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This Special Issue includes a selection of papers which originally were presented and discussed at the Eighteenth International Working Seminar on Production Economics, Innsbruck, February 24–28, 2014 and subsequently extended and improved. Production Economics was established in the 1970s as an academic discipline focusing on scientific topics treating the interface between engineering, management, and economics with a special emphasis on the financial consequences of decisions in the production domain. The subject is interdisciplinary in nature and it therefore contains a wide range of subjects. The Working Seminar included sessions such as supply chain management, innovation management, general production economics, productivity and performance analysis, service management, risk management in production, inventory control, scheduling, forecasting, simulation applications, green and reverse logistics, manufacturing strategy, production planning and control, investment and financial planning. The 18-th Working Seminar had 202 participants from 27 countries and provides an excellent opportunity for participants to broader study horizons, exchange research ideas and promote the development of a unique production economics community.

A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with liver dysfunction during a medical examination. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed multiple nodules in the left lobe, anterior segment, andposterior segment of the liver, leading to a diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Extended left lobectomy and partial hepatectomy in the anterior and posterior segment with lymph node dissection was performed. At the time of the operation, small nodules on the peritoneum near the stomach were resected; these nodules were diagnosed as peritoneal disseminations of ICC. The histopathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma (T4N0M1, Stage IVB). Adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 was administered for 18 months. Thirty months after the operation, multiple lung metastases were detected by using CT, and chemotherapy with gemcitabine was initiated. Thirty-six months after chemotherapy with gemcitabine, the patient is alive and at home despite her lung metastases, which grew slightly in size. Herein, we report a long-term survival case of ICC with peritoneal dissemination that was successfully treated with surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy.

29th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4102-4105, 2013 was the second year since the start of the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) program started in July 2012 and the 2013 Japanese PV market achieved a significant growth from 1.7 GW in the previous year to 7 GW level. The Japanese PV market formerly led by residential PV applications shifted to the balanced market structure with the growth of nonresidential sectors consisting of PV applications for public, commercial and industrial facilities and utility-scale applications. With the progress of installtion of PV projects under the FIT program, steady cost reduction was observed for residential applications and small-scale commercial applications after the FIT program started, while the cost trend for larger-scale applications remains at the same level. This paper discuss the effects of the FIT program on the market segments, cost trends and cost related issues and outlook of the PV market in Japan.

28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4619-4622, The Feed-in tariff (FIT) program started in July 2012 by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). It gave significant impacts on the PV market in Japan. Annual installed capacity of Japan in 2012 reached 1.7 GW and the market segment significantly changed. Especially, commercial and utility scale markets have started to grow. Due to the rapid growth of the market, ratio of imported PV modules is increasing since the start of the FIT program. Cost reduction of the PV system advanced. Approved projects in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 (from July 2012 to March 2013) reached about 20 GW. While the market growth is observed, various issues and challenges emerged for PV development, especially for large scale PV projects. This paper reviews the impacts of the FIT program and discuss the challenges and outlook for the PV market in Japan.

27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4449-4452, In Japan, PV system market has been dominated by residential application because the national government has been implementing subsidy programs for residential PV systems. In July 2012, new Feed-in Tariff Program started and it is expected that this new incentive program will completely change the market segment of PV system in Japan. Especially it will drive non-residential sector including utility-scale applications. It is also assumed that a variety of companies will enter power generation business with MW-scale PV power plants. This paper will describe the current status of the PV market in Japan focusing on the new development foreseen with the implementation of the new Feed-in Tariff Program started in July 2012.

26th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 4514-4517, The PV market in Japan moved into the run-up period toward GW country in terms of annual introduction capacity with the new support measures started in 2009. Newly installed capacity for the calendar year 2010 reached 991 MW, almost double size from the figure of 2009 market (483 MW). This growth is based on two key measures by the national government; Program for Subsidy for Measures to Support Introduction of Residential PV Systems that METI, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry re-started in January 2009 and Feed-in tariff program for surplus PV power started in November 2009. Further growth of the PV market in Japan is expected from the new policy and measures. The government will move toward drastic introduction of PV power generation by implementing enhancement and relaxation of institutions and regulations, support measures, promotion of research and development and reinforcement of electricity supply framework. Among them, new Feed-in Tariff program passed the diet in 26th of August 2011 and the program will start in July of 2012. It is expected that the new FiT program would drive the growth of non-residential PVmarket. In addition, it is assumed that Japan’s PV market will be diversified with the taking off of large scale PV plants planned by utilities which announced construction of 30 large scale PV plants, 140 MW in total by 2020. Under such circumstances, it is expected that the Japanese PV market of 2011 will reach more than 1GW and further growth will be expected in 2012. This paper presents the current status and future prospects of the PV market in Japan from the view point of policy & measures and the development of the PV market.

24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, 21-25 September 2009, Hamburg, Germany; 4382-4386, It is expected that Japan’s PV market will be revitalized again from 2009 as a new national target for PV capacity was set and new support framework for introduction of PV system has started. In July 2008, the cabinet announced “the Action Plan to Create a Low-carbon Society”. This Plan widely covers specific targets and measures regarding innovative technological development, dissemination of existing advanced technologies, and establishment of a framework to transform the entire nation into a low-carbon society. As for PV power generation, the national target was set; increasing introduction volume of PV power generation by 10 times (to 14 GW) by 2020 and by 40 times (to 53 GW) by 2030 from the current levels. Moreover, the government raised the target capacity to 28 GW by 2020 under the J-Recovery Plan formulated in April 2009. Corresponding to this target, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) started new subsidy program for residential PV system and decided to oblige utilities to purchase excess PV power at the double amount of the electricity charge. Other ministries and agencies also announced the new efforts to achieve the target through “the Action plan to disseminate PV power generation” in order to jointly promote PV power. The PV industry in Japan will contribute to further introduction of PV power generation through reinforcing industry structure, enhancement of the production capacity and technological developments aiming at cost reduction. Moreover, electric utility companies decided to promote the construction of PV power plants including MW-level PV power plants. This paper reviews the entire picture of the new dissemination framework of PV system in Japan, in which, national and local governments, utilities, the PV industry, end-users and other related sectors are working on and the current status and future prospects of PV market in Japan.

23rd European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, 1-5 September 2008, Valencia, Spain; 3660-3667, In 2007, Japan sought for establishing a framework towards full-scale dissemination of PV system. In 2008, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda announced his vision titled “Fukuda Vision - in pursuit of Japan as a low-carbon society” and Japan’s new target PV capacity was set. In response to Fukuda Vision, the national government, local governments and related PV sectors started efforts to achieve the Vision. This paper describes the current status and prospects of PV activities in Japan based on these movements.