This review of Japan's "G-Mark" system revelas a hopeful future:
Japan's G-Mark program is the successor to the "Good Design Selection System" established in 1957 by the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and is Japan’s only comprehensive system for evaluating and awarding design. During its 50-year history, G-Mark has handed out Good Design Awards or G-Marks to 30,000 products....
To position Japan as leading the international standards, the G-Mark system held out as its next objective to set the global standards in terms of interactive design (design involving a dialogue with users); universal design (design that is non-discriminatory when used); and ecological design (sustainable design with green considerations).
Source:
Japan's Good Design Award (G-Mark) Celebrates 50th Anniversary
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