In product-oriented development, customer requirements are developed first. The product is then designed to meet the requirements. This process is inefficient. In technology-oriented development, functional robustness of a product technology is first developed at the early stage of the process. The developed robust technology is then tuned to meet the requirements as they become available. This process is flexible, responsive, and cheaper. This paper explains the role of robust design in technology-oriented development. Shifting from product-oriented development to technology-oriented development is the key to: (a) restructuring the technology bases of Japan which are getting empty; and (b) regaining the competitive edge in quality and productivity which Japan once enjoyed. >