There is no doubt that Japan has a long history of producing variety of products. Japanese paper and pottery have more than 1000 years history.
They are produced in different region and different style and each region has unique features for each product- for example,
- Pottery – Imari, Kurani, Mashiko, Tokoname, Mino, Satsuma, Hasami, Shigara, Bizen, Hagi, Akahada, Karatsu and others
- Sculpture – Nara, Takayama, Edo, Osaka, Tonami, Inami, Kagawa, Saga, Suzuka and others
- lacquerware – Wajima, Aizu, Tsugaru, Kishu, Echizen, Kiso, Kawatsura, Johoji and others
- Yuzen Dying – Kaga, Kyo, Tokyo
- Ironware – Nanbu, Yamagata, Tenmei, Edo, Takaoka, Kuwana, Kansai, Kyo
- Cutlery – Seki, Tsubamesanjo, Sakai, Echizen, Tosa
In Edo era, starting from 1600, these traditional craftsmanship inherited to common people, so it have been evolved into various forms. Even if the basic technique is the same, each of craftsman’s expertise is not the same because is has been inherited hands by hands.
This historical background can be considered as a foundation of Japan quality. Kisage is the most important part to produce grinding machine. Even Numeric Control system is widespread, I am sure craftsman’s skill are required for each production.
Can AI capture and copy the knowledge and expertise of craftsman without data? No, they can’t. AI needs structural data to produce anything from it but there is no written manual to produce craftman’s technologies.
While there are several challenges for Japanese manufacturing company to introduce AI for its fabrication and preparation process, some industry start to use AI for its production process such as lens polishing and Japanese Sake fermentation.
Promotion of AI application is one of the major strategy of Japanese government. I would watch how Japanese industry utilize AI to capture and copy craftsman’s technologies which are accumulated and inherited hand by hand over a long time in its history.