The Netherlands is focusing a lot of attention on preserving the environment. Much of The Netherlands is actually situated below sea level, and as the county is located along the North Sea, it has grappled with flood control throughout its history. Moreover, the Rhine arrives in The Netherlands only after passing through industrial areas in Germany, Switzerland and other European nations, so The Netherlands has had considerable experience dealing with water and soil pollution. Also, as it has few of its own natural resources, The Netherlands relies heavily on foreign imports. These circumstances have combined to spur the government's efforts to promote recycling and other environmental measures.
Mitsubishi Nederland B.V. (MNBV) is also focusing on the environment through its business activities. For example, in 1994, Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) secured an order from Nuon (then UNA), a leading Dutch power company, to supply Europe's first blast furnace gas (BFG) fired power plant. Because BFG is a toxic byproduct of steel production, the combustion of BFG as a fuel not only promotes the effective use of energy resources, but it also helps safeguard the environment.
Nuon is now actively working to incorporate clean energy. It has led the way in Europe with the introduction of a thermal power plant that uses biomass. It is also pushing ahead with other leading-edge projects, including wind and solar power generation; a thermal power demonstration plant that uses coal gasification technology*; and the Nuon Magnum 1,300 megawatt (MW) IGCC** power plant, to be supplied by MC and MHI (with operations scheduled to begin in 2011). Nuon is also actively working on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage*** (CCS), a technology for collecting and storing CO2 emissions generated by power plants.
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Gasification of coal (and other fuels) raises the efficiency of power generation and also reduces harmful emissions. |
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Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power production involves gasifying solid or liquid fuels and generating electricity using a combination of gas and steam turbines. It is highly efficient and also represents a cleaner way to use coal and other fuels. |
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Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) is thought to be one promising solution in the fight against global warming. |
What comes to mind when you hear "The Netherlands"? Many people may say tulips, and indeed, The Netherlands boasts the world's top market for plants and flowers. Some people may think of windmills, cheese or cocoa, while others may name Dutch painters like Van Gogh, Vermeer and Rembrandt, or the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In Japan, people also think of Dejima, the Edo period Dutch trading port, or the Dutch judo champion Anton Geesink, who won gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Indeed, many people around the world feel some connection to The Netherlands and its culture.
The Netherlands is a flat country. Its highest point is slightly more than 320 meters and much of the country is actually below sea level. While natural gas and oil are produced in The Netherlands, Dutch people tend to be highly focused on environmental issues, such as global warming, and The Netherlands is said to have already achieved its targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The Netherlands is highly active in the international community: it was a founding member of the European Community and the International Court of Justice is located in The Hague. The Netherlands is also a key European distribution hub, with major ports in Rotterdam and Amsterdam complemented by Schiphol Airport. While Dutch is the national language, most people speak English and many are proficient in several languages.
Relations between Japan and The Netherlands date back more than 400 years, when the Dutch ship Liefde arrived in Kyushu in 1600. Formal trade relations were established in 1609, when the Dutch were granted extensive trading rights, and a trading post was subsequently established in Nagasaki Prefecture. For centuries, the Dutch represented Japan's only window to the West, starting in the 1630s, when Japan adopted strict isolationist policies, up through the arrival of Commodore Perry's ships in 1853. The year 2009 will mark the 400th anniversary of trade relations between Japan and The Netherlands and both countries are planning a variety of events to commemorate the occasion.
MC's presence in The Netherlands dates back to 1966, when a liaison office of Mitsubishi International GmbH was established in Rotterdam. This office later served as the foundation for Mitsubishi Nederland B.V. (MNBV), which was inaugurated in 1975. MNBV then relocated to Amsterdam at the end of 2006.
Today, MNBV's activities include power and chemical plant projects as well as the production and sale of industrial-use rubber hoses. It serves customers across the Benelux region (Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg) and in Russia, the Middle East and elsewhere.
The Netherlands continues to achieve steady growth as a core market of the EU. It also boasts a rich history and beautiful nature and art. I encourage you all to plan a visit to The Netherlands for a most memorable experience!
If you come to The Netherlands on April 30th, or during the European or World Soccer Championships, you will see orange-colored things everywhere. Orange is the Dutch national color, because the surname of our queen is "of Orange" (actually a place in France). April 30th is when we celebrate the queen's birthday. The streets are filled with people, often wearing something orange. People sell their old stuff on the streets, and everyone has a good time.
During important soccer tournaments, some people decorate the outsides of their houses with orange flags-and some even paint their houses orange! Also, new (mainly useless) orange-colored gadgets are sold during these events, like orange balls to put on your car's antenna. This is called "Orange Mania". Fortunately the queen's surname is not "Grey"!
With 18 million bicycles for a population of 16 million people, one can truly say that The Netherlands is Bicycle Country. I am one of the nearly 8 million people who cycle to work every day. We love our bikes, which we ride on specially designated roads and then park in bicycle parking areas or chain to suitable objects along the street. Not only is it an economical form of transportation, riding a bike is also good exercise. It gives you the freedom to travel from door to door, without being dependent on public transportation or getting stuck in one of the many traffic jams we have here. That is why people here collectively travel 14 billion kilometers by bicycle each year.
With the robust economic growth that followed the end of World War II, The Netherlands continued to grow by incorpating the vitality of newcomers, accepting emigrants from countries such as Turkey and Morocco and also taking in immigrants from the former Dutch colonies of Suriname and Indonesia. Naturally, newcomers face the challenges of learning the language and adapting to Dutch society, and the government has adopted various measures to help immigrants make a smooth transition into life in The Netherlands. One example is the outstanding textbooks that have been developed for newcomers. These innovative texts utilize the country's past experiences to address the challenges of integrating in ways that everyone can easily understand.
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