The state-of-the-art of power electronics in Japan

Since the late 1950's, power electronics has been developing by leaps and bounds without saturation to become the key technology essential to modern society and human life as well as to electrical engineering. This paper mainly focuses on the state-of-the-art of power electronics technology and its medium to high-power applications because the author cannot survey the whole spectrum of power electronics ranging from a 5-W switching regulator to a 2.8-GW high-voltage de transmission system now under construction in Japan. This paper also presents prospects and directions of power electronics in the 21st century, including the personal views and expectations of the author.