a reflection on Tokyo and Osaka

Same time last week, I sat at the conference room of Asian Productivity Office (APO) in Tokyo. I was one of the two who were chosen by APO to represent the Philippines as a learner on a soon-to-be-called ISO 14051. Currently, ISO 14051 resides in a name called Material Flow Cost Accounting (MFCA) in academic journals and research papers.

I listened to what the experts said. But above all, I watched and observed.

I was in Tokyo and Osaka for six (6) nights and seven (7) days. Half of the time I was seated in a conference room. The other half, I was riding. It was a choice among a chartered bus, an express train or a bullet train. All of these mode of transportation comes and leaves on time. Every time. When the ticket says the train arrives at 13:46, it arrives at 13:46. Not a minute early. Not a minute late.

Just in time.

Though it can be intellectually appreciated how nice if things are like that here in the Philippines, one has to see and be immersed in an environment to see the power of what happens when things are on time.

I wonder how did they do this. Was it because they made good use of the Marshall Plan after World War II? Or was it the spirit behind the surrender of Japan at the end of WW II of not seeing it as an end of Japan but a beginning of a new Japan?

It is easy to compare our infrastructure with theirs. And, I think, it is perfectly understandable to feel a bit bad about the state of our public infrastructure when one experiences theirs.

Ours is so bad that if theirs is a masterpiece, ours will be a blank canvas.

And that for me is good! For now we can use theirs as an inspiration to draw ours :)

Regarding MFCA, my mind is still a buzz. Excited. Swirling. I need more time to express that one :)

"... why think like mere men?"