It is no secret to anyone that Asia is composed of a group of nations in which the people work very hard at almost everything they do. And one of those quests which draw out the well known Asian work ethic is the pursuit of great technologies.
And some prescient individual in Japan was rumored to have said immediately after they surrendered and ended World War II, “They defeated us in battle, but we will win them over in another way.” And despite Japan’s lost decade economically, they still carry a multitude of technological advantages over the US. Just take a long walk through most of Tokyo or Kyoto, and you will see that their way is the tech way. And Japan also has a lot to offer in terms of green technology. For instance, they pioneered the low flow toilets most of the world now uses almost exclusively. And they have made some incredible strides in the application and refinement of underfloor heating technology.
And, of course, Japan is just one of many nations where there is the desire to be a technological force to be reckoned with. China is the most obvious example of a nation which is hungry to be successful in every way in which it can. Of course, China is also an example of how the rule of law must some times over rule what the people actually want. For example, during the Beijing Olympics awhile back, millions of Chinese citizens were ordered not to drive their cars for a particular time period, so as to allow the typical smog over the city to dissipate. This provided clearer skies for the games, and reduced carbon emissions substantially. However, as any person who has been ordered not to do something could tell you, it was not an especially good long term pollution reduction measure.
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