Coats you can be Passionate About

FREE
2015 DECEMBER
vol. 26
Clean Energy from Heat
Under our Feet
QUALITY REVIEW
The Power of Magnets Delivers Scale Speed
Equivalent to 500 km/h
Now Enjoy Your Own
Linear Motor Car at Home
[Feature]
Keeping Warm with Quality Japanese Clothing
Coats you can be
Passionate About
● Drawing on a Century of Knowledge and Experience to Develop New Materials
● Creating Premium-Quality Coat Fabric that Combines Texture and Color Fastness
● An Exemplary Sewing Factory Creates Unrivalled Coats to Order
Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity (Part 4)
The Art of Mastering Heart Operations
for Longer Lasting Healthy Hearts
Doctor Hiroshi Niinami (Cardiovascular surgeon)
7 Japanese-Made
Coats
You’ll Want this
Winter
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Other Eyes and Ears
~ Intercultural insight through common words
耳
異
異目 Curveball’s Deadly Sin
>>>
vol.26
(published on
December 10, 2015)
C OV E R
Photography/Nozomu Kohno
C O N T E N T S
Vol.9
02
04
Other Eyes and Ears
Vol.9　Curveball’s Deadly Sin
[Feature]
Keeping Warm with Quality Japanese Clothing
Coats you can be
Passionate About
● Drawing on a Century of Knowledge and Experience to Develop New Materials
Otsu Keori Co. Ltd., Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture
● Creating Premium-Quality Coat Fabric that Combines Texture and Color Fastness
Daiwa Intertech Co. Ltd. Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture
● An Exemplary Sewing Factory Creates Unrivalled Coats to Order
Sanyo Sewing Co. Ltd., Shichinohe-cho, Kamikita-gun, Aomori
7 Japanese-Made Coats
You’ll Want this Winter
● 100nen coat/Double-breasted trench
● Takeo Kikuchi/Color pane glen check coat
● D’URBAN/Brushed melton wool Balmacaan coat
● INÉD/Duffle coat
● Jiyu-ku/Yonetomi tweed knit coat
● NATURAL BEAUTY/Shearling wool “reversible” (invisible seam) coat
● Rain Wool/Chesterfield coat
Secretary Powell explaining chemical weapons to the United Nations Security Council.
A curve; a bent line. In baseball, you
have the curve ball, a change-up pitch.
Not many people know that this
perfectly ordinary word was in fact the
primary culprit not only in the rise of
ISIS, but in triggering the U.S. military’s
March 2003 invasion of Iraq, which
lead to the present chaos in the Middle
East.
“Curveball,” in short, was the code
name of an Iraqi defector, liar and con
man, though “screwball” more clearly
conveys the disquieting nuance behind
the name.
Following the September 11, 2001
terrorist attacks on the World Trade
Center in New York, the Bush
administration asserted that Iraq, under
then-president Saddam Hussein, was
behind the destruction.
That led to the administration declaring
that the Iraqi government was in
possession of weapons of mass
destruction, and in March 2003, the
U.S. allied with the British, under the
Blair administration, to launch its
invasion of Iraq in an attempt to find
those weapons.
Prior to that, on February 5 of the same
year, then-Secretary of State Colin
Powell, the man in practical charge of
the Iraq invasion and the former U.S.’
s top uniformed official, spoke for a
full hour at the United Nations in an
appeal for the legitimacy of the
invasion. The almost farcical,
trumped-up claims by Curveball of the
existence of chemical weapons were
provided as justification.
In his autobiography, “It Worked for
Me: In Life and Leadership,” (Harper;
available in Japanese from Asuka
Publishing) Secretary Powell
confessed that he looked back on this
mistake as a date that “is as burned
into my memory as my own birthday.”
This was not unlike Secretary
McNamara’s confession in his own
autobiography that the U.S. invasion
of Vietnam (1965-1973) had been
also been a mistake. Subsequently,
both the Bush and Blair
administrations publicly acknowledged
that the Iraqi invasion had been a
misstep.
Meanwhile, back in Japan. In
December 2003, the Japanese
government under then-Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi began the dispatch
of self-defense forces to Iraq, a
process that progressed gradually
through July of 2009.
The secretary-general of the Liberal
Democratic Party at the time was
none other than Shinzo Abe, Japan’s
current prime minister.
Abe, in other words, was in position
to have close knowledge of the folly
represented by the U.S. military’s
invasion of Iraq. And what do you
know—on July 1, 2014, as head of
the Cabinet, he decided that Japan
would exercise its right of collective
self-defense under his government’s
interpretation of the Constitution.
Under the three new conditions for
exercising this right, Abe stated in an
April 29, 2014 speech before the
United States Congress that Japan
would respond proactively to armed
attacks not only on Japan, but on
countries with a close relationship
with Japan—in other words, the U.S.
In the wee hours of September 19, he
made good on that commitment with
the passing of security legislation
based on falsified minutes of a
special committee of the Diet’s upper
house.
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Editor-in-Chief
Jun Shinozuka
Editors
Jun Nakaki
Mariko Hatada
Clean Energy from Heat
Under our Feet
Designer
Wakako Kawasaki
Web
Motoki Nakae
Translation
Manabiya Inc.
JQR editorial department
2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 101-0064
03-3518-2270
Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity (Part 4)
The Art of Mastering Heart Operations
for Longer Lasting Healthy Hearts
JQR advertising department
2-1-14 Sarugakucho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 101-0064
03-3518-4488
Doctor Hiroshi Niinami (Cardiovascular surgeon)
Japanese Guides Vol. 4
The First Lucky Bag Especially　for Foreign Visitors!
The “Full Immersion Sumo Experience” Lucky Bag
L
International business consultant. Global Human Development Japan, Senior Advisor.
HAMAJI Michio
QUALITY REVIEW
The Power of Magnets Delivers Scale Speed Equivalent to 500 km/h
Now Enjoy Your Own Linear Motor Car at Home
After Keio University (Economics) in 1965, studied at the International Studies Institute before taking up a post in the Middle
East affairs at a major Trading House. At the age of 45, moved to the information business in New York, to promote Japanese-US communications.
In 2002, chose the path of self-employment. Set up the Saudi Arabian pavilion at the Aichi Expo. Had worked on music videos of renowned L.
Bernstein. Had advised Japan branch of US Cognizant and UK Pearson. Executive Coordinator of the Japan operation of French AtoS.
2
ucky bags are a regular feature of the New Year,
with stores vying to offer a variety of enticing
merchandise. This year, which saw such an increase
in overseas visitors to Japan, also marks the first
appearance of lucky bags designed especially for nonJapanese shoppers.
At Tobu Department Store’s flagship Ikebukuro location,
they will be offering two “Full Immersion Sumo
Experience” lucky bags (at 50,000 yen each, to be used
by two people). The offer includes tickets for masuseki
(tatami box seats) at the Kokugikan sumo arena in
Ryogoku for the Grand Tournament to be held in May
2016, along with interpreting service in English or
Chinese. For the lower division bouts, a former top division
wrestler will provide commentary and answer questions.
This is sure to help the lucky purchasers enjoy the full depth
of the sumo experience, even without any knowledge of the
sport. The lucky bag includes other exciting additions,
including a visit to the Dewanoumi sumo “stable,” where the
ticket holders can watch a practice session, share a pot of
traditional chanko stew with the wrestlers, and even take a
souvenir photo. Interested visitors can apply for a lottery to
purchase one of these two lucky bags by filling out and
submitting the application form available at the second
basement level of the store. Entries will be accepted from
December 26 through five p.m. on January 2. Who will these
lucky bags go to?
2015 vol.26
3
[Feature]
Keeping Warm with Quality Japanese Clothing
Coats you can be
Passionate About
Do you have one special coat that you depend on absolutely?
Would you like an exceptional coat to keep warm in, one that protects you from the wind and rain and never fades over the years?
This winter you can find coats on the market that were entirely made by Japanese companies.
Elegant, warm and well-made, every aspect of these garments is completed to perfection.
These coats, the embodiment of the best of Japanese manufacturing,
are obviously well worth buying.
Planning/ JQR Editorial Staff
Photos/ Shingo Shiokawa, Satoru Naito, Shunichi Atami, Nozomu Kohno
Fine, warm Rain Wool, a new water repellent product.
4
2015 vol.26
2015 vol.26
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Japanese products exported to America after the Second World
War were once a byword for inferiority. Well-known writers
often made reference, in essays on Christmas, to excitement
turning to disappointment in their childhoods when they
discovered that their presents were “made in Japan.” The
Japanese manufacturing industry, however, persevered with
raising its standard of skills and technology, until finally the label
“made in Japan” was trusted around the world. The 1980s saw
the heyday of the so-called ‘bubble era’, but once the peak was
past, the economy began to falter and decline like a kite with its
string cut. One after another the major manufacturers shifted
their production lines overseas, while many domestic workshops
in the apparel industry closed their doors. Twenty lost years
went by, and then became twenty-five: will the industry continue
to languish? But among the lingering sense of stagnation, there
are many stories of domestic manufacturers who are advancing
their own unique technological development in order to send
high-quality products out into the world. Pursuing these stories,
we visited manufacturers involved with the production of coats:
professionals who will go to any length in their persistent pursuit
of quality. The coats they produce are finished to an astonishingly
high degree of perfection, and undoubtedly warm the hearts as
well as the bodies of their wearers.
6
2015 vol.26
2015 vol.26
7
1
Companies Creating the Perfect Coat Part 1
Uncovering the Latent Strengths of Japan’J Textile Industry!
Drawing on a Century of
Knowledge and Experience
to Develop New Materials
Otsu Keori Co. Ltd. (J ∞ QUALITY Accredited),
Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture
Otsu Keori is a textile manufacturing company that does
everything itself; from buying raw materials overseas,
spinning thread, weaving, knitting, dyeing and surface
finishing. Since changing direction toward the development
of new materials, their aim is to make the kind of fabrics
that will excite consumers.
Text/ JQR Editorial Staff Photos/ Shingo Shiokawa
W
8
Head of the Textile Division Takashi
Miyamoto (right) with Junichiro Hamano.
ool is the perfect raw material
company had the experience and
machinery in various configurations.
for making an outstanding fabric.
equipment to integrate the whole
The same gig mills may be configured
For this very reason Takashi Miyamoto,
process, from spinning the thread and
for different roles, turning out a variety
Textile Division Chief at Otsu Keori,
weaving the fabric to finishing it off. So
of fabrics of different textures after
once believed it was best not to
we immediately procured the raw
going through more than twenty
interfere with it. But about fifteen years
material from Australia and sent it to
processes. It is difficult to buy these
ago, when everything seemed to be
our spinning mill in Shanghai.”
machines new, and the level of
going smoothly, the company suddenly
The Shanghai mill is 16,530 square
experience with the tens of thousands
began to fall into the red. One by one
meters in size, with five forty-meter
of different combinations of processes
other companies in the same industry
long carding and ten spinning mules.
also makes a powerful difference. Once
were forced into closing their doors.
Each spinner has a dozen or so rollers
this technology and skill is lost it
Driven by necessity to become more
with card clothing wound on, and the
cannot be regained.
competitive, Otsu Keori began looking
raw wool is untangled while being sent
Products made from Tasmanian raw
into whether or not there was
from one roller to the next. By repeating
wool are labeled ‘Dream Wool’. In
something more they could do with
this process, the thread gradually
addition to being light and warm, “They
wool.
becomes intertwined and forms into
were achieved by means of the
“We hit on the idea of light wool. Since
shape. Raw wool passes through three
company’s unique weaving and
thin and light is the norm, we set out to
spinners, becoming a fine but dense
processing technology,” said Hamano.
make thick and light, and when we
cotton-like raw material, which is cut
While this material is 100% wool it
presented this plan, Tatsuo Shimomura
and spun into yarn. Good yarn cannot
also has a 14.8% vertical and 5.3%
of the Yarn Division, and also Head of
be produced without data on making
horizontal stretch capability, making it
the Board of Directors, suggested using
needles for the carding cloth, its
truly seem as if a dream wool fabric
the first cut taken from Tasmanian
embedding density, and roller spacing.
has been produced. Along with the
Merino lambs less than a year old. At
Finished yarn is sent to a textile center
Dream Wool label, the Air Fab line is
14.5 microns, this wool rivals cashmere
in Ichinomiya City, Ehime Prefecture
drawing much attention for being 30 to
for fineness, and compares favorably
where it is woven into cloth and then
40% lighter than yarn of the same
for texture. Even better, it is cheaper
sent to the company headquarters in
thickness. “We will continue to develop
than cashmere. On the other hand, it is
Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture,
fabrics that give the wearer a sense of
short with curly tips, and hence difficult
where it is dyed and processed into
excitement,” said Miyamoto. It will be
to make into yarn and not easy to
finished material. The plant at
interesting to see what fabrics will
weave into a thick fabric. However, our
headquarters is crammed with gigantic
make an appearance in the future
2015 vol.26
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3
1. Jet dyeing machinery in the gigantic plant. “The machinery is all
custom built, and you couldn’t get it all for ten billion yen these days,”
says Miyamoto. The plant is controlled by computer, and has surprisingly
few workers. 2. Tasmanian Merino wool. On the left is a lamb’s first-cut.
It looks difficult to handle and the dirt makes it stand out compared to
wool from an adult, which has been shorn many times. 3. Wind pressure
is applied as the fabric is stretched and tested. 4. A napping machine
gives the fabric texture.
New Aqua Drop Finishing technology
Nano-level droplets
of water repellent
bound to the fabric
achieve a level of
water repellency not
possible with surface
applications. This is
an effective water
repellent for wools,
which are difficult to
remove water stains
from.
Otsu Keori Corporation
Asahi-cho 17-24, Izumiotsu City, Osaka Prefecture
2015 vol.26
9
1
Companies Creating the Perfect Coat Part 2
2
Precision weaving with threne dyeing
Creating Premium-Quality Coat Fabric
that Combines Texture and
Color Fastness
Daiwa Intertech Co. Ltd. (J ∞ QUALITY accredited)
Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture
3
Threne dyeing is known for producing superior texture
quality and color fastness. However, this method requires
a high level of skill, and in recent years such dyestuffs
have become hard to find. So why has this company
persisted in using threne-dyed fabric?
President Tamio Nohara of Daiwa
Intertech, a dyeing and weaving
company that was established in the late
nineteenth century.
Text/ JQR Editorial staff Photos/ Satoru Naito
O
10
ne method for dyeing fabrics is
dyestuff preparation must be subtly
requires a high-density fabric of 170
threne dyeing.
adjusted after measuring the
warp threads and 100 weft threads per
“With threne dyestuff, fabrics don’t fade
temperature and humidity. If any one of
inch.
as easily, even with sun exposure, and
these measures is not performed,
“To weave 50 meters of fabric with
the colors stay fast in the wash. They’
dyeing irregularities will appear in the
10,000 warp threads takes ten to
re resistant to getting dirty from exhaust
thread.
twelve hours, and there has to be less
gases and so on, and the colors don’t
Because of the amount of work
than five flaws from cut threads.”
fade or run easily. They’re well suited
involved, over the last thirty years many
It sounds like an extremely difficult task
for coat fabrics, which need to be
dyeing factories have shifted to using
to work for ten hours without cutting
tough while also having a high-quality
simpler reactive dyes. However the
any threads while weaving at high
feel.”
president of Daiwa Intertech, Tamio
speed. In recent times a stream of
According to Hiroshiro Suzuki of Daiwa
Nohara, believes that the beauty of
manufacturers have been retiring from
Intertech, these are the advantages of
threne dyeing lies in the interweave of
the industry because they are unable
threne dyeing, but he adds the caveat
the vertical and horizontal colors, and
to overcome this difficulty. Dye
that it is also a difficult technique.
opened out a coat to prove his point.
irregularities and cut threads cannot be
To begin with, long coats have a very
“This fabric consists of a brown vertical
tolerated because they spoil the fabric
wide surface area, which means that
and yellow horizontal thread, i.e., it’s
with unwanted flaws and streaks.
any flaws, such as joins in the thread
woven from two differently colored
Daiwa Intertech is able to carry out this
or dye irregularities, are highly
threads. So the color of the fabric
process because of its know-how and
noticeable. The thread used for
changes in appearance depending on
experience in weaving heavyweight
weaving the fabric should therefore be
how the light falls on it, or the angle of
fabric, which it began accumulating
long and evenly dyed.
the cloth, and you get an iridescent
before the Second World War.
A number of steps are essential for
effect like this. It vastly improves the
“Even under difficult conditions, we
threne dyeing long thread. First, the
sense of quality and the color depth.”
aspire to make a unique fabric that
thread, which is the raw material, must
When you see people wearing the
embodies the requirements and
be rewound onto a separate bobbin
same color coat or jacket in the same
sensibilities of designers and planning
with an appropriate amount of tension.
style, the differences in their quality
coordinators,” says President Nohara.
The water used for dissolving the dye
and appearance become obvious. This
In this way high-quality coat
in must have a consistent quality, with
difference can be explained by the
manufacturing is sustained by
any metallic ions and alkalis removed.
potential of the material.
determination and skills acquired over
Pump voltage must be controlled to
At Daiwa Intertech the dyed yarn is
time.
regulate the speed of the water
made up into fabric at the companyn
currents in the dye tank. Finally, the
iweaving mill. A high-quality coat
2015 vol.26
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1. Freshly dyed thread dried with hot air. 2. Thread is rewound for
easy dyeing. 3. Beautifully threne-dyed thread and fabric samples. 4.
Hiroshiro Suzuki has forty years of experience with threne dyeing. 5.
The warping machine turning at high speed. 6. Every single thread is
inspected individually. 7. Thread being fed into the warping machine
from racks in the foreground.
Daiwa Intertech Co. Ltd.
Nishidaira 975, Tokigawa-cho, Hiki-gun, Saitama Prefecture
2015 vol.26
11
1
Companies Creating the Perfect Coat Part 3
3
Taking Pride in Doing No More or Less Than What is Required
An Exemplary Sewing Factory
Creates Unrivalled Coats
to Order
4
Sanyo Sewing Co. Ltd., Shichinohe-cho, Kamikita-gun,
Aomori (J ∞ QUALITY accredited)
To sew a meter of thick fabric straight with all the machine
stitching perfectly lined up is difficult.
Repeating the same feat on hundreds of pieces, all exactly the
same, is even more so.
However, there is one sewing factory whose skilled workers, with
an average of twenty years of experience,
consistently ship out top quality coats into the world.
2
President and Chief Director Toru Yokoi
talks about the challenge of passing on
skills.
Text/ JQR Editorial Staff Photos/ Shunichi Atami
L
12
ook at a trench coat square on
belong to another body. Piles of freshly
the material. The pattern is made after
and you will see its quality. A
stitched coats are heaped at the sides
distinguishing and getting a feel for
wrinkled coats is not acceptable. To
of the machines. When sewing the
changes in the fabric. An apparel
sew thick fabric without creating
curve of the collar the stitch line gets
maker will send image designs for
wrinkles requires a high level of skill,
looser, and the operators use their
about sixty to seventy parts for a trench
explains Hidekazu Wada, the factory
fingers to sense and regulate the stitch.
coat. These are turned into a
manager at Sanyo Sewing Co. Ltd.
On another machine was a pile of flap
specifications sheet with 140 to 190
“When you sew with a machine there
pockets, none out of shape in the
parts for the purposes of actually
is always puckering. So you have to
slightest, with all of the corner stitching
producing the coat. The specifications
pull the fabric as you sew, and be on
perfectly aligned.
sheet records the sewing method and
the lookout for what’s ahead so as to
Coats are the main product of Sanyo
other details. A test piece is made up
be ready. Likewise, the machine thread
Sewing. The skill of its employees is
on the sample line accordingly, with
feeds according to how strongly it is
renowned as being among the best in
problematic areas identified and
pulled. Thread tends to go back when
Japan, which is something of a miracle
addressed one by one before being the
you finish stitching, so you have to take
according to President Toru Yokoi. The
design is sent to the line for mass
that into account when advancing the
number of sewing factories in Japan is
production.
machine.”
less than 10% of the number in
Mr. Wada turned the finished collar of
It would seem that this would require
operation thirty years ago. “The factory
the trench coat inside out.
the operator to instantly sense the
was able to learn the skills it needed to
“We call this style of finishing off ‘hold
elasticity of the fabric and thread, and
distinguish itself because we
back’,” he says, “because it comes out
adjust for error while sewing.
specialized in coats.”
0.5 mm at the front and is held back
“I can’t express this in words very well,
“The same piece of thread can
on the reverse. It’s included in the
but the operator does have that level of
sometimes change in quality very
pattern design. The lapel edging is the
skill.” In the factory operators pull the
slightly. To be able to instantly sense
same.”
fabric in front of them with their right
that something is amiss is the quality
All this work results in a coat with a
hand while adjusting the machine
needed for factories to become
clean, finished look. However, even an
stitching with their left. They never
outstanding and distinguish
amateur can see that it is no easy task
falter. Their gaze is fixed on the line
themselves.”
to sew something like this. An amazing
traced by the needle going up and
When a sewing order is received, the
coat is indeed the product of the right
down, while their hands move as if they
first thing to do is test the properties of
combination of skill and passion.
2015 vol.26
5
1. Factory Manager Hidekazu Wada explains the ‘hold back’ theory. 2. Operators
sew while calculating the pull and pucker of the fabric and thread. 3. Sewing method
instructions and fine details are recorded on the specifications sheet. 4. Rigorous
inspections at intervals along the line. These are conducted four times during all the
processes. 5. No matter how many hundreds of parts are sewn, the stitching angle is
always exactly the same. 6. Newly-sewn coats are carefully pressed. Accessories are
then added before the final inspection.
6
Sanyo Sewing Co. Ltd.
Arakumanai 67-18, Shichinohe-cho,
Kamikita-gun, Aomori
TEL:0176-62-2011
13
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2015 vol.26
2015 vol.26
15
7 Japanese-Made Coats
You’ll Want this Winter
New J ∞ QUALITY Certification System Launched
Fighting Back with 100%
Japanese-Made Clothing
Introducing seven different coats made entirely in Japan, from fabric weaving, dyeing and treatment to sewing.
Each one carries the J ∞ QUALITY certification tag.
Photos: Nozomu Kohno
In the 1980s, half of the clothing sold in Japan was also made in Japan.
Today that figure has plummeted to a mere 3.2 percent.
The last 20 years have been lost decades for the Japanese apparel industry. Now, in an effort to regain
market share, a new system of certification dubbed J ∞ QUALITY has been launched. We talked to
Takahito Miyahara of J ∞ QUALITY operations about what it hopes to achieve.
Text: JQR Editorial Staff　Photos: Nozomu Kohno
Japanese workmanship is internationally renowned, and the
Japanese apparel sector is no exception. Japanese textiles in
particular are so well-made that famous French fashion houses
send their buyers here specifically to procure them. On the other
hand, Japanese apparel makers venturing overseas are struggling.
This issue was raised by the Japan Apparel Fashion Industry
Council three years ago, resulting in a drive to emphasize the
Japanese origins of Japanese-made garments. Emerging from
these efforts is the J ∞ QUALITY certification system, which
provides assurance that a product is made in Japan and is of good
quality. Any item of clothing may display the label “Made in Japan”
if the final production process (sewing) is carried out in Japan, but
the J ∞ QUALITY certification is proof that all the processes
involved in creating an item of apparel, including weaving, knitting,
dyeing, and sewing, have been performed in Japan.
There are two types of J ∞ QUALITY certification. One is a
company certification, in which a firm applies for certification and
undergoes appraisal. Checks are made to confirm whether the
company is adhering to labor laws and workplace safety and
hygiene regulations, verify its environmental performance, and so
on, and if any doubts arise, on-site inspections are carried out.
The other is product certification. A final product certification
division assembles samples and inspects the materials, sewing,
drafting, design, finish, and so on. Naturally, if attention to detail is
felt to be insufficient, certification will not be awarded. This
rigorous appraisal is designed to maintain the standard of 100
percent Japanese-made products.
This autumn J ∞ QUALITY-certified goods will hit the stores. We
hope consumers will take a close look at these products, and
experience their quality for themselves.
All J ∞ QUALITY-certified
goods carry this tag.
Head of the J ∞ QUALITY
operations office
Takahito Miyahara
16
2015 vol.26
1.［100nen coat］
Double-breasted
trench
Classic trench coat made from a highquality cotton fabric of superlative sheen and
complexity that acquires more character with
every wearing. DWR-(durable water repellent)
treated, robust and beautifully finished down to
the smallest detail. The culmination of Sanyo
Shokai’s knowledge and love of coat-making,
this was also the first garment to earn J ∞
QUALITY product certification.
100nen coat Double-breasted trench (men’s),
women’s also available ¥89,000 plus tax
Contact
Sanyo Shokai
2015 vol.25
17
Made from glen check fabric
laundered with natural detergent to
minimize fraying and other damage.
Stylishly tailored at the back with
a tidy crease-proof finish thanks
to the outstanding experience and
technique of a team of skilled
cutters and machinists.
Takeo Kikuchi
Color pane glen check coat　¥69,000 plus tax
Contact　World　2.［Takeo Kikuchi］
Color pane glen check coat
18
2015 vol.26
3.［D’URBAN］
Brushed melton wool
Balmacaan coat
Balmacaan coat in a simple
design. This impeccably-tailored
coat is made from 100 percent
wool brushed melton fabric
finished in Japan.
D’URBAN
Brushed melton wool
Balmacaan coat ¥100,000 plus
tax
Contact　Renown Press Port
2015 vol.26
19
5.［Jiyu-ku］
4.［INÉD］
Yonetomi tweed knit coat
Duffle coat
Made from fabric featuring
interwoven thick and thin yarn
with a twisted effect for a raised,
three-dimensional feel. Extra care
has been taken in cutting parts
such as the armholes, which are
often unwieldy in a thick coat,
resulting in elegant, crisp lines.
INÉD
Duffle coat
¥59,000 plus tax
Contact　Flandre
Produced in collaboration with
long-established knit fabric
manufacturers Yonetomi Seni,
this tweed-look knit coat, created
by alternating lame and tape yarn
in the weave, is light, soft and
comfortable to wear. Ideal for
both casual and formal occasions.
Jiyu-ku Yonetomi tweed knit
coat ¥49,800 plus tax
Contact　Onward Kashiyama
customer services
20
2015 vol.26
2015 vol.26
21
6.［NATURAL BEAUTY］
Shearling wool “reversible”
(invisible seam) coat
Made from soft, high-quality
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Shearling wool “reversible”
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plus tax
Contact　NATURAL BEAUTY
22
2015 vol.26
7.［Rain Wool ］
Chesterfield coat
Raincoat made from Super 180's
wool, with a fineness on par with
cashmere, and DWR-treated (initial
water resistance of level 4 or
above, level 3 or above after drycleaning 10 times, resists water
pressure of at least 200 mm at all
JIS water resistance standards).
Also repels rainwater in warm
conditions, for peace of mind even
in sudden downpours.
Rain Wool Chesterfield coat
(women’s), men's also available
¥118,000 plus tax
Contact　Sanyo Shokai
2015 vol.26
23
QR 1
Quality
Review
Takaratomy/Linear Liner
Linear Liner Superconducting LO Series Special Set
(￥35,000) Course length approximately 1928 mm x
848 mm. Operate your very own linear motor car in the
space of just one tatami mat.
Takaratomy/Linear Liner
The Power of Magnets Delivers Scale Speed
Equivalent to 500 km/h
Now Enjoy Your Own Linear Motor Car at Home
Photos: Noriyuki Kamio Text: JQR Editorial Staff
The world’s
first toy train
that levitates and runs
on magnetic force
5
Development of the product began in
on how high the car was off the track,
the fall of 2013. “What we focused
but no matter how many times we tried,
most on was using the power of
it didn’t run very fast. One day, though,
magnets to levitate the train and make
it ran faster than usual. Puzzled, we
it run. Lifting the train car itself was not
looked into it and found that, because
that difficult; the problem was getting it
we’d forgotten to install some of the
to run fast while suspended above the
magnets, it was floating just a few
track,” explains Takuya Ishii of
millimeters lower than before. With that
00 km an hour. As the practical
Takaratomy’s New Toy Planning
as a hint, we began a series of
realization of a linear motor car
Department Plan Development section.
experiments in balancing distance from
levitating and running on magnetic
power gains attention in advance of its
Aiming for Realistic Speed
scheduled 2027 debut, Takaratomy is
the track with speed, and eventually
arrived at the current height of 2 mm
from the track. We didn’t achieve a
one step ahead with a toy version,
That role falls to the magnets embedded
stable scale speed of 500 km/h until
launching its own Linear Liner.
in the rails and the train car. Turn on
the day before the scheduled toy show
The toy is a 1:90 scale version of the
the power, and the high-speed magnetic
presentation.”
original. It moves at about 6 km/h, but
sensor in the train car detects the
The Linear Liner comes equipped with
converted to scale speed, that’s even
magnetic power of the round magnets in
about 30 different fun audio phrases,
faster than the 500 km/h operating
the rail, which sends electricity to a coil
including “The train is about to depart,”
speed of the linear Chuo Shinkansen
that generates a magnetic field. This
and “We have reached a speed of 500
LO Series. A visit to the exhibition
creates a repulsive force between the
kilometers an hour.” Until the real linear
space at Takaratomy’s headquarters
magnets in the rail and the train car
motor car comes along, we can all
reveals an elliptical track set up in a
which generates propulsive power,
dream of super-fast train travel with the
space about one tatami mat in size. The moving the car forward. By pushing
Linear Liner, stopped in the station,
down on the train car when stopped,
starts out slowly, but picks up speed as
you can tell how it is just slightly
it makes one, then two trips around the
floating above the track.
track. It passes by so fast, you could
Mr. Ishii continues, “At first, we tried to
almost mistake it for the real thing.
emphasize appearances, and focused
Linear Liner.
● For inquiries, contact the Takaratomy Customer Center: Tel. 0570-041-031 http://www.takaratomy.co.jp/normal/
24
2015 vol.26
The longer the course, the faster it runs, and the Linear Liner once hit speeds of about 900 km/h on a giant course. Sales of
rails and other parts will be launched at a later date.
Using the power of magnets, the cars
float about 2 mm above the tracks, with
no need for wheels, rotary motor or other
drive mechanism.
The station is designed to resemble an
airport. Running speed is also displayed.
Tunnels and bridges have been modeled
after those actually found along the linear
test track in Yamanashi.
25
技
TAK U M I
JQR
Select Japanese technology
T A K U M I
匠
JQR
A COP of 6-12: the Potential of Ground Source Heat Pumps
Clean Energy from
Heat Under our Feet
JQR Editorial Staff
Photos: Tomoya Takai Special thanks to: University of Yamanashi
Select
Japanese
technolo gy
ものづくりの現場から
V o l
13
Finding clean energy sources
one unit of electric power that is
degrees Celsius.
that do not produce CO2
consumed.
According to Professor Takeda, ground
emissions is one of the most
urgent challenges facing
humanity. The use of natural
energy sources such as sunlight
source heat pumps are an
Stable Year-Round Heat
in the Ground
extraordinarily efficient way of utilizing
this temperature difference.
The professor is focusing on the
and wind continues to grow, but
Few of us know the temperature of the
development and study of heat pumps
it is difficult to ensure a reliable
ground deep beneath our feet. The
that utilize ground heat, rather than
supply of energy with these
underground temperature at the
heat from the air systems like those
sources. University of
University of Yamanashi's Kofu
used in air-conditioners.
Yamanashi professor of
campus, for example, is about 18.3°C
There are two types of ground source
mechanical engineering
all year round. Underground
heat pump: indirect (the conventional
Tetsuaki Takeda has turned his
temperatures are influenced by the
system), and direct expansion, with
attention to ground source heat
sun's heat to a depth of about ten
conventional ground source heat pumps
energy as a way to address this.
meters, but deeper down they remain
already operating at large, often public
largely constant day and night, and in
facilities such as Tokyo Skytree and
nergy is what makes machines
all seasons. Meanwhile, the air
the Kofu local government offices.
work, and without it we could
temperature in Kofu fluctuates
A Japanese Ministry of the Environment
not sustain our modern lifestyles.
considerably – by around 40°C –
survey indicates that outside of Japan,
throughout the year, from -4 to 35
uptake of ground source heat pumps is
E
However, the benefits of energy come
at the cost of global warming, pushing
our planet's environment into crisis.
Average air temperature in Kofu
In order to tackle this problem
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency
Features of ground heat
experiments are underway involving
ground heat, which offers a reliability of
energy and wind power do not. Ground
source heat pumps are a highly efficient
heating and cooling system capable of
drawing energy from the ground right
Daytime high
Temperature
supply that technologies such as solar
Kofu average air temperature
Approx.
Daytime low
Underground temperatur
under our feet, making it possible to
acquire ten units of energy for every
Terminology 1
“Ground heat” is easily
confused with “geothermal heat”
but the two are not identical.
Geothermal heat is a general
term for heat held inside the
Earth, while ground heat refers
specifically to a heat source of
lower temperature (about 15-20°
C) found up to about 100m below
ground and largely constant all
year round.
26
2015 vol.26
Two ground source heat pump types
Conventional indirect system
Direct system under development
(Top photo) Professor Takeda explains ground heat data. (Bottom photo) Ground source heat pump installed next to the laboratory and
actually used for air conditioning.
2015 vol.26
27
growing significantly, mainly in western
The coefficient of performance (COP) is used to rate the energy
efficiency of air conditioning systems and other appliances. COP is
calculated by dividing output by power consumption in kilowatts
(kW), and indicates heating and cooling capacity per kW of electricity
consumed.
household units (12GWt) already
operating in the United States. In Japan
the combined annual figure is much
lower, at 62MWt.
Air conditioner
Indirect
Direct expansion
COP4 〜 5
COP6 〜 12
A feature of direct expansion systems is
their ability to minimize condensing
pressure and maximize evaporation
pressure, because no discrepancy in
Air-Conditioners Require
Heat Exchange with the
Outside Air
Catalog value is COP 4-5
Average is around 3
A ground source heat pump essentially
In other words, when cooling a space,
heat pumps work in a similar fashion to
etc., reducing the total number of
an air conditioner transfers heat into the
air conditioners, heat intake and
outside air, and when heating, it does
discharge takes place underground.
components in the system. It also
the opposite, taking in heat. Thus air
Obviously, no hot air is blown out.
household air conditioner. To heat a
space, an air conditioning system takes
in heat from the outside air through its
conditioners cannot heat a space in
outdoor unit, and this heat causes
required. This removes the need for a
outside.
As mentioned earlier, there are two
cost reductions.
“Heat,” notes Professor Takeda, “is like
different types of ground source heat
water: it will only flow from a high place
pump. The indirect type exchanges the
to a low place. When the air
heat of the refrigerant for anti-freeze in
temperature reaches 35°C, air
a heat exchanger, and circulates this
conditioning systems cannot reduce the
anti-freeze through pipes in the ground,
heat below 35°C.”
exchanging heat with the ground. An
because they cannot take heat from
compressed and sent to an indoor heat
exchanger. There the gas condenses,
becoming liquid, and the heat
discharged at that point is used to heat
the space. For cooling, the circuit is
reversed to circulate refrigerant the
other way.
Heat exchange in air-conditioners
Refrigerant
gas
Pressure
Takes heat
from outdoors
these components, making for more
efficient operation than indirect
temperature falls below freezing point,
gas. This gas (refrigerant) is
eliminates the need for electricity to run
How a Ground Source
Heat Pump Works
Hokkaido winters, when the outside air
refrigerant to evaporate, i.e., turn into
Discharges
heat indoors
Evaporator
Condenser
Reduced
pressure
Refrigerant
liquid
also simplifies installation, for further
Comparison of initial and running costs
Air source heat pump (air
conditioner)
Ground source heat pump Ground source heat pump
(direct expansion type)
(conventional)
established technology, it is referred to
as indirect due to the intervention of a
into outside air of 35
heat exchanger. Unfortunately, heat
°C, the air
exchangers have only limited efficiency.
conditioner has to
The other technology is direct
raise the temperature
expansion, the subject of Professor
of the refrigerant
Takeda's development work.
above that. The air
“This circulates an alternative CFC
conditioner utilizes
called A-401A directly through pipes in
the rise in
the ground. Because the thermal
installing air-conditioning. The
38°C. However, because heat was
temperature caused
exchange between refrigerant and
mechanism itself is simple, but
discarded underground, both the cooling
by compressing the
ground takes place directly, no heat
excavations for the pipework are a
capacity and electricity consumption
refrigerant. This is
exchanger is required. It's a very simple
significant expense.
were the same as when it was cool
why the outdoor unit
and efficient method.”
Once installed, the cost of heating and
outside. This proved that the COP was
blasts out warm air
Ground heat is a non-resource-depleting
cooling will obviously be lower. Rough
fixed, that is, even using direct
when cooling,
clean energy source with no CO2
calculations suggest that the cost of
expansion, a ground source heat pump
contributing to the
emissions. Heat is also discharged into
operating a conventional ground source
system is unaffected by the outside air.
urban heat island
the ground, rather than warming up city
heat pump is 70-80 percent that of
Professor Takeda notes with some
phenomenon.
streets. In Hokkaido, air-conditioning
running an ordinary air conditioning
pride that, “The technical issues have
While ground source
systems cannot be used in winter, but
system, while a direct expansion
mainly been solved.” The next step is to
with a ground source heat pump,
system slashes the cost to about 30
collect the data required to work toward
because it is warm under the ground
percent of air conditioning.
practical implementation of the
even when the air temperature dips
“Direct expansion was actually trialed
technology, such as investigating the
below zero, that heat can be extracted
over 30 years ago, but failed due to
effects of heat discarded into the
and used for heating. So here we have
inadequate performance by the
ground. At the same time, the professor
energy use with many positives. If
refrigerant and machinery. Apparently
intends to promote the certification of
uptake is to increase, however, it needs
the refrigerant would not circulate from
products, and develop maintenance
to be more cost-effective.
50m below ground. So direct expansion
checks.
systems came to be seen as
Under our feet lies an infinite source of
impractical, and were not adopted for
clean energy, and ground source heat
buildings even when suggested.”
pumps allow us to extract that energy
For Professor Takeda, who is working
and use it in day-to-day living. Professor
Professor Takeda agrees that cost is a
on direct expansion technology, the
Takeda continues to research ways to
problem.
winds of change began to blow about
maximize efficiency, with a view to
According to the professor, the initial
two years ago with the results of an
making this dream-come-true
cost of introducing a ground source
experiment he conducted. At the time
technology into a reality.
heat pump system is 2.7 times that of
the outside air temperature in Kofu was
・This technology can be used anywhere, irrespective of climatic or
regional variations
・Employing energy-saving systems helps reduce consumption of non-renewable energy and CO2 emissions
・Waste heat produced during cooling operations is not discharged
into the air, thus alleviating the heat island phenomenon
Introduction Costs and
Thermal Efficiency
Performance
Initial cost ratio
Running cost ratio
100 (base)
100 (base)
Ground Heat: a Promising
Energy Source
(Note)
order to discard heat
・Underground temperatures are virtually constant all year round
・High-performance systems reduce running costs
systems. Eliminating brine piping work
This means that in
Ground heat characteristics and the efficacy of ground source heat pumps
2015 vol.26
temperature with a secondary medium is
pump, heat exchanger, expansion tank,
works the same way as the ubiquitous
28
Direct Expansion Ground Source Heat Pumps in Brief
Terminology 2
countries, with a million 12kWt-capacity
270
75
200
Initial cost approx.
2X air conditioner
30 〜 40
Running cost approx.
1/3X air-conditioner
Hagiwara Boring
Co. Ltd
President
Toshiki
Hagiwara
Note Source: Hiito Panpu to Sono Oyo “Heat Pumps and their Applications” (March 2011 No. 81)
“In the wake of the March 2011
earthquake and tsunami in northern
Honshu, I pondered what might be the
most stable form of energy, and decided
upon ground source heat. We then began
to look into its practical application.
The problem is that the more you go down
the environmentally-friendly route, the
more the initial costs become a sticking
point. We are working with the University
of Yamanashi to build systems that boost
the efficiency of ground source heat
technology. Personally, I believe ground
source heat pumps, with their superlative
stability, are the energy-saving system
with the greatest long-term potential. We
are currently undertaking an exciting
program of development as part of the
MEXT Regional Innovation Strategy
Support Program, which involves
collaboration between industry, academia,
government and finance.”
University of Yamanashi, Department
of Research Interdisciplinary Graduate
School of Medicine and Engineering
Takeda Laboratory
Conducts research into direct expansion ground source heat
pumps, binary power generation and thermoelectric
generation using hot spring water, and the development of
integrated systems.
4-3-11 Takeda, Kofu-shi, Yamanashi Prefecture
TEL: 055-220-8415
2015 vol.26
29
新
Leading Doctors Discuss Modern Longevity
(Part 4)
浪
The Art of Mastering Heart Operations
for Longer Lasting Healthy Hearts
Doctor Hiroshi Niinami (Cardiovascular surgeon)
Coronary Artery Surgery
In 2012 the Emperor underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery. Although a highly
complex procedure, this method was chosen because it puts remarkably less physical strain on the
patient. Doctor Hiroshi Niinami of the Saitama Medical University International Medical Center
(located in the city of Hidaka, Saitama Prefecture) is one of the leading experts in this procedure,
performing around two hundred of these operations every year. This procedure guarantees the
heart an extra ten years of life compared to conventional methods, and Dr. Niinami intends to take
improve it even further.
Text: Hiromi Kihara Photography: Satoru Naito
W
hy is it that “Japan is the most
advanced country in the world
for off-pump coronary bypass
operations,” as Dr. Niinami declares?
There are three main methods of
treating angina (when the coronary
artery narrows) and heart attack
(when the coronary artery is blocked):
drug therapy, coronary artery
catheterization or coronary artery
bypass. A coronary artery bypass
is performed in cases where attacks
cannot be controlled by drugs,
constriction in the coronary artery is
difficult to reach with catheterization,
30
pump surgery are lowering favorable
beating, using an instrument called a
outcomes. “Off-pump procedures are
stabilizer to inhibit vibrations in the
difficult for young surgeons who
sections being sutured. The greatest
haven’t racked up experience with
merit of this procedure is that the
multiple operations, so it’s no wonder
physical strain on the patient’s heart
they don’t perform well with them.
and body is greatly reduced, leading
But even in the West, hospitals
to a faster postoperative recovery.
that specialize in off-pump surgery
Although heart-lung machines are
are getting fantastic results and
extremely safe, it cannot be denied
outcomes.”
that stopping the heart and putting
The third reason is that in Japan
a patient into a state of suspended
bypass surgery is only performed on
animation for a long period inflicts
the most severely affected patients.
damage on their body.
“In the UK, for example, the ratio of
bypass surgery to catheterization is
Despite its Merits, the OffPump Method is Barely Used
in the West
catheterization, or there is narrowing
According to Dr. Niinami, “In America
in more than one location. Another
only 17% of all bypass operations are
blood vessel is used as a graft to
off-pump, and in Europe it is 10%.”
create a detour, or bypass, to restore
There are three reasons for this. One
blood circulation to normal. It used to
is that on-pump operations with a
be standard procedure to temporarily
heart-lung machine are easier and
stop the heart and use a heart-
thus more efficient. “Even young
lung machine, essentially a pump, to
surgeons with limited experience can
artificially perform the functions of
do them, and operations that take five
the heart and lungs to circulate blood
hours off-pump can be completed in
throughout the body while performing
three hours on-pump. It lends itself to
the bypass. However, in Japan 70% of
managing numbers.”
these operations are now performed
The second reason is that
using the so-called off-pump method,
inexperienced surgeons who tackle off-
2015 vol.26
1:3. Bypass surgery is performed on
even mildly affected patients. In Japan
士
there are risks associated with
which is performed with the heart still
博
70% of Bypass Operations in
Japan are Off-Pump
PROFILE
Doctor Hiroshi Niinami
Next to the doctor’s desk is a photograph of the big name
cardiovascular surgeons in Japan. Front left to right: Professor
Toru Asai of Shiga University of Medical Science and Dr.
Shuichiro Takanashi of the Sakakibara Heart Institute. Rear
right to left: Professor Atsushi Amano of Juntendo University
and Dr. Hiroshi Niinami.
Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Director of Medical Treatment, Saitama
Medical University International
Medical Center. Born in Kanagawa
Prefecture in 1962. After graduating
from Gunma University Faculty of
Medicine he completed postgraduate
studies at Tokyo Women’s Medical
University, then studied at Wayne State
University in the U.S.A. and the Royal
North Shore Hospital in Australia.
Upon returning to Japan he became
a lecturer and assistant professor
in cardiovascular surgery at Tokyo
Women’s Medical University No. 2
Hospital (now Medical Center East)
and at Juntendo University honed his
skills as assistant professor under
the prominent physician Dr. Atsushi
Amano, who operated on the Emperor
in 2012. In 2007 he took up his
current position.
2015 vol.26
31
The white-gloved hand shown (above) is lifting up the
gastroepiploic artery to be collected from a patient’s
stomach. Using this for a graft can give a patient over
ten extra years of life. “I want certainty and care. Not
speed,” says Dr. Niinami. He never lets his attention
slip for even a second in his quest for quality.
the ratio is 1:14. There’s a tendency
graft. Nevertheless, arteries continue
prolongs the surgery even further.
to perform catheterization as much as
to be used because their vascular life
“So that’s the situation, even at a
possible because reducing the strain
is twice as long. Dr. Niinami explained.
major heart specialist hospital in
on the patient is the number one
“Seventy percent of veins wear out
Germany. If the patient improves for
priority. Then again, this means that
within ten years, no matter how
a while, then that’s enough. Their
those patients who undergo bypass
skillful the surgeon might have been.
attitude is that they can always do
surgery in Japan are in a much more
In comparison, arteries last for twenty
another operation if the vein wears
serious condition than most of those
years, because the coronary artery is
out. Meanwhile we are basically
in the UK. Because bypass surgery is
an artery, not a vein. In my opinion,
aiming to avoid having to do another
chosen as the last resort for patients
nature made veins to be used as veins.
operation.”
in a serious condition, who may be
The blood pressure on veins is about
elderly or have other complications, it’
10 mmHg. Arteries, on the other hand,
s only natural that the safer off-pump
have 120 to 130 mmHg at the lowest.
procedure should be chosen.”
If a blood vessel in an elderly person
A focus on off-pump coronary bypass
has functioned as a vein for 70 years
surgery is the outcome of giving a
before suddenly being put to work as
high priority to reducing physical
an artery, that’s a tough leap. At least,
strain on the patient and pursuing a
that’s how I see it.”
high level of expertise.
Yet Dr. Niinami doesn’t perform all
coronary bypasses using arteries. “We
Arteries Used Wherever
Possible for Long-Lasting
Hearts
use leg veins for patients over eighty
Another outstanding characteristic
they’re ninety – it’s enough. Every
of bypass surgery in Japan is that
wherever possible, arteries are used to
make the graft in bypass operations.
The grafts used in bypass surgery
are usually taken from a leg vein,
the internal thoracic artery behind
The heart squirms and pounds
in a pool of blood during
an operation that demands
precision to the level of 0.1
mm. It is a difficult enough feat
to suture together tiny vessels
2 mm in diameter, but even
more of an accomplishment
when it is done off-pump, with
the heart still moving and
without the aid of a heart-lung
machine.
32
2015 vol.26
the sternum, a forearm artery, or the
gastroepiploic artery. The leg vein is
not very difficult to harvest, but the
internal thoracic or stomach arteries
are significantly harder. In addition to
a certain degree of expert skill, it also
takes about one hour just to harvest a
who cannot endure a long operation.
Some patients are satisfied with the
prospect of another ten years, until
patient is treated on a case by case
basis – my policy is to do what’s
individually best for each person.
“The other day, when I was at an
academic meeting in Germany, I
asked why in Germany they only
used one graft of internal thoracic
artery at the most, and then only use
veins. As I expected, the answer was
that harvesting the internal thoracic
artery is difficult. I was told that if a
junior surgeon is given the job and
accidentally destroys the vessel, it
Clinton was On-Pump,
the Emperor was Off-Pump
Japan is dotted with hospitals that
perform only fifty to a hundred heart
operations per year, whereas in the
West there are centers that perform
a thousand to two thousand in the
same time period. The circumstances
are so different it’s difficult to make a
sweeping comparison, but in regard
to bypass operations, it is likely that
Japanese patients have an advantage
in receiving off-pump surgery using
arteries, even if the procedure takes
twice as long as on-pump.
“Former U.S. president Bill Clinton
is an example of someone who had
bypass surgery on a heart-lung
machine, with one graft taken from
the internal thoracic artery and one
from a vein. Even if there’s a greater
chance more surgery will be required
in the near future, veins are used like
this in the West. In comparison, the
Emperor was over eighty when he
had his surgery, but he had off-pump
2015 vol.26
33
Technical Guidance in
Myanmar
(Left) Between operations the doctor writes patient
reports and thank you letters to the hospitals that
introduced patients to him. Often cardiac patients
have other chronic conditions such as high blood
pressure and diabetes, so in order for them to live
long, healthy lives after their operation, it is
important to liaise with their local doctor. (Above)
The operating doctor making the rounds. ICU staff
and rehabilitation doctors all work together to
share information. One idea is to input data into a
computer while making rounds. Cutting down on
wasteful practices is considered important. (Below)
In April 2015 the Saitama Medical University
International Medical Center became the first
university hospital in Japan to be awarded
accreditation by the Joint Commission
International, which rates health care organizations
around the world.
surgery with artery grafts only. This
very slightly – it’s all done in a very
is a common difference between Japan
confined space. If you could turn the
and advanced Western countries.”
heart over that’d make it much easier,
but it’d make blood pressure drop
Anesthetists Have no
Opportunities to Demonstrate
their Skills
suddenly.”
One day in September, a man in his
pump with the heart moving, without
seventies was undergoing an offpump coronary bypass operation in
the cardiovascular operating theater
at Saitama Medical University
International Medical Center. It took
two hours to prepare the vessels from
the left and right internal thoracic
arteries and the gastroepiploic artery.
“Using only the left and right
internal thoracic arteries and the
gastroepiploic artery – not leg veins¬
– is characteristic of my bypass
surgeries. There’s a knack to using
the gastroepiploic artery, and only a
few surgeons in Japan can do it, but it
produces extremely good results.”
The cut in the chest was made in one
stroke, extending a few centimeters
and then cutting down.
“Suturing the blood vessels behind the
heart is a particularly difficult part
of the procedure. You put the needle
into the heart and pull, and incline
34
2015 vol.26
Just sewing together vessels 2 mm in
diameter is a difficult enough feat, but
this procedure is also performed offusing a heart-lung machine. The
patient’s blood pressure is stabilized at
80 to 90 throughout the surgery.
“Drops in blood pressure and
cardiac arrests happen as a matter of
course for the average doctor during
surgeries. But Dr. Niinami is too
good – there’s never any chance for
anesthetists to show off their skills,”
said the anesthetist who attended Dr.
Niinami’s operation.
In surgical operations, the surgeon
is focused on manual skills, while
supervision of the patient’s overall
condition is the responsibility of the
anesthetist. If an anesthetist has time
on his or her hands, it can be taken as
proof of the high level of the surgeons’
skill.
Four hours after commencing, the
operation finished without incident.
The patient has had his heart restored
to a healthy state.
Dr. Niinami’s hobby is the electric guitar. “Moving the fingers is also good training for
operations,” he laughs, but postoperative care after a coronary procedure is vital. Dr. Niinami
is solicitous of patients’ conditions, and often stays over in the hospital. In the intervals he
picks up the guitar. At those times, the guitar is his only respite.
Performing Over 300
Operations a Year Refines a
Surgeon’s Skills
minimum of two hundred a year
of what made it worthwhile for me.”
was the norm. Some veterans even
His goal is to develop the Saitama
reached a thousand a year. I believe
Medical University International
that if you don’t have the numbers
Medical Center into a facility that
“I don’t try to be fast. I’m not
under your belt, you can’t guarantee
performs over 1,000 cardiac operations
the quality of the surgery. Whenever
a year. To this end he is devoting
I get back from a week overseas on
himself to training dependable medical
business, I can’t help feeling my senses
staff to help carry out the work.
have become blunter when I grip
“At the moment we have three other
the scalpel again. A surgeon can only
doctors at the hospital who can
mature and improve skills through
do heart surgery. All of them are
repeated practice. It’s numbers that
promising young surgeons who want
provide the quality.”
to reach the summit of this path, and
concerned with what other doctors
do, I aim to give patients an operation
that restores them to health and helps
them to live longer.”
Many patients are elderly and have
other chronic problems such as
diabetes or high blood pressure. As
well as needing treatment for a vessel,
many also have complications from
were directly scouted and trained by
A Desire to Instantly
Liberate Patients from
Suffering
me.
future, and the quality of life ten or
Dr. Niinami was inspired to become
blood pressure and diabetes is on
twenty years after an operation. He
a cardiac surgeon by the television
works on the principle of pursuing the
drama Shiroi Kyoto (The White
most thorough course possible within
Tower), which he watched as a high
the limits of the patient’s physical
school student.
endurance.
“Jiro Tamiya was really cool as
Every year he performs more than
Professor Zaizen,” he said with a
three hundred operations, close to two
laugh, “so I decided I wanted to be a
hundred of which are bypasses. He
surgeon at a big hospital. Professor
continues to perform more than ten
Zaizen was a gastroenterologist
times the number of operations of the
surgeon, while I chose heart surgery.
average Japanese cardiac surgeon,
If I was a heart surgeon I use surgery
because that is the world standard.
to give patients instant relief from
“When I studied in Australia, a
their suffering. That was a huge part
valvular heart disease or arrhythmia.
If saving lives is the only consideration,
then fast, minimal surgery is enough.
Dr. Niinami, however, is looking to the
Over the last four years Dr. Niinami has been
going to the Myanmar National Hospital at their
request twice a year to operate and provide
surgical training. During his stay he performs ten
operations a week. The doctor also hosts medical
staff from Myanmar in Japan for training.
According to the World Health
Organization, the risk from lifestyle
related diseases such as obesity, high
the rise globally, and of the illnesses
caused by these, the fatality rate
from cardiac disease is 48%, with 17
million people dying from it every
year. It seems likely that more and
more people from around the world
will want to come to Japan for offpump coronary bypass surgery to
treat angina and heart attack. There’s
no doubt that more and more of them
will want their surgery performed by
Dr. Niinami.
“If you want to live healthily and long,
coronary bypass operations should be
done off-pump using arteries for the
grafts,” says Dr. Niinami. He sets out
once again, aiming to send his patients
home in better health than any other
doctor could.
2015 vol.26
35