With the objective to achieve a more comprehensive and deeper understanding of Japanese culture, economic development, industry policies, enterprise operation and management, to build a bridge of friendly communication between elites from top Chinese business school and Japanese government and enterprises, and to create a new path for amicable exchange between Chinese and Japanese educational circles, Tsinghua MBA Education Center successfully organized a survey-and –practice study trip of Japanese green economy and diverse consumption for 2009 PMBAs and 2010 F/P/IMBAs during their winter vacation with great support from Mitsubishi Corporation and Waseda University.

In the morning of Feb. 5, although it was Spring, Beijing was covered with the coldness of -10OC. The low temperature could not resist the passion of more than 20 Tsinghua MBA students. Led by Ms Chen Fang of Student Development Department of MBA Center, this long-expected study trip was realized in the end.Takafumi Katsuki, the Japanese student of 2010 FMBA class was the planner of this study trip, who did preliminary communication and organization works. He made all the agendas and arrangements beforehand mostly on his own. Even though the earthquake in Japan delayed the trip for half a year, he actively contacted Japanese companies including his employer Mitsubishi Corporation. With the support of MBA Center and the communication and contacts with the business school of Waseda University, he finally got friendly reply and support.

This study trip was arranged with a tight time schedule. The delegation visited 15 institutions in 5 days and was warmly welcomed by Japanese enterprises, government and universities. MBA students got a general understanding of Japanese intellectual municipal and energy-saving environmental protection policies, “intellectual  city” program of Yokohama government, energy-saving services and “intellectual  city” programs of Mitsubishi, clean LEAF cars produced in Japan, and green innovation of Panasonic electric appliances. They also had deep communication with MBA students from the business school of Waseda University. Tsinghua Schoolmates Union in Japan and Japanese Branch of Tsinghua TEEC Union and Japanese MBA schoolmates of Tsinghua University welcomed fellow schoolmates with ardent reception.

Students were deeply impressed by the “intellectual city” plan of Yokohama government. This plan is a comprehensive resolution scheme regarding municipal energy utilization combined with multiple new ways of thinking such as the intensive management of energy bases (power plants),power transmission and storage equipment, new energy industry and community energy. To realize the smooth and intensive use of energy and the reduction of energy waste on the basis of no increase of overall energy, this is a strategic thinking that combined the development of city with the protection of environment. When energy crisis is approaching, the intensive management of energy utilization of the entire city and community is a measure of strategic insights. The “intellectual city” plan is not only based on the utilization of energy. More importantly, it achieves both the informationization of the management of community and city and combination of industry production and municipal development.

 

Tsinghua MBA communicated with Mitsubishi commercial staffs

Tsinghua MBA got a gift from Mori Tower

Panasonic’s Green Idea Home opened the window for MBA students toward future sustainable life style of cities and towns. Green houses are dedicated to the life style with zero CO2 emission. The design of such houses fully utilizes natural energy such as wind, heat and light. With the comprehensive coordination of the centralized intellectual controlling system, domestic electric appliances of various kinds are able to induce the most suitable load automatically and thus adjust the power amount to the minimum. The in-house lighting system also can adjust the strength of lamp light in accordance with the natural light. The host operates the central intellectual controlling system by computer and controls the electric appliances and lamps in all corners of the entire room. Compared with ordinary residential houses, the intellectualization of domestic electric appliances is able to save about 80% of electric power. The insufficient amount of power may be supplemented by solar-energy electronic board on the roof and the redundant power may be used for the charge of EV automobiles or hybrid electric vehicles。

During this study trip, Tsinghua MBA donated 300,000 Japanese Yen for a NGO entitled “Teach for Japan” The money is sourced from the collection of donations by Tsinghua MBA Sunshine Charity Club for earthquake survivors in Japan and will be used for educational projects including offering free lessons to children survivors moved to Tokyo.

Waseda university students and Tsinghua University students took a group photo

Although this study trip was hosted by MBA Education Center, most of the arrangements were made by MBA students. ipants took the initiative to form a project team for the preparation of visiting Japan, which not only trained their abilities, but also contributed to the success of this activity.

a Japanese schoolfellow served as translator during our trip to METI

Even though Chinese economy has surpassed that of Japanese in the overall quantity, Japanese economy is worthy of our study and reference. This trip helped MBA students to have a deep understanding of such 2 main domains as Japanese green economy and diverse consumption and provided them with a personal experience of the environmental-protective innovation, technology refinement and social responsibility of Japanese enterprises. Other merits of the Japanese like focusing on details and punctuality are also worthy of our learning.