Will Japan Ever Have A Silicon Valley?

                       (Santa Clara Valley-Wikimedia)

Northern California’s Silicon Valley, an area running roughly from San Francisco down to San Jose is synonymous with high technology, innovation and creativity. Certain historical trends came together to make the Valley what it is, including the explosive growth of the American economy after WWII and the need for military technology during the Cold War. From the 1970s on Valley culture developed, producing such giants as Apple, CISCO Systems, Intel etc. Even today this area in the Santa Clara valley leads the world for new and creative thinking and innovation. So will there ever be another Silicon Valley? What about Japan? Could such an area come in to being? Could Japanese government or industry create one? A few years ago there was talk about doing just that: setting up a kind of “Silicon Valley” in Okinawa. But it seems nothing came of it. So will Japan develop such a place, or will innovation stay centered in companies and universities? Let us know your thoughts on this.