As far as I recall, Japan's Fifth Generation program, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_generation_computer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_generation_compu

As far as I recall, Japan's Fifth Generation program, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_generation_computer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_generation_computer, which had the West running around in a panic, was primarily software driven. It was seen as an attempt the break the European and American dominance of software and microprocessors but was unsuccessful. It is interesting that many of the companies mentioned in the article are small rather than the usual set of behemoths. Perhaps this time with the disruption in Japanese society with life-time employment at large corporations no longer a sure thing and with the rise of China that there is enough fear/desire in Japan to make it work.