Japan's Innovative Products and Services Win 4th Eco Products Awards

Japan's Eco-Products Awards Promotion Council announced the winners of its fourth annual Eco-Products Awards on November 15, 2007, and the awards ceremony took place on December 13 at Eco-Products 2007, Japan's major eco-exhibition held at the Tokyo Big Sight. Since first being launched in 2004 to promote eco-consciousness, the awards have been given out once a year to producers of outstanding products and services that contributed to reducing human impacts on the environment. The winners for 2007 were chosen from 125 submissions in the products category and 30 in the services category.

In the eco-products category, four won the Minister's prizes. Bandai Co.'s capsule toy insect figures, named Gashapon Earth Capsule Insect Hunt, the industry's first toy made of biomass chips, won the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) prize. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) prize went to Fuji Xerox Co. for its multifunction devices/printers that utilize a newly developed biomass plastic and are equipped with an energy efficient controller and other energy saving features. Ecowin Hybrid Thermo System by Eco Factory Co., a highly energy saving cooling/heating system based on the radiation heat-transfer principle and the world's first commercial hybrid railway car developed by Japan East Railway and Hitachi Co., earned awards from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation (MLIT) and Ministry of the Environment.

In the eco-services category, three Minister's prizes were presented. Green Potato, by NTT Facilities Inc., is a rooftop-greening service with hydro/aeroponic cultivation of sweet potato, which is effective in alleviating the urban heat-island phenomenon (MAFF prize). Toshiba Elevator and Building Systems Co. was awarded for its service of upgrading energy consuming hydraulic elevators installed in buildings to a newly designed roped machine-roomless system (METI prize). The MLIT prize went to Carwings Navigation System by Nissan Motor Co., which features the fastest-route-search function yet and provides drivers with information for saving fuel while driving.

http://www.fujixerox.com/eng/company/news/2007/1213_awards.html
http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/NEWS/2007/_STORY/070122-04-e.html
- 3rd Eco Products Awards Go to Innovative Products and Services (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/1653-e

Posted: 2008/05/04 06:49:57 AM