J-CAST Business News http://en.j-cast.com/ Japan's leading business news website, provided in English and Japanese. Full of useful, practical business tips and know-hows. Chinese site to be launched soon. ja Copyright(c) 2006 J-CAST, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:09:39 +0900 “Boxter S” and “Cayman S” with special specifications available Porsche Japan
Porsche Japan "Cayman S Sports" car

   Porsche Japan KK began accepting orders on Aug. 2008 for the "Boxter S Porsche Design Edition 2" and "Cayman S Sports" cars.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/28025902.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/28025902.html Thing's Japanese Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:33:14 +0900 “Subaru R2” with special specifications being sold Fuji “Subaru R2 Favorite Edition”
Fuji “Subaru R2 Favorite Edition”

   Fuji Heavy Industries began selling on Aug. 4, 2008 the "Subaru R2" cars with special specifications under the model name of the "Subaru R 2 Favorite Edition."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/22025587.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/22025587.html Automotive & Machinery Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:53:32 +0900 TSE hit by series of system troubles. It officials are increasingly distrustful of Fujitsu    The Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) is being hit by a series of system troubles. Such troubles have already occurred three times since the beginning of 2008. The TSE has come under criticisms as an official at a major securities house noted that the TSE has lost the trust as a securities exchange market. Atsushi Saito, President and CEO of the TSE, revealed at a regular press conference on July 29 that a special project team has been formed to work out measures to prevent the recurrence of the troubles. According to some officials of the TSE, however, the causes of the recent troubles are "careless mistakes of the program." As the weak points regarding the system have been revealed, the feeling of distrust among the officials involved is intensified toward the next-generation system the TSE is planning to install and the company which is developing the system.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/22025585.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/22025585.html Financial services & Securities Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:44:34 +0900 Honda to sell special models to mark 50th anniversay of production of “Super Cub” motorbikes Honda “Super Cub 50, 50th Anniversary Special” (left) and “Little Cub, 50th Anniversary Special” (right)
Honda “Super Cub 50, 50th Anniversary Special” (left) and “Little Cub, 50th Anniversary Special” (right)

   Honda Motor Co. will start selling from Aug. 1, 2008 two special models to mark the 50th anniersary of the production of the "Super Cub" motorbikes. They are the "Super Cub 50, 50th Anniversary Special" and the "Little Cub, 50th Anniversary Special."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/20025428.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/20025428.html Automotive & Machinery Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:52:26 +0900 Toyota faces a turning point on its way of growth. Carmakers in U.S., Europe, Japan all suffer earnings decline    Toyota Motor Corp., together with its subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor and Hino Motors, sold 270,000 units of cars more than the U.S. General Motors (GM) in the first half (January-June) of 2008, becoming the world's largest carmaker again following the first half of 2007, it has been learned. This showed that Toyota won the sales race over GM, which suffered from slow sales of large cars. However, Toyota itself also faced conspicuously sluggish car sales to such an unprecedented extent that the company is now beginning to consider car price raise.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/13025118.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/13025118.html Automotive & Machinery Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:55:01 +0900 Why bonus payments to megabank executives are being resumed at snail’s pace?    Bonus payments for megabank executives have been resumed. The Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (FG) and the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) were to give bonuses to their executives after the matter was approved at their respective stockholders general meetings held in June 2008. The megabanks have somehow tided over the financial crisis that followed the burst of bubble economy through amalgamations and receiving investments using public funds. Because of the economic setback triggered by the subprime mortgage problems, however, the banks are facing strong criticisms against the payment resumption. The amounts of the payments are much smaller than they used to be, and the payments are coming back slowly at a "snail's pace."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/06024741.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/08/06024741.html Financial services & Securities Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:47:42 +0900 “Work like mud for the first 10 years after joining a company.” Does this go to all IT companies?    Working for IT companies is so hard that there is such an expression as the "IT laborer." Adding fuel to the fire, an IT industry official remarked: "You must work like mud (work like a horse) for the first 10 years after joining a company." This caused a heated exchange of pros and cons on the internet. Is it true that employees are forced to "work like mud" at IT companies?

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/30024341.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/30024341.html Technology & Electronics Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:25:32 +0900 “Second ketai” for young people, for chatting between lovers    While the age of "one ketai (mobile phone) for every one person" is coming, some point out that the mobile phone market has already been saturated. However, the number of the people centering on young ones who buy a second mobile phone, "second ketai," is gradually increasing. Especially, a survey shows that 30% of the people who bought the iPhones, which were just put on the market recently, bought them as their "second ketai." One ketai for one person seems to be adequate, but it makes one wonder for what the ketai bought by those who already have one is used.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/25024146.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/25024146.html Technology & Electronics Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:20:48 +0900 “Mark X” cars with special specifications on market Toyota Mark X 250G “F Package Smart Edition”
Toyota Mark X 250G “F Package Smart Edition”

   Toyota Motor Corp. has put on the market since July 1, 2008 two models of Mark X cars with special specifications. They are the 250G "F Package Smart Edition" and the 250G Four "F Package Smart Edition."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/25024138.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/25024138.html Automotive & Machinery Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:55:24 +0900 Warning light flashing on Chinese auto market. Demand nose-diving before Olympics    "Credit crunch is occurring. Gasoline prices are soaring. Stock prices are sliding, while natural disasters are happening endlessly. No one can be optimistic about car sales in 2008. It's likely that the coldest winter in four years since 2004 is coming."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/18023790.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/18023790.html Automotive & Machinery Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:59:36 +0900 Mitsuoka Motor markets new model “Nouera 6-02”

   Mitsuoka Motor Co. started marketing on July 10, 2008 the new model of cars, "Nouera 6-02."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/17023702.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/17023702.html Automotive & Machinery Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:16:19 +0900 iPhone’s popularity overheated. Sold out already? SoftBank shops stop taking advance orders    The iPhones, the mobile platforms made by Apple Computer Inc., are likely to be sold out at the sops of SoftBank Mobile Corp. on the first day the sale is started. Some of the shops are accepting advance orders for the iPhones before they are actually sold, but they are beginning to stop accepting the orders one after another on the ground that "too many advance orders are coming in" and "the public reaction is too overwhelming."

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/11023424.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/11023424.html Technology & Electronics Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:16:42 +0900 Wireless LAN service to be available on “NT700” bullet trains “NT700” bullet trains to provide wireless LAN service
“NT700” bullet trains to provide wireless LAN service

   Central Japan Railway Co. (JR Central) announced on June 26, 2008 that wireless LAN service will be available on the new bullet trains of the "NT700" series running on the Tokaido Shinkansen line starting in March 2009. Wireless LAN networks will be constructed on the trains, and they will be linked trough coaxial cable (LCX) that will be laid along the railway tracks. The transmission speed will be maximum 2Mbps.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/08023169.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/08023169.html Technology & Electronics Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:46:35 +0900 Offering use of electric and hybrid cars “free of charge.” Carmakers’ advertising their eco-friendly vehicles at G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit    Electric cars are now drawing the public attention because of the global warming problems and soaring gasoline prices. The 2008 G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit to start on July 7, 2008 will provide Japanese automakers a chance to boast their environment protection technology, and they are ready to offer their hybrid and electric cars as cars for rent free of charge. This shows the competition among them has already started for getting as much market shares as possible in the world.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/02022836.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/07/02022836.html Automotive & Machinery Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:15:13 +0900 Daiichi Sankyo to become 2nd largest pharmaceutical company in Japan by acquiring major Indian medicine maker    Daiichi Sankyo Co. announced on June 11, 2008 that it will acquire Ranbaxy Laboratories, India's major pharmaceutical company that produces mainly generics. As a result, Daiichi Sankyo will become the second largest pharmaceutical company in Japan in terms of sales surpassing Astellas Pharma Inc., which has hitherto the second largest maker of medicines.

]]> http://en.j-cast.com/2008/06/25022433.html http://en.j-cast.com/2008/06/25022433.html Healthcare & Biotechnology Wed, 25 Jun 2008 19:47:51 +0900