydrogen economy by both offering cutting-edge technologies and enabling breakthrough innovations in the hydrogen space through investments into startups.""We are excited to welcome Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to the Koloma family," said Pete Johnson, CEO of Koloma. "Partnerships with industrial leaders like MHI will maximize the positive impact geologic hydrogen can have as a new clean primary energy source. We look forward to collaborating and innovating together to drive progress in this field and in the broader energy transition."MHI Group is collaborating with and investing in partners to develop innovative technologies that will help to decarbonize existing infrastructures and help build a hydrogen ecosystem to contribute towards achieving a decarbonized society. The Company will continue to enhance and diversify its solutions portfolio to provide customers with alternative decarbonization technologies to achieve their net zero goals.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

16 10 月, 2024

Fujitsu implements global launch of world’s first AI application to prevent quality degradation in 5G wireless networks

KAWASAKI, Japan, Oct 15, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Fujitsu today announced the development of an application that leverages AI technology to enhance mobile network communication quality, while achieving energy savings and optimizing network operations. This development is part of the Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems (hereafter NEDO-led project) (1) conducted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). Fujitsu, which has a successful track record of introducing radio unit (RU) products to the global market, will incorporate this technology into its O-RAN (2) compliant Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) (3) system, FUJITSU Network Virtuora Service Management and Orchestration. Fujitsu will implement a gradual global rollout of the technology to mobile network operators starting in November 2024 by leveraging the footprint it has already cultivated in RU.This application comprises three key technologies:An AI-powered technology that can estimate smartphone users’ quality of experience (QoE) on their networks in real time.A technology that detects early signs of increased communication traffic and proactively prevents network quality degradation.A technology that detects network quality degradation and redefines the area covered by peripheral base stations to maintain optimal quality.Fujitsu verified the effectiveness of these technologies in August 2024 using real commercial data from mobile network operators (4) under conditions closely resembling actual operating environments.This application will ensure a seamless and reliable connection for mobile network users, not only during normal operations but also during emergencies and periods of increased network traffic, ultimately enhancing user convenience, satisfaction, and safety in critical situations. For mobile network operators, the application will reduce operational costs and save power through optimized operations.BackgroundAs digital transformation (DX) accelerates globally, the adoption of 5G mobile networks is rapidly expanding as a key infrastructure component. Mobile network operators are expected to further enhance their capabilities, including ultra-low latency and simultaneous connectivity, while ensuring network quality at user and application levels. Furthermore, the RAN (Radio Access Network) domain is undergoing open and virtualized transformation based on the O-RAN concept, leading to anticipated reductions in total cost of ownership (TCO).The three technologies in this application operate on the RIC (5) deployed within the O-RAN compliant SMO, contributing to the intelligent automation and self-sufficiency of RAN.Development achievements1. Real-time QoE estimation and quality assurance using AIThis technology estimates QoE in real-time and automatically switches users to other base station network areas when QoE degradation is detected. It is a world-first, enabling the creation of AI models that can easily estimate QoE for individual applications by selecting feature values from statistical data (KPIs) calculated from high-speed packet analysis for 100 Gbps RAN traffic. This approach allows for flexible adaptation to various applications.By accurately understanding the QoE of each user and assigning the necessary resources, this technology ensures user convenience and satisfaction while simultaneously suppressing excessive resource allocation. This results in a 19% increase in the number of users that can be accommodated per base station (6).Figure 1: QoE estimation based on packet analysis2. Proactive base station activation/deactivation for quality maintenance and energy savingsFujitsu has developed a technology that utilizes AI to anticipate increased communication traffic and proactively activate previously dormant base stations to prevent degradation in user communication quality.Previously, energy savings were achieved by monitoring traffic in each area in real-time and putting unnecessary base stations into sleep mode. This world first technology goes a step further by detecting unusual increases in pedestrian traffic, such as those associated with local events, and predicting subsequent traffic increases at the grid level (7). This predictive technology has been proven to successfully activate base stations in advance without impacting user quality 99.8% of the time during the verification period.This enables pinpoint activation and deactivation of base stations based on traffic conditions, achieving a balance between maintaining QoE and saving energy when combined with the energy-saving application announced by Fujitsu in December 2023 (8).3. Detection of service quality degradation and area redesign for service quality maintenanceTraditional anomaly detection technologies for single cells (9) struggled to differentiate between simple load reductions and actual anomalies. Fujitsu's new technology addresses this by comparing traffic trends across surrounding cells using AI, achieving a fault detection accuracy rate of over 92%. This technology supports both supervised learning with limited fault data as well as unsupervised learning. By understanding the service impact including cell overlap, it is possible to make a judgement on which areas should be recovered first.When this anomaly detection technology identifies areas undergoing significant service impact, it utilizes a radio propagation prediction model that considers path loss (10) in the real field, in addition to the direction and load conditions of surrounding cells, to calculate the optimal tilt angle for surrounding cells. This minimizes the impact on service quality caused by faulty cells. As a result, recovery time from anomalies such as equipment failure, which previously took 24 hours, has been reduced to less than one hour, minimizing the impact on users.Figure 2: Service quality degradation detection and recoveryFuture PlansFujitsu will continue to contribute to the realization of a safer, more secure, and sustainable society by providing O-RAN products using AI-centric technologies for networks that support applications and services across industries.[1] NEDO-led project :Project name: Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems (JPNP20017) (Commissioned)Period: FY2021 - 2024Overview: Research and Development Project of the Enhanced Infrastructures for Post-5G Information and Communication Systems[2] O-RAN :O-RAN refers to a Radio Access Network (RAN) built based on open interface specifications developed by the O-RAN ALLIANCE.[3] Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) :In the O-RAN architecture, Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) defines a system that manages the operation, maintenance, and optimization of RAN, as well as its lifecycle.[4] Commercial data from mobile network operators :This refers to data collected by mobile network operators during their actual operations. This data is used in AI development for this research and development project.[5] RIC :Abbreviation for RAN Intelligent Controller, a controller that autonomously executes and controls RAN parameter settings and operational optimization.[6] A 19% increase in the number of users that can be accommodated per base station :This figure was calculated based on a comparison of cell-based performance measurements and QoE-based performance measurements in Fujitsu's lab environment.[7] Grid :A grid refers to a section on a map based on latitude and longitude.[8] The energy-saving application announced by Fujitsu in December 2023 :This refers to an energy-saving application that applies Fujitsu's AI technology to estimate communication traffic based on the distribution of user location information in the mobile network.Press Release: “Fujitsu leverages AI technology to realize energy saving in network operations”[9] Cell :A cell is the smallest unit of a communication area formed by the radio waves of a base station.[10] Path loss :Path loss refers to the attenuation of radio waves as they pass through the air or are blocked by obstacles.About FujitsuFujitsu’s purpose is to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation. As the digital transformation partner of choice for customers in over 100 countries, our 124,000 employees work to resolve some of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Our range of services and solutions draw on five key technologies: Computing, Networks, AI, Data & Security, and Converging Technologies, which we bring together to deliver sustainability transformation. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 3.7 trillion yen (US$26 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 and remains the top digital services company in Japan by market share. Find out more: www.fujitsu.com.Press ContactsFujitsu LimitedPublic and Investor Relations DivisionInquiries Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

15 10 月, 2024

NEC C&C Foundation Awards 2024 C&C Prize

TOKYO, Oct 15, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The NEC C&C Foundation today announced that the 2024 C&C Prize will be awarded to two groups for their contributions to the development and implementation of large-capacity, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical submarine cable systems, and to pioneering research of the Transformer deep learning model serving as the foundation of generative AI, which is used in various fields such as global internet, web applications, data science, and artificial intelligence, that support modern society. Dr. Shigeyuki Akiba, Dr. Masatoshi Suzuki and Dr. Itsuro Morita will represent Group A and Transformer team will represent Group B. Each recipient will be recognized with a certificate of merit and a plaque. Each group will also receive a cash award of ten million yen.The C&C Prize was established in 1985 and is awarded to distinguished persons in recognition of outstanding contributions to R&D activities and pioneering work related to the integration of computers and communications technologies and the social impact of developments in these fields. This year’s two recipient groups are outlined below.The prize ceremony and acceptance speeches will be held on Wednesday, November 27 from 15:00 at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo and will be streamed live to those who apply at the Foundation’s website.2024 C&C Prize RecipientsGroup ADr. Shigeyuki AkibaFormerly KDDI R&D Laboratories Inc., President and Chief Executive OfficerDr. Masatoshi SuzukiChitose Institute of Science and Technology, Vice-President, ProfessorWaseda University Graduate School, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Visiting ProfessorDr. Itsuro MoritaWaseda University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, ProfessorCitationFor contributions to the development and implementation of large-capacity, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical submarine cable systemsAchievementInternational communications began in the latter half of the 19th century with the laying of a submarine cable providing one telegraph line. This was followed by the appearance of coaxial cables that expanded circuit capacity and that could also be used for making telephone calls. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, satellite communications having even larger circuit capacity became mainstream. Nevertheless, on entering the 1980s, optical fiber and semiconductor lasers came into practical use, and by exploiting the low-loss and broadband properties of optical fiber, large-capacity transmission became possible while decreasing the number of submarine repeaters and decreasing the cost of communications, all of which drove the adoption of optical submarine cables. As for transpacific cables, operation of the 3rd transpacific cable (TPC-3) using optical fiber (capacity per fiber: 280 Mbps) began operation in 1989, TPC-4 (capacity per fiber: 560 Mbps) began operation in 1992, and TPC-5 (capacity per fiber: 5 Gbps), which significantly increased transmission capacity with the introduction of an optical-amplifier-repeater transmission system, began operation in 1995. However, due to a phenomenon whereby the velocity of light waves propagating through optical fiber differs according to wavelength (called wavelength dispersion) and due to the nonlinearity of optical fiber, WDM signal waveforms become distorted, which greatly hindered the implementation of large-capacity optical submarine cable systems spanning a distance of 10,000 km. Against this background, it was KDDI engineers including Dr. Shigeyuki Akiba, Dr. Masatoshi Suzuki, and Dr. Itsuro Morita that were instrumental in increasing the capacity of optical submarine cable systems and upgrading WDM-based optical submarine cable systems in particular, thereby supporting the rapidly expanding demand for Internet communications.The technologies developed by Dr. Akiba, Dr. Suzuki, and Dr. Morita became essential to WDM optical submarine cables and came to be applied to many optical submarine cables from 1999 to 2016 covering a total system length of 206,000 km. These included transpacific (PC-1: 1999, Japan-US: 2001), transatlantic (TAT-14: 2001), and Asia-region (C2C: 2001, EAC: 2002) optical submarine cables as well as 1-Tbps-class transpacific optical submarine cables (TGN-Pacific: 2003, UNITY: 2010). These technologies made a major contribution to the deployment of a global broadband infrastructure supporting communication traffic that increased rapidly due to the spread of the Internet and expanded use of smartphones.Dr. Akiba, Dr. Suzuki, and Dr. Morita pioneered the research and development of technology for expanding the capacity of long-haul optical submarine cables particularly through optical-nonlinearity control. They played a major role in applying this technology to transpacific/transatlantic large-capacity optical submarine cables, which constitute major arteries handling approximately 99% of all international communications. These achievements have had huge ripple effects in academia and industry. They are remarkable on a global basis and have made great social contributions in the C&C (Computers and Communication) field. For these outstanding achievements, it is more than fitting that Dr. Akiba, Dr. Suzuki, and Dr. Morita receive the C&C Prize.Group BTransformer TeamMember:Eight authors of the paper "Attention Is All You Need"Ashish Vaswani - CEO, Essential AINoam Shazeer - VP, Gemini Technical Co-Lead, Google DeepmindNiki Parmar - Research scientist, essential AI, GoogleJakob Uszkoreit- InceptiveLlion Owen Jones - CTO, Sakana AIAidan Gomez - CEO, CohereLukasz Kaiser - Member of Technical Staff, OpenAIIllia Polosukhin - NEAR ProtocolCitationFor pioneering research of the Transformer deep learning model serving as the foundation of generative AIAchievementArtificial intelligence (AI) technology has been evolving remarkably in recent years and has come to deeply penetrate not only industrial fields but society as well. The appearance of generative AI, in particular, has sent shock waves throughout the world as AI possessing creativity. The third-generation AI boom arrived in the 2000s. Machine learning came into practical use, deep learning made its appearance, and the performance of AI improved in many fields including image recognition, natural language processing, and speech recognition using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and other models. In 2017, the innovative Transformer model that revamped conventional neural networks appeared achieving a level of performance greatly exceeding existing models. It is said that the present progress in AI could not have occurred without Transformer.Following the presentation of the paper, AI studies using Transformer architecture were announced one after another. In addition to high speed and high performance, Transformer features a significant improvement in accuracy as the scale of training data increases, which has also brought about scale-related competition in AI models. In 2018, OpenAI announced the initial version of its generative pre-trained transformer (GPT), a large language model, and has been releasing updated versions ever since. As AI that can carry on conversations like a human, the number of users of ChatGPT appearing in 2022 topped 100 million in less than three months after its release. In addition to being talked about as AI that can foster innovation in a variety of fields including business, work, education, medical care, and everyday life, it also gave rise to discussions on ethical matters. Open AI also announced DALL-E, an image generation system, and Whisper, a speech recognition model. In 2018, Google announced a natural language processing model called BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers), which was followed up by ViT (Vision Transformer) specializing in image recognition. Then, in 2023, it announced Gemini (formerly known as Bard), a generative artificial intelligence chatbot. These eight individuals who presented Transformer that changed the history of AI have since left Google. Seven of them have founded their own start-ups and all but one of these companies conduct business based on Transformer technology.Transformer not only broke through the limitations of what were advanced technologies at that time like RNN and LSTM but also enabled the seamless integration of diverse types of data in multimodal AI while greatly improving the capabilities of AI systems. Although deep learning gave rise to AI-based innovation from around 2010, Transformer can be called the second great innovation in the sense of revamping existing neural networks. The present spread of generative AI using Transformer as base technology and its impact on society has been huge, and in view of these achievements, these eight members of the Transformer team are deserving recipients of the C&C Prize.For additional information, please visit The NEC C&C Foundation website at: www.candc.or.jp/en/index.html About The NEC C&C FoundationThe NEC C&C Foundation is a non-profit organization established in March 1985 to foster further growth in the electronics industry by encouraging and supporting research and development activities and pioneering work related to the integration of computers and communications technologies, that is, C&C, and ultimately to contribute to the world economy and the enrichment of human life. The Foundation is funded by NEC Corporation.The Foundation currently has two main activities. It presents the annual C&C Prizes to recognize outstanding contributions to R&D activities and pioneering work in the area of C&C. Candidates are recommended from all over the world. Each prize winner receives a certificate, a plaque, and a cash award (ten million yen per group). As of 2024, 129 prominent persons had received the prize.The Foundation also gives the following two grants: (1) grant to enable researchers in Japan to attend international conferences overseas to make presentations in the field of C&C and (2) grant to researchers in a doctorial course at a graduate school in Japan.For additional information, please visit The NEC C&C Foundation website at: www.candc.or.jp/en/index.html About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at www.nec.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

15 10 月, 2024

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing continues championship chase

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team will continue its chase for the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship on challenging roads across Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria when the Central European Rally takes place on October 17-20.2024 GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRIDBy achieving a magnificent maximum score on the previous round in Chile, TGR-WRT more than halved the gap to the manufacturers’ championship lead from 35 to 17 points with two rounds remaining. Both of the final events are made up of demanding asphalt roads – as the WRC returns to the surface for the first time since the Croatia Rally in April – with the second edition of the cross-border Central European Rally to be followed by the season finale at Rally Japan in November.Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans both remain in mathematical contention for the drivers’ championship and are joined in the team’s line-up for the Central European Rally by the returning Takamoto Katsuta. Following impressive first drives in the GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID on the gravel stages of Finland and Chile, rising star Sami Pajari once more lines up in an additional fourth entry for his first experience on asphalt at the highest level.The Central European Rally made its WRC debut one year ago, becoming the first round to ever feature stages driven in three different countries. The character of the stages varies from one region to another and the weather – in the middle of the European autumn – can also be changeable, making the roads more slippery with rain, mud and leaves.As in 2023, the rally begins from the Czech capital city, Prague. This year, shakedown will also be held on the edge of the city on Thursday morning before the ceremonial start in the capital’s famous castle district. The opening super special stage follows at the Velká Chuchle horse racing course, before a longer stage in the evening near the town of Klatovy. The same test is run twice more on Friday together with two other stages on Czech roads – which are especially bumpy and narrow yet fast in nature. There are opportunities for remote service to begin the morning and mid-afternoon, before cars return to the service park in Karpfham, to the south-west of the German city of Passau, at the end of the day.Saturday is the longest day of the rally with 123.46 competitive kilometres to be driven across two loops of three stages spanning Germany and Austria. The middle stage of the loop, Beyond Borders, begins in Germany and ends in Austria. Sunday’s finale features a pair of stages run twice on German roads before the final podium in Passau.The GR Yaris Rally2 car will be seen in WRC2 action in the hands of the top-seeded Czech driver, Filip Mareš, entered and run by ACCR Toyota Dolák.For more information, visit https://toyotagazooracing.com/wrc/release/2024/rd12-preview/. About Toyota Toyota strives to be a strong corporate citizen, engaging with and earning the trust of its stakeholders, and to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through all its business operations.Our corporate principles form the basis of our initiatives, reflect values that enable action, and drive our mindset.For the latest Toyota-related news and information:https://tinyurl.com/ToyotaPressReleasenewsroom@global.toyota Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

Overview of RTL ELECTRIC Competition Trial Bike

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda released an overview of the RTL ELECTRIC competition trial bike, to compete in the 2024 MFJ(1) All Japan Trial Championship Series, starting with the 6th round in Wakayama/Yuasa on October 13, 2024.RTL ELECTRICThe RTL ELECTRIC is being developed as an electric trial bike superior to the Montesa COTA 4RT factory bike, the pinnacle of trial bikes which demand lightness and strength to balance and operate in the most demanding situations, which contributed to Toni Bou’s unprecedented 18 consecutive Trial World Championship titles.For the power unit, the RTL ELECTRIC is equipped with the CR ELECTRIC PROTO electric motocross bike’s battery which has been optimized for trial use. The motor is integrated with an inverter. Honda is aiming to achieve high output performance with a view to future participation in the World Trial Championship. The RTL ELECTRIC is also equipped with a clutch, flywheel and transmission, essential for trials.The frame is newly developed based on the aluminum twin tube that has a proven track record with Honda’s RTL series of competition trial bikes. The frame’s rigidity is optimized for riding stability and weight reduction. The swing arm is also newly developed based on the RTL series, contributing to weight reduction. Furthermore, EV component placement has been optimized to position the center of gravity so that it is ideal for trial riding, aiming to realize intuitive maneuverability.Honda is committed to the electrification of motorcycles as the mainstay of its future environmental strategy, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality in all of its products and corporate activities by 2050, and in all of its motorcycle products by the 2040s. In motorsports, the CR ELECTRIC PROTO competed as a wildcard entry in last year’s All Japan Motocross Championship (JMX), and is competing in the FIM(2) E-Xplorer World Cup, a worldwide competition for electric off-road bikes, from this year. By competing in trials with electric bikes, Honda aims to further enhance its technologies.(1) MFJ: Motorcycle Federation of Japan(2) Féderation Internationale de MotocyclismeFor more imformation, visit https://global.honda/en/topics/2024/2_2024-10-11eng.html. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Agree on Technical Partnership for the Future of the Automotive Industry

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team announced today that they have concluded a basic agreement on entering a technical partnership concerning MoneyGram Haas F1 Team vehicle development and collaborative efforts. Through this partnership, the two sides aim to contribute to the development of the automotive industry by creating an environment in which young Japanese drivers, engineers, and mechanics can gain experience and grow in the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1), the pinnacle of motorsports.TGR continues to compete in motorsports to hone the three essential elements of car manufacturing: people, pipeline*, and product. In the "driver-first" carmaking strongly advocated by Toyota Motor Corporation Chairman Akio Toyoda, aka Morizo, cars are repeatedly broken and fixed in the arena of motorsports, and professional driver feedback is thoroughly incorporated into the development of production vehicles. In recent efforts to strengthen this approach, there is a growing need to enhance people by developing drivers, engineers, and mechanics, to effectively use the pipeline of data analysis and utilization, and to apply insights gained to products through vehicle development. Through the technical partnership announced today, TGR intends to further strengthen people and learn MoneyGram Haas F1 Team's pipeline, which is one of the team's strengths in F1, to accelerate the creation of ever-better motorsports-bred cars.Specifically, the agreement entails the participation in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team test drives by TGR training drivers, engineers, and mechanics. This will enable the drivers to gain driving experience in F1, and it will allow the engineers and mechanics to learn how to analyze vast amounts of data, such as driving data, to effectively operate a pipeline for such at TGR. The agreement also entails the participation of TGR engineers and mechanics in MoneyGram Haas F1 Team racing car aerodynamics development to cultivate human resources―by having participants design and manufacture carbon-fiber parts in simulated extreme operational environments―who can play active roles on the front lines of the pinnacle of motorsports and reflect the technology and knowledge acquired in production vehicles.Sharing a desire to contribute to motorsports and the automotive industry through human resource development, TGR and MoneyGram Haas F1 Team intend to continue their initiatives for strengthening their racing teams.*The know-how and infrastructure for multi-point sharing of vast amounts of data, such as ongoing-race driving data, immediately analyzing such data, and promptly utilizing it in strategic planning for the race at handAbout Toyota Toyota strives to be a strong corporate citizen, engaging with and earning the trust of its stakeholders, and to contribute to the creation of a prosperous society through all its business operations.Our corporate principles form the basis of our initiatives, reflect values that enable action, and drive our mindset.For the latest Toyota-related news and information:https://tinyurl.com/ToyotaPressReleasenewsroom@global.toyota Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

Dongfeng Honda Holds Opening Ceremony for New Energy Vehicle Production Plant in China

TOKYO, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Dongfeng Honda Automobile Co., Ltd. (Dongfeng Honda), a Honda automobile production and sales joint venture in China, today held a ceremony to commemorate the start of operation of its new energy vehicle (NEV) production plant in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China.The ceremony was attended by a number of guests and executives including representatives of Wuhan City and Hubei Province governments; Yang Qing, Chairman of Dongfeng Motor Corporation; Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of Honda; and Masayuki Igarashi, Managing Executive Officer of Honda and Chief Officer in charge of Regional Operations (China).The Dongfeng Honda NEV production plant is the first dedicated Honda electric vehicle (EV) production plant in the world to begin operations. A highly efficient EV production line was realized by increasing the level of automation, mainly in the assembly process, and also by integrating quality and various operational data obtained in each process within the plant. Moreover, through the introduction of a multi-level automated warehouse and automation of parts logistics, this plant became the first Honda plant in the world to completely eliminate logistics personnel in the stamping process.As for environmentally-responsible features, the overall energy consumption of the plant was reduced through various measures including the reduction of electricity use with the adoption of an efficient daylighting layout, as well as the utilization of thermal energy generated during production for heating systems and other purposes. In addition, through the real-time monitoring of the energy consumption of each process within the plant, excess electricity consumption will be reduced depending on the situation. Furthermore, Dongfeng Honda will strive to further reduce the plant’s environmental footprint by linking the respective data on each process and optimizing overall power consumption, while minimizing the impact on production.Dongfeng Honda NEV production plantHonda has set a global environmental goal of “realizing carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050.”In China, Honda is planning to introduce a total of 10 Honda-brand EV models by 2027, including models for the e:N Series launched in 2022, as well as the Ye Series, a next-generation EV series Honda unveiled in April 2024. With these EV models, Honda is aiming to achieve 100% EV sales in China by 2035.Comments by Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of HondaIt is our great pleasure to hold an opening ceremony for the first dedicated Honda EV production plant which just started operation. Honda will operate this new plant smoothly and stably and provide high-quality EV models to our customers in China, through which we will continue our pursuit to “Expand the Joys for our customers and society.” Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

UAE to Partner with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Again for Next Emirati National Mission

TOKYO, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The UAE Space Agency ("UAESA") has formalized an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. ("MHI"), a renowned global industrial group and trusted provider of the H-IIA and H-IIB Launch Vehicles. This partnership will provide launch services for the UAE's landmark endeavor, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA).Signing CeremonyThe UAE Space Agency is spearheading the development of the MBR Explorer, named in honor of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as part of the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. This flagship mission, a successor of the Emirates Mars Mission, is set to launch in the first quarter of 2028. The mission aims to add to our understanding of the foundation of our solar system and the presence and origins of the building blocks of life found in the asteroid belt, as well as lay the ground for possible future resource extraction from asteroids.EMA comprises a thirteen-year mission: a six-year spacecraft development period followed by a seven-year flight to the main asteroid belt beyond Mars, performing a series of close flybys to make unique observations of the main belt asteroids and land on the seventh one, Justicia.This is the third launch services agreement between MHI and the UAE for Emirati national missions, following KhalifaSat launched in 2018, and Emirates Mars Mission launched in 2020.Mohsen AlAwadhi, Mission Director for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, said: "We are pleased to partner once again with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) as the launch provider for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. MHI's consistent track record of reliability, coupled with their cutting-edge H3 launch vehicle, aligns with our mission's ambitious goals.We have high expectations for the H3 launch vehicle, given its enhanced capabilities and MHI's commitment to precision and excellence. This partnership represents not only the next step in the UAE's journey into deep space but also a testament to our confidence in MHI's technology and expertise."Iwao Igarashi, Vice President and Senior General Manager of Space Systems at MHI, said: "First of all, we appreciate UAESA for selecting MHI as the launch services provider for EMA and their continued trust following our partnership for KhalifaSat and Emirates Mars Mission. It is our honor to provide the launch services to the UAE again for their important national mission. On behalf of MHI, I express sincere respect for the UAESA and involved organizations for challenging this highly unique, unprecedented, and adventurous project. We are very excited to support the project as the launch services provider. MHI is committed to delivering the MBR Explorer to the orbit successfully and providing a smooth start of the UAESA's new journey to the deep space."MHI Launch Services enjoys an extremely high success rate of over 98%, utilising its H-IIA and H-IIB launch vehicles, and has executed more than 50 successful consecutive launches since 2005, delivered on-time and to the customer's satisfaction. Today, MHI's technologies and know-how of development and operation of launch vehicles are exploited in successful launches of H3, Japan's new launch vehicle. H3 Launch Vehicle builds on the legacy of the highly reliable H-IIA & H-IIB and it is designed to be more customer-oriented and capable to satisfy a variety of launch demands. The third launch of H3 was successfully completed the third launch of H3 on 1 July 2024. MHI is determined to sustain the quality of launch vehicles, providing reliable launch solutions to the market.This partnership embodies MHI's long term support for customers and commitment to providing reliable means of access to space to a variety of customers in space industry. With this partnership to launch the MBR Explorer for EMA, UAESA and MHI will contribute together to diversification of space exploration, enhancement of space industry and solving of global social issues.About UAE Space AgencyThe UAE Space Agency is a federal agency that was created under Federal Law by Decree No. 1 of 2014, to be responsible for all the projects, activities, and programs related to outer space. The UAE Space Agency aims to organise, regulate, and support the space sector in the country, support the sustainable national economy, and promote the UAE's position on the regional and global space map.The UAE Space Agency is responsible for proposing policies, strategies, legislation, and plans related to the space sector, offering guidance for national space programmes, developing and attracting national capabilities, supporting research and development projects, and granting permits for space activities.The Agency also leads many projects and initiatives, including the Space Economic Zones Program, to support startups and SMEs and strengthen the national space economy, the Space Data Center, the Geo-Spatial Analytics Platform, the Space Analytics and Solutions (SAS) Program, the Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) Hope Probe, and the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt (EMA), the first mission of its kind to study seven asteroids in the main asteroid belt.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

Oita University and Hitachi High-Tech Give a Joint Presentation on the Use of AI Technology to Extend the Lifespan of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

TOKYO, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - National University Corporation OITA UNIVERSITY ("Oita University") and Hitachi High-Tech Corporation ("Hitachi High-Tech") today announced that we have started conducting research ("this research") into predicting and extendingthe life of electrocatalysts used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC), utilizing Hitachi High-Tech’s technology that uses AI to perform image analysis. We will be giving a joint presentation on the contents of this research at The Chemical Society of Japan Autumn Event 14th CSJ Chemistry Festa 2024, which will be held at Tower Hall, Funabori (Tokyo) from October 22 to 25, 2024.Kinumoto Laboratory at the Faculty of Science and Technology of Oita University is involved in research initiatives using the Identical Location Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (IL-FE-SEM)*1 of Oita university's proprietary technology to figure out the degradation mechanism of PEFC electrocatalysts and develop robust PEFC.This research is part of the Green Technologies for Excellence (GteX)*2 project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST).Hitachi High-Tech develops, manufactures, and sells electron microscopes, so has a wealth of expertise in the analysis of observation images, also solves problems faced by customers using informatics technologies, Materials Informatics (MI) and Process Informatics (PI)*3. Hitachi High-Tech has drawn on these strengths and combined them with AI and SEM image analysis technologies to provide support for Oita University’s PEFC research and development.Including with this research, Oita University and Hitachi High-Tech aim to continue working to accelerate efforts to develop longer-lasting PEFC going forward and contribute to solving social issues such as by achieving carbon neutrality and a decarbonized society.BackgroundPEFC are a type of fuel cell that use polymer materials as the electrolyte*4 to generate electricity (energy) by causing chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen at two electrodes. Fuel cells of all kinds are increasingly used as a form of sustainable energy that can reduce CO2 emissions and, among those, PEFC are also used in everyday applications such as vehicle and household power sources. As the achievement of carbon neutrality becomes recognized as a key issue facing society, it is predicted that PEFC will become increasingly necessary. To that end, however, PEFC in their current state need to be higher durability, with higher output, and lower in cost. This research aims to shed light on the mechanism behind the degradation of electrocatalysts, which is the utmost important issue in prolonging PEFC life, by using AI technology to analyze FE-SEM observation images and make more efficient analysis based on quantitative data possible.Overview of this ResearchThis research used Oita University's IL-FE-SEM technology and Hitachi High-Tech's AI- powered image analysistechnology to study electrocatalyst durability and surface degradation through accelerated degradation tests in which a pulse voltage is repeatedly applied to the PEFC electrocatalysts.*5In order to figure out the deterioration mechanism, in which there is a reduction in the electrochemical surface area (ECSA)*6 of the electrocatalytic platinum particles, Oita University is using IL-FE-SEM technology to visually inspectand analyze the platinum particles in observation images. However, although it is possible to use IL-FE-SEM technology to acquire a large volume of observation images, this has its problems in that there is a tremendous workload involved in analyzing all of the observation images due to there being hundreds of platinum particles present in each individual image. To resolve this problem, Hitachi High-Tech provided AI-driven image analysis technology to streamline the task of image analysis. Specifically, AI image analysis was used to detect*7 platinum particles present in each test. After the particles were detected in the images that had been taken, changes in the status of the particles (their disappearance, aggregation, or formation) could be tracked and the particle count automatically determined.Going forward, the researchers will continue to work to improve particle detection accuracy and make advancements in figuring out the degradation mechanism of more efficient PEFC, as both Oita University and Hitachi High Tech will push ahead and continue to work together to develop long-lasting PEFC. They will also contribute to the cultivation ofdata scientists with a grounding in chemistry by working together with the students of Oita University on pushing this analysis forward.This research is being performed through technical collaboration with Hitachi Co., Ltd. (“Hitachi”), and the presentation at CSJ Chemistry Festa 2024 is planned to be performed jointly by Oita University, Hitachi High-Tech, and Hitachi.Related Information- CSJ Chemistry Festa 2024 https://festa.csj.jp/2024/index.html (Japanese only)- The date and time of the presentation on this research: Wednesday, October 23, 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM within the Festa plan, student poster presentations*8.- Presentation topic: “Analysis of Degradation of Pt/C Electrocatalysts for PEFC using Identical Location FE-SEM Observation and AI Image Analysis”(1) Identical Location Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (IL-FE-SEM): It refers to the observation of a fixed-point using FE-SEM and is a technology independently developed by Oita University. Observing a fixed-point can be used effectively in research tracking and figuring out changes in physical matter.(2) Green Technologies for Excellence (GteX): A project by JST for supporting R&D and personnel development at universities, National Research and Development Agencies and similar institutions with the aim of continually creating new technologies targeted toward achieving GX (green transformation).(3) Materials Informatics (MI) and Process Informatics (PI): Initiatives to make materials development more efficient by using informatics techniques that leverage statistical analysis and other such methodologies. MI is often used to predict material properties or for design purposes, while PI is often used to streamline the production process.(4) Electrolytes: A substance used to move ions between electrodes and facilitate an electrochemical reaction.(5) Durability testing using an accelerated degradation test (ADT). ADT rapidly evaluates fuel cell durability by applying a constant potential pulse to a sample. FE-SEM was used to image the same location on the catalyst surface to study the degradation in the cathode catalyst surface occurring over repeated tests.(6) Electrochemical surface area: It refers to the surface area over which the reaction occurs, and it serves as an important metric when evaluating the performanceof catalysts and electrode materials. The larger the electrochemical surface area, the higher the electrochemical reaction efficiency.(7) Detected particles using semantic segmentation. Semantic segmentation assigns labels to each and every pixel in an image, enabling a precise level of detection even across wide image areas.(8) Student poster presentations: A student poster session will be held with the objective of encouraging discussion between students and industry, academia, and government representatives.About Hitachi High-TechHitachi High-Tech, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is engaged in activities in a broad range of fields, including manufacture and sales of clinical analyzers, biotechnology products, radiation therapy systems, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, analytical instruments, and analysis equipment. Also, we provide high value-added solutions in industrial fields such as mobility, connected, environment and energy, etc. Through business based on our core Observation, Measurement and Analysis technologies, we will contribute to the realization of a sustainable society by solving social issues.The company's consolidated revenues for FY2023 were approx. JPY 670.4 billion. For further information, visit https://www.hitachi-hightech.com/global/en/About Oita UniversityOita University has a Faculty of Education, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Science andTechnology, and Faculty of Welfare and Health Science. The university's Basic Policy state that it strives to “foster people rich in creativity, social abilities, and humanity through education and research in the humanities, the social sciences, and the natural sciences. In addition, it will actively contribute to peace and development in the world. It will play an active role in promoting human welfare and creating new culture.” This initiative is being conducted at theFaculty of Science and Technology, where research and development targeted at achieving carbon neutrality is conducted, including research into fuel cells.Contact:Takumi SenbaMaterial Solution Dept., Supply Chain Resilience Div.,Supply Chain Platform Business Group, Hitachi High-Tech CorporationEmail : mi-info.aj.ml@hitachi-hightech.com/ Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

NEC Security Provides Cybersecurity Capacity Building Exercises for Pacific Island Countries

TOKYO, Oct 11, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - NEC Security, Ltd., an NEC Group company, has been commissioned by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to conduct cybersecurity capacity building exercises for Pacific island countries. Exercises were first conducted in Fiji for seven days from October 2 to 10, 2024, with 29 cybersecurity practitioners from government agencies and critical infrastructure operators from 13 countries participating. Additional training is scheduled to take place in the United States territory of Guam in February 2025.In recent years, international cooperation is indispensable for ensuring the success of cybersecurity measures that are implemented across national borders. In order to reduce cybersecurity risks for the entire world, it is important to support the building of cybersecurity capabilities in developing countries, including the Indo-Pacific region, which occupies an important geographical position.Since the opening of the ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC)(1) in 2018, NEC has supported the project’s operations through initiatives that include the coordination of approximately 30 cyber exercises for ASEAN member countries. Utilizing this knowledge, instructors and tutors from NEC Security, a cybersecurity specialist, are providing training tailored to the current state and needs of cybersecurity in Pacific island countries. Specifically, after participants conduct more than one month of online pre-study, NEC Security’s program includes five days of incident response training in the event of a cyberattack, thereby contributing to the building of practical cybersecurity capabilities.SummaryDate, time and place: - 1st Session: October 2, 2024 ~ October 10, 2024, Fiji- 2nd Session: February 2025, Guam, USATarget Audience: - Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Nauru, Tuvalu, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Cook Islands- Cybersecurity practitioners serving government officials and critical infrastructure operatorsOrganizer: Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and CommunicationsContents of the event: - 1 month or more of online pre-study- Incident response training, review of pre-learning and desktop exercises- Cyber exercise using CYDER(2) (5 days hands-on)Going forward, NEC and NEC Security will continue to contribute to the improvement of cybersecurity capabilities by providing cyber defense exercises, products and services to government agencies and critical infrastructure companies internationally.Under the value-delivery model “NEC BluStellar”(3), NEC is transforming business models with cutting-edge technologies to help solve challenges for customers and society.(1) The ASEAN-Japan Cybersecurity Capacity Building Centre (AJCCBC) was opened by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in September 2018 to promote the development of cybersecurity human resources for ASEAN member countries.(2) The Cyber Defense Exercise with Recurrence (CYDER) is a hands-on, practical cyber defense exercise conducted by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) for information system personnel from national administrative agencies, local governments, independent administrative agencies, and critical infrastructure operators.(3) NEC provides end-to-end services for digital transformation (DX) through the "NEC BluStellar" value-delivery model. NEC BluStellar transforms business models to address social and business challenges by applying diverse industry insights and world-leading technological expertise to the entire DX process, from customer strategy consultation through implementation.About NEC CorporationNEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential. For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

11 10 月, 2024

Launch of Japan’s First EV Smart-charging Service Using Connected Technologies

TOKYO, Oct 10, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), MC Retail Energy Co., Ltd. (MC Retail Energy), Kaluza Japan and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) are pleased to announce our official commencement of an electric-vehicle (EV) smart-charging service leveraging connected technologies. The commercial viability of this business, which is the first of its kind in Japan1, was verified during a proof of concept (PoC2) that began in February 2024. The objectives of the PoC were to refine both the level of service provided and precision of the app used by its customers.Features of this ServiceThis service makes it possible for owners of MMC's Outlander PHEVs3 to directly control the charging of their vehicles from an advanced energy software platform provided by Kaluza Japan via MMC's connected systems4. It offers customers a new EV-charging experience, as it can optimize charging in line with electricity prices. The service will be made available through subscriptions to MC Retail Energy's EV smart-charging plans for households. Benefits to Customers:- Daily Smart ChargingSimply by connecting their Outlander PHEVs to their home charging stations and using the smartphone app to set the time they intend to next use their vehicles, customers can instruct the system to automatically control when their vehicles are charged. They do not need to purchase any special equipment or follow any complicated procedures.- Points System Based on Use of Controlled Charging (electricity discounts)Some of the cost savings realized by using this service to optimize charging via MC Retail Energy's smart-charging plans will be returned to the customer in the form of electricity-bill discounts.Benefits to Society:- Effective Use of Renewable Energies (renewables)Electricity prices fluctuate based on power generation and demand, and they tend to be lower when a lot of electricity is generated by renewables. As this system factors those prices into the timing of its controlled EV charging, it will make an indirect contribution to using renewables more effectively.- Efficient "Peak-hour" ShiftsBy controlling charging, this service will also help to shift the hours of peak electricity loads to facilitate more efficient operation of Japan's energy grid, which will lessen the burden on society when costs are incurred in upgrading or expanding that infrastructure.For more information, visit www.mitsubishicorp.com/jp/en/pr/archive/2024/html/0000054825.html.Inquiry Recipient:Mitsubishi CorporationTelephone:+81-3-3210-2171 Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

10 10 月, 2024

Lexus Introduces Enhancements to the LX Series and the All-New LX 700h Featuring a Newly Developed Advanced Hybrid System

TOKYO, Oct 10, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Lexus brings new enhancements to the LX and introduces the LX 700h, featuring the brand's newly developed hybrid system, which was announced on October 10th. A phased rollout across various regions is scheduled to begin in late 2024.Since its founding in 1989, Lexus has consistently upheld a spirit of innovation, continually striving to provide customers with new technologies and value. With the aim of achieving a carbon-neutral society and the desire to enrich automotive lifestyles with one's car, we will continue to provide a diverse range of options to meet the needs of customers around the world.The LX is a flagship SUV based on the concept of "effortless and refined driving on any road around the world." It combines driving performance that can handle any road in the world, while still providing the signature refined comfort of a Lexus. It is now beloved by customers in over 50 countries across the globe.At the same time, it was also the only model in the Lexus lineup that did not have an electrified vehicle option.Introducing the LX 700h, Lexus has developed a new parallel hybrid system that prioritizes preserving the "reliability," "durability," and "off-road performance" that the LX series has cultivated over generations, even amidst the shift to electrification. By utilizing motor torque to achieve the signature Lexus driving experience, annual CO2 emissions across all global vehicles will be significantly reduced, further improving environmental performance.Lexus has further refined its distinctive Lexus Driving Signature by enhancing the core fundamentals, including the engine model. The "engaging driving dialogue" that reacts instantly to driver inputs has been further refined while the vehicle has been upgraded with the latest Lexus Safety System + (LSS+) for enhanced safety and peace of mind.To further meet the diverse needs of our global customers, we have added the new OVERTRAIL series. With the early launch of the GX and NX OVERTRAIL models, we will continue to expand the lineup of the LEXUS OVERTRAIL PROJECT.Takami Yokoo, Lexus International Chief EngineerIn 2021, the LX underwent a full model change based on the concept of "effortless and refined driving on any road," earning widespread acclaim from customers worldwide, for which we are sincerely grateful. However, it posed a challenge within the Lexus lineup, as it remained the only model without an electrified option―despite our commitment to achieving a carbon-neutral society. For those of us who have been deeply involved with the LX over the years, electrifying it for use in demanding global environments seemed both an immense challenge and a long-held aspiration.During development, we were determined in our commitment not to compromise the reliability, durability, and off-road performance that has defined previous LX models, even with electrification. Our goal was to ensure safe, reliable operation, allowing customers to return home safely, while preserving the true Lexus driving experience. The solution we reached, as a unified development team, was the development of a new parallel hybrid system along with upgrades to the GA-F platform.Three years after the release of the gasoline and diesel models, we have further refined the Lexus Driving Signature, while enhancing both safety and comfort features. Our extensive ongoing driving flavor refinements have been fully integrated into the HEV models, elevating the "engaging driving dialogue" with the car. With updates to the electronic platform and the latest enhancements to LSS+, we have introduced improvements that make driving even more effortless and refined. We invite you to experience the new LX, thoughtfully crafted with the passion and dedication of our development team, as we embrace the next chapter of electrification with the HEV models.For more information, visit https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/lexus/41628808.html. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

10 10 月, 2024

Anime Tokyo Station: Anime hub born in Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, celebrates its 1st anniversary

Special Exhibition: TV Anime Pokémon 1st anniversary event to be held!TOKYO, Oct 10, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - The anime exhibition hub, Anime Tokyo Station, which leverages Japanese anime content loved by fans worldwide, has welcomed over 100,000 visitors from Japan and abroad since its opening in October last year.This facility serves as a launch point into the world of anime, where travelers visiting Tokyo from all over the world, specialists, children, and adults alike can gather and enjoy discovering both past masterpieces and the latest popular series.To commemorate its 1st anniversary, a special exhibition for the globally popular TV anime Pokémon will be held. Through displays featuring iconic scenes broadcasted on TV, visitors can relive Pokémon's vibrant history. Additionally, there will be an interactive corner where the two protagonists from "Liko and Roy Channel" come to life and react to visitors.Furthermore, at the end of October, the facility will host a "1st Anniversary Event" featuring the popular voice actors Miina Tominaga and Ryūsei Nakao.Please visit Anime Tokyo Station and indulge yourself in the allure of anime.Symbolic artistic installation on the 1st floor of AnimeInquiries regarding this press releasePublic Relations Office of "Anime Tokyo Station" (Kyodo PR)Contact person: Miri YasudaE-mail: animetokyo-pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp TV Anime Pokémon Special Exhibition- Exhibition OverviewThe new series of the currently airing TV anime Pokémon features a dual protagonist format, centering on a young girl, Liko, and a young boy, Roy, and began airing in April 2023. On Friday, October 11th, a new chapter, "Rayquaza Rising," will commence. This special exhibition will present the world of the TV anime Pokémon and trace the journey of Liko and Roy’s adventures thus far.- Main Exhibition Contents・ ExhibitsOriginal drawings of iconic scenes, panels of the main characters and Pokémon, Liko's pendant, and the ancient Poké Ball, among other items.・ Photo SpotsPhoto spots where visitors can take pictures with characters and Pokémon, including face cutout panels.・ "Liko and Roy Channel" Experience CornerAn interactive experience corner where Liko and Roy react to visitors.- Exhibition PeriodFrom October 26 (Sat), 2024, to February 2 (Sun), 20251st Anniversary Event(1) Date & Time: October 31 (Thu), 2024, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. (tentative)(2) Venue: Anime Tokyo Station, 1st Floor (Tokyu Building East Building No. 5, 2-25-5 Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward)(3) Panels:Miina Tominaga (voice actor)Ryūsei Nakao (voice actor)(4) Overview:Talk show and special segments by the panels, congratulatory messages from the voice actors, etc.(5) Participant Application Overview:- Number of participants: 50 (by lottery)- Application period: From October 4 (Fri), 2024, to October 20 (Sun), 2024- Application method: Please apply via the dedicated application form.Please refer to the official Anime Tokyo Station website for more details and applications.*Panels and content are subject to change without notice. Thank you for your understanding. Overview of the Facility- Name: Anime Tokyo Station (abbreviation: Anime Tokyo)- Location: Tokyu Building East Building No.5, 1-2F above ground, B1F below ground (2-25-5, Minami-Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo) *4-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station- Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (last admission by 6:45 p.m.)- Closed: Mondays *If Monday is a holiday, the museum will be open on Monday and closed the following day. Also closed on New Year holidays, temporary closures, etc. *Please check the official website before visiting.- Admission: Free- Official website: https://animetokyo.jp/en/Press release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20241010.pdf Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

10 10 月, 2024

Honda Announces CUV e: and ICON e: Electric Personal Commuters in Indonesia

TOKYO, Oct 9, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda announced two electric personal commuter models in Indonesia today: the CUV e:, which uses two Honda Mobile Power Pack e: swappable batteries as its power source, and the ICON e:, which has a fixed battery(1).Honda announced CUV e: and ICON e: electric personal commuter modelsNew models introduced as 10th and 11th models according to Honda’s plan to announce 30 electric models to be launched globally by 2030Honda provides diverse choice according to customer needs, by announcing fixed-battery model in addition to Honda Mobile Power Pack e: compatible modelsHonda plans to expand a wide variety of electric motorcycles globally, with 2024 as the first year of electric globalizationHonda aims to achieve carbon neutrality in all of its products and corporate activities by 2050, and to realize carbon neutrality in all of its motorcycle products by the 2040s. To this end, Honda is taking initiatives to electrify motorcycles as the main pillar of its environmental strategy.Honda has positioned 2024 as the first year for its global expansion of electric motorcycles and will begin full-scale entry into the electric motorcycle market. Honda considers this time to 2026 as its market entry period, from 2026 to 2030 as its business expansion period, and from 2030 as its period of full-scale business expansion.The CUV e: and ICON e: correspond to the tenth and eleventh models, respectively, of the “30 electric models to be launched globally by 2030,” announced at the 2023 Briefing on Honda Electric Motorcycle Business held on November 29, 2023, toward which Honda is making steady progress.Honda plans to manufacture both the CUV e: and ICON e: in Indonesia, at locations appropriate to the needs of each region, and will expand from Indonesia to other regions globally. The enhancement of the electric commuter lineup will not only include models equipped with the Honda Mobile Power Pack e:, but also models with fixed batteries, increasing the variety of options to meet customer needs and making electric motorcycles more accessible.Honda will accelerate its efforts to develop a full lineup of electric motorcycles, including commuters, to meet the needs of more customers, and will continue to build a wide variety of electric motorcycles.CUV e:The CUV e: is a 110cc-equivalent model powered by two Honda Mobile Power Pack e: swappable batteries, and is the result of developing the SC e: Concept, which was exhibited as a world premiere at the JAPAN MOBILITY SHOW 2023 held at Tokyo Big Sight in 2023.CUV e:’s naming is derived from the CUV ES (Clean Urban Vehicle Electric Scooter), the first electric scooter lease-sold by Honda in 1994. The CUV e: was developed with the same city commuter concept as the CUV ES, as an electric scooter that realizes convenient mobility for many people in the cities, and with the “e:” that signifies it is a Honda electric vehicle, is positioned as a new era personal commuter.The design features the simple and sleek styling characteristic of EVs, and iconic front and rear combination lights that make it instantly recognizable as the CUV e:.Two Honda Mobile Power Pack e: interchangeable batteries are used as the CUV e:’s power source, and Honda’s in-house developed motor contributes to the improvement of the cruising range by optimizing the magnetic circuit and structure to achieve higher efficiency.The CUV e: is equipped with three riding modes (STANDARD, SPORT, and ECON) to suit various riding situations according to the customer’s preference, and a reverse mode is also available for turning around in tight space.Furthermore, a model equipped with Honda RoadSync Duo®(2),(3), Honda’s unique service that allows users to make calls and use navigation features by connecting the bike to a smartphone via Bluetooth®(4), is also available.ICON e:ICON e: is a new model based on the EM1 e:, equipped with Honda Mobile Power Pack e:, and is equivalent to a Class 1 moped in Japan. The main electric components including the battery have been changed, and its exterior has been redesigned for Indonesia.The ICON e:’s power source is a ternary lithium-ion battery, widely used in China, and can be recharged in two ways: on-board the ICON e: or as a stand-alone battery.A compact in-wheel motor is used for the rear wheel, and the power control unit efficiently controls the motor output to achieve a cruising range of more than 50 km(5) per charge, while also realizing clean and quiet riding.The ICON e: also features storage space under the seat for a helmet, as well as a luggage compartment for small items. In addition, a front inner rack and a USB Type-A socket convenient for charging mobile devices are standard equipment. The ICON e: includes features that are easy to use in everyday life.The headlight features a simple flush-surface design, creating an iconic look. High brightness LEDs contribute to a sense of security when riding at night.The ICON e:’s dashboard features full-digital meters on an inverted LCD display. In addition to the speedometer and clock, various information, such as the remaining battery level, is displayed on a simple layout, contributing to excellent legibility.(1) Battery can be recharged either mounted in, or removed from the ICON e:.(2) Honda RoadSync Duo requires smartphone app installation(3) For details on Honda RoadSync Duo®, please visit https://global.honda/en/roadsync-duo/(4) Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. in the U.S.(5) According to Honda tests Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

9 10 月, 2024

Mitsubishi Power Completes Landmark 5,300MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project in Thailand

TOKYO, Oct 9, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), has completed construction of the eighth and final M701JAC unit of a 5,300MW natural gas-fired power plant project in Thailand. The project, a joint venture between Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, one of Thailand's largest independent power producers (IPP), and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (Mitsui & Co.), a Japanese trading company, successfully commenced full commercial operations on October 1, 2024.GTCC Power Plant in RayongThe milestone marks the on-time completion of a multi-phase project awarded in 2018, featuring two gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) plants in Chonburi and Rayong Provinces, key hubs for technological manufacturing and services, with a total installed capacity of 5,300 MW. Each plant is equipped with four M701JAC gas turbines, steam turbines, and heat recovery steam generators, ensuring a reliable and sustainable energy supply critical for Thailand's energy security and economic growth. On October 1, the first seven units installed in Chonburi and Rayong have collectively logged 100,000 actual operating hours (AOH), reinforcing their proven reliability.The project's first phase at the Chonburi power plant* marked a significant milestone as the site of Mitsubishi Power's inaugural J-Series Air-Cooled (JAC) gas turbine installation in Southeast Asia in 2021. The plant was fully completed in October 2022 and received the prestigious "Power Plant of the Year"' award at the Power and Energy Awards, presented during the annual Enlit Asia 2023 conference and exhibition. The units were delivered by Mitsubishi Power in close cooperation with its customers and construction partners, with constant application of learnings and improvements from previous units applied to enhance the quality of the project.At the completion ceremony, Boonchai Thirati, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited said: "As a result of our collective efforts as a team, we successfully navigated challenges posed by COVID-19 and commenced the operation of all eight units on schedule. We thank all our partners for their excellent performance and look forward to continuing our partnership to deliver stable electricity to communities across Thailand."Takao Tsukui, Executive Vice President, Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. said: "Having overcome challenging circumstances, including COVID-19, we completed each of the remaining units every 6 months. Today, all units are fully operational on schedule - a testament to the unwavering collaboration of everyone involved, and a milestone we take immense pride in. As our first JAC gas turbine project in Southeast Asia, the GTCC plants in Chonburi and Rayong Provinces set the stage for contracting over 90 JAC gas turbines globally. We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us and are committed to ensuring the continued success of this project through our long-term service agreement."Following the completion of the two GTCC power plants, Mitsubishi Power is committed to maintaining the facilities under the Long Term Service Agreement (LTSA). In conjunction with the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract, a 25-year power purchase agreement with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and a 25-year LTSA with Mitsubishi Power have been established to ensure the plant continues to meet Thailand's growing energy needs at peak performance throughout its lifespan.Mitsubishi Power has established a strong track record in large-scale gas turbine installations in Thailand. In 2011, the company received full-turnkey orders from a company backed by Gulf Energy Development to construct GTCC plants at Nong Saeng and U Thai, which began commercial operations in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In 2020, Mitsubishi Power secured an order from Hin Kong Power Company Limited, another Gulf Energy Development joint venture, for a GTCC plant comprising two M701JAC gas turbines.The M701JAC gas turbines deliver an exceptional 64% power generation efficiency, drastically reducing fuel costs and carbon emissions. These advanced gas turbines support the region in enhancing energy stability as nations work to decarbonize their energy mixes. To meet the growing energy demand in the region, Mitsubishi Power remains dedicated to advancing its gas turbine and GTCC technologies. Through strategic partnerships and continuous innovation, the company aims to support a stable and reliable energy transition that meets the future energy needs of the region.Commercial Operation Date Ceremony*The power plant in Chonburi Province is operated by Gulf SRC Company Limited.About MHI GroupMitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

9 10 月, 2024

Honda Introduces Next-generation Technologies for Honda 0 Series Models at Honda 0 Tech Meeting 2024

TOKYO, Oct 9, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today held its “Honda 0 Tech Meeting 2024” and introduced some of the next-generation technologies to be applied to the Honda 0 Series, a completely new EV series Honda is planning to launch in the global market starting in 2026.The Honda 0 Series is being developed with new ideas Honda is generating from “zero” with a new approach to EV development – “Thin, Light, and Wise.” With this development approach, Honda will offer five core values through its EVs.1) Artistic design that resonates with people2) Automated Driving/Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (AD/ADAS) that ensures safety and peace of mind3) New value of EV as a “space” for people made possible by the internet of things (IoT) and connected technologies4) The joy of driving with the feeling of oneness with the vehicle5) Outstanding electricity efficiency performanceAt CES 2024 held in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. in January of this year, Honda unveiled two concept models of the Honda 0 Series, the Saloon and the Space-Hub. Honda also announced plans to launch a production model of the Saloon in 2026. This production model will be close to the Saloon concept model, and it will be positioned as the flagship model of the Honda 0 Series. Moreover, Honda has also announced plans to introduce a total of seven Honda 0 Series models globally by 2030, including small-, medium- and large-size models.Honda is planning to unveil a new Honda 0 Series model at CES 2025, scheduled to be held in January 2025. This new model will be the embodiment in product form of the technologies and electrification concept introduced during the Honda 0 Tech Meeting. Keynote by Chief Executive Officer Chairman of the Board of Directors Toshihiro MibeFor more information, visit https://global.honda/en/newsroom/news/2024/c241009eng.html. Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

9 10 月, 2024

Toyota to Exhibit at Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024

Toyota City, Japan, Oct 9, 2024 - (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) - Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) has announced today that it will exhibit at Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024, to be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from Tuesday, October 15 to Friday, October 18.Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024 is an event where the mobility industry and startups that will lead the next generation interact to co-create toward the shared goal of a sustainable future. At the event, Toyota will exhibit technology related to carbon neutrality from among its various sustainability initiatives.For Japan, a country with limited land and resources, "energy policy" is a significant challenge for both the nation and its industries. Given this situation, it is crucial for the mobility sector, which has a broad base and operates in the B to C market, to act as a pacesetter, fostering collaboration across the entire industry.In pursuit of achieving carbon neutrality through a multi-pathway approach, Toyota will promote co-creation with startups and other companies in the areas of 1) initiatives towards realizing a hydrogen society and 2) renewable energy management, both of which contribute to the stability of energy supply and the reduction of environmental impact. By fostering new partnerships and driving technological innovation, Toyota aims to strengthen its efforts to help create a sustainable future.The main exhibits will be as follows.1. Liquid hydrogen-powered GR CorollaToyota began racing with a hydrogen-powered Corolla running on gaseous hydrogen in 2021. Since 2023, it has been competing in endurance races in Japan and abroad using a liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla.The actual vehicle that has been competing in races will be on display at the JAMA joint exhibition booth, where Toyota will present its continued activities to refine cars and people through racing and to take on challenges and evolve together with partners in industry, government, and academia to achieve carbon neutrality.Liquid hydrogen-powered GR Corolla 2. Portable Hydrogen CartridgeToyota is working on research and development toward realizing a carbon-neutral society based on a multi-pathway approach with diverse viable energy options. Hydrogen is the ultimate clean energy that emits no CO2 during use, and CO2emissions can also be minimized during the production process when renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are used. Hydrogen can be used to generate electricity in fuel cell systems and can also be used as a combustion fuel.These portable hydrogen cartridges will be exhibited for the first time in Japan at this event. The technology Toyota has cultivated in the development of FCEVs is used to reduce the size and weight of hydrogen tanks, which were previously large and difficult to carry, to a size that can be carried by hand. They are designed to make hydrogen a familiar and safe energy source that can be used in a variety of everyday situations.Portable Hydrogen CartridgeA hydrogen-powered cooker developed together with Rinnai Corporation will also be exhibited as an example of hydrogen use, where hydrogen in portable cartridges is used for fuel cells to generate electricity or for cooking by combusting hydrogen gas in portable hydrogen cartridges.Through this exhibition, Toyota aims to find matches with the technologies and ideas of various companies and startups from a variety of perspectives, including both providing services and developing and selling devices using portable hydrogen cartridges. In doing so, Toyota will further strengthen its efforts to use portable hydrogen cartridges and help create a hydrogen society.3. Sweep Energy Storage SystemCreating a carbon-neutral society requires not only solving energy issues but also building a circular economy. Toyota emphasizes the circular economy in its car manufacturing as well, having long since worked on designs that minimize waste as well as the recycling and reuse of raw materials. In light of the rapid popularization of electrified vehicles in particular, including hybrid cars (HEVs), Toyota is carrying out initiatives such as developing resource-efficient and long-life batteries as well as reusing used batteries recovered from end-of-life electrified vehicles.The sweep energy storage system that will be exhibited at this event utilizes used batteries from electrified vehicles using Toyota's original sweep technology* for battery control. In this system, various types of used batteries with different degrees of deterioration can be reused to maximize each battery's remaining energy storage capacity. It will contribute to a stable supply of electricity and the spread of renewable energy in combination with solar, wind, and other renewable energy power generation systems, which tend to result in an unstable supply of electricity.Toyota has been conducting research and development on the sweep energy storage system together with JERA Corporation (JERA) since 2018. In 2022, the world's first large-capacity sweep energy storage system was installed at JERA's Yokkaichi Thermal Power Station for demonstration testing.Through the exhibition, Toyota aims to find matches with technologies and ideas that can improve the sweep energy storage system and allow more affordable and stable operation, such as traceability technology for used batteries and technology that can dramatically shorten and reduce battery replacement work. Toyota will contribute to carbon neutrality by building a circular economy to help create a sustainable future.*Technology to freely control the DC and AC charging and discharging of a series of batteries by rapidly switching them on and off in microseconds.Please visit the link below for more information on Japan Mobility Show Bizweek 2024. www.japan-mobility-show.com/en/ Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com.

9 10 月, 2024