Japanese take a beating sometimes for not being creative, for being better soldiers than captains, better indians than chiefs.

But, when push comes to shove, Japanese companies can take an idea and make it the standard in the industry.

Sony is a great example. Does anybody remember the Walkman?

Sony has a new product that will be the industry standard for years to come - the Blu-ray Recorder.

Another Japanese company, Toshiba, challenged Sony and lost. What I want to know is, where were the other companies in the world fighting to be the standard bearer in this industry?

Sony’s Blu-ray recorder will be able to transfer video to portable devices. You can watch your favorite television program on a Walkman portable music player.

320 gigabyte hard-disk drive. Watchable on another Sony standard, the PSP.

60-minute programs can be uploaded in two minutes - fast enough for the busy businessman who will then have something to watch on tomorrow’s 1-2 hour commute.

100+ hours of high-definition video. Good enough for a cross Pacific flight, eh?

Quality and innovation come at a price, however - Y170,000.

But the product will be good. After all, it’s made in Japan.

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