The October issue of Monocle magazine has a short feature on Tokushima prefecture, which is home to one of Japan’s lesser-known claims to fame – as the world’s number one LEd-manufacturing centre.
Dubbed LEdValley, local officials plan to build further upon its status. Already, there are 86 LEd-related companies in the region, the most famous being Nichia Corporation, which has nearly 40 per cent of the global white LEd market. In addition, there is a growing number of academic institutions and universities specialising in light technology research.
But its LEd fame is not confined to the industrial: the new annual Tokushima LEd Art Festival was launched this year, with artists including Takura Osaka and Ritsuko Taho exhibiting LEd-inspired creations. Koji Masaki, head of LEd new industry strategies at Tokushima Prefecture’s Industrial Promotional Division, says: “Tokushima prefecture is the world number one LEd manufacturer and our basic objective is to concentrate the world’s LEd lighting industries in the region.”
(with thanks to Monocle for permission)
