This week Terrie explains how concrete has changed the face of Japan and why a new coating technology is increasing the life of concrete buildings. Read Terrie's Take Now

Masatoshi ShiotaBy John Dodd
Nikko Inc Creates an Ubiquitous and Safe Surface Treatment

As any visitor to Japan will testify, Japan is the land of construction and concrete. It seems that few rivers, beaches, or mountain roadsides have been left untouched by the hand of bureaucracy and concrete trucks. Indeed, during the heyday of Japanese public works, from 1991 through 2000, the Japanese government tried kickstarting the moribund economy by pumping an unprecedented JPY430trillion (US$3.6trillion) into public works projects! Most of this went on people, corporate profits, some alleged kick-backs, and of course the basic raw material – concrete.