Computers in Japan: Super coordination: Together, designers, equipment manufacturers, and the government spur progress

Japanese computer development, at least for larger systems, is a well-coordinated, highly organized effort. The Japanese Government considers computers strategic national products and so has guided domestic computer manufacturers into avenues of R&D designed to produce hardware, software, peripherals, and applications that will not only meet the needs of the dynamic Japanese economy, but will be effective state-of-the-art products, both in domestic and export markets. A key step to more effective competition was the Government decision, implemented during the early 1970s, to guide the six major Japanese computer manufacturers into forming three company groups dedicated to developing new and better computer systems.