Wang Jia Liang, 55, is a travel agent at Executive Travel in Tokyo. A specialist in outbound travel, for the past 24 years Wang has been arranging airline and hotel reservations as well as creating unique itineraries for foreigners and Japanese traveling from Japan. Before marrying a Japanese and moving to Tokyo in 1990, Wang worked as a travel agent and tour conductor in China for 11 years. His vast knowledge of every nook and cranny of China earned him the rare honor of being selected as a model worker among his 750 colleagues. In Tokyo, Wang is well known as a trusted travel agent and a most patient concierge who saves travelers time, money and lots of stress.

Building a new factory doesn't create job opportunities anymore, except for the construction industry. We took a factory tour in Japan. During our visit we saw that the lines were moving but we didn't see any workers in the building. We were told that this huge factory was operated by only two people! The rest of the work is done by robots. The future is already here, right now, in Japan.

Having too many choices is constrictive. At first, the Internet eliminated the need for travel agencies, since online, anyone could act as their own travel bureau. It's fun to sit at a computer and look for the best routes and deals. I know! I love doing that all day. But there are so many choices. Browsing is enjoyable if you are just gathering information, but if you need to make a choice and a reservation, many people feel trapped in the maze of options and want an expert to help them navigate their way out. We get many such first-time callers. Once we guide them out of the labyrinth, they never venture back in again. They hold on to us for dear life.