Asia Africa Intelligence Wire articles from November 2005

Asia Africa Intelligence Wire archives from November 2005

Interview with Fukui Takeo, President and CEO, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Yamaga Junichi Backed by brisk overseas sales in North America and China particularly, Honda continues to post solid earnings records. Along with Toyota, the...

Interview with Okano Masayuki, President, Okano Kogyo Co., Ltd.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Takamasu Kanji Okano Masayuki, 72 years old, was born in Higashi-Mukojima, in the eastern part of Tokyo, as the son of a die-maker. Thirty-three years ago, he...

Japan's Baby Boomers and the Year 2007 Problem Part 1.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Seike Atsushi Japan's Baby Boomer Generation The term "dankai no sedai" (clumped generation) owes its origin to the title of the bestseller by the economist Sakaiya Taichi. It...

Japan's Baby Boomers and the Year 2007 Problem Part 2.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Seike Atsushi We Can Avoid the Year 2007 Problem As Table 1 indicates, approximately 90% of companies that employ 30 or more employees, and almost all large corporations, have...

The Effect of the Baby Boomer Generation on Japan.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Yoshida Kazuo In 2007, Japan's economy and society will be at an important crossroads, which is known as the Year 2007 problem. The problems that will occur in 2007 are of many...

Mass Retirement May Lead to Loss of Technical Skills Part 1.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Tanaka Fusahiro Japan's baby boomers, approximately 6.91 million people born from 1947 to 1949, will start to retire in 2007. Comprising 5.4% of the total population, such a...

The Impact of the Baby Boomers' Retirement in Japan.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kono Ryutaro Japan's baby boomer generation, born between 1947 and 1949, is fast approaching the age of 60. Although this population segment does not really stand out from...

Will the Pensioner Baby Boomers and the Part-Time "Junior" Generation Bankrupt Japan?
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Miura Atsushi The "Freeter" Worker: Product of the Past 16 Years of the Baby Boomer Generation In July this year, I published a book called Dankai Sedai wo Sokatsu Suru (An...

Interview with Okano Masayuki, President, Okano Kogyo Co., Ltd.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Takamasu Kanji Dealing with the Challenge of an "Impossible Task" The development of the less painful needle attracted a lot of attention this year. ...

Classic Rakugo Art Finds a New Audience.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kurosawa Tsuneo The traditional Japanese art of sit-down comic storytelling, rakugo, is once again in the spotlight. Japanese showbiz is taking a fresh look at this seemingly...

Research Performance Evaluation.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Inoguchi Takashi The Point of Evaluation Why does academic research need to be evaluated? The reasons provided will determine how the evaluations are conducted. Some say...

Mounting Expectations for Progress on Structural Reforms.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Izumi Masaki The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won a historic victory in the general election on Sept. 11, 2005, in which Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro appealed to the...

Noh :A Mirror of the Spirit.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Ogamo Rebecca Teele All theater in some way holds a mirror up to life and shows us something about what it is to be a human being. The drama of the Noh theater reveals our...

What Kind of Culture Will Japan's Beatles Generation Create in Their Old Age?
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Sekizawa Hidehiko The Beatles performed five times at the Budokan in central Tokyo from June 30 to July 2, 1966. Most of the 30,000 fans in the audience were members of Japan's...

Will the Lay Judge System Change the Japanese?
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Matsunaga Tsutomu Long known for its dour countenance, Japan's judiciary has recently become more approachable. The courts are inviting elementary and junior high school...

Promotion of the "Japan ODA Model"; The Successful Experience of Japan's Economic Cooperation Part 2.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Trade Finance and Economic Cooperation Division, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, METI II.Region-by-region responses for the situations of each developing country The...

Promotion of the "Japan ODA Model"; The Successful Experience of Japan's Economic Cooperation Part 1.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Trade Finance and Economic Cooperation Division, Trade and Economic Cooperation Bureau, METI A half century has passed since Japan started to implement official development...

Decreasing Population, Increasing Profits.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Hatakeyama Noboru The economic growth of a country equals the population growth plus the per capita productivity growth. The population of Japan will start declining from 2006....

Japanese Civilization (Part 23) Part 1.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kawakatsu Heita Cotton in China The old world cottons which originated in India reached the three Far Eastern countries (China, Korea and Japan). The winter in China was cold...

Japanese Civilization (Part 23) Part 2.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Kawakatsu Heita Cotton in Japan An authentic record compiled in 841 stated that cotton seeds were first brought into Japan by a Malay who came from Sumatra to Japan in AD 799....

Changing Akihabara.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Akihabara, Japan's largest "electric town," is undergoing a major change. Along with its famous electric goods and PC components, there are a growing number of shops selling anime and otaku...

Japan's 21st Century Vision.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Itoh Motoshige Will Japan's Economy Decline as the Population Ages and the Birthrates Falls? Japan is facing a serious challenge as its society ages rapidly and the birthrate...

Japan's 21st Century Vision.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Itoh Motoshige Enhancing "People Power" In our report, we used the expression "people power." While the idea of "people power" might mean enhancing the capabilities of people...

Japan's 21st Century Vision.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Shirai Sayuri The 21st century heralds a new age for Japan: one characterized by an aging society with a decreasing population, and by globalization and computerization. On the...

Japan's 21st Century Vision.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Shirai Sayuri Points for Japan to Consider In order to take advantage of globalization, and to produce a vibrant society capable of meeting new challenges, Japan must come to...

Koizumi-Led LDP Logs Historic General Election Win.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) A historic outcome ensued after Japan's latest general election that took place in the year marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. A strategic campaign of Prime Minister...

Broadcast / Telecom "Marriage" Gaining Steam.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Japanese TV networks are stepping up moves aimed at the "marriage" of broadcasting and telecommunications. Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) has decided to raise \28 billion by allocating...

Mass Retirement May Lead to Loss of Technical Skills Part 2.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Tanaka Fusahiro Encouraging Innovative Skills At the Tanashi Aero-Engine Plant of Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI), a cram school known as Takumi Dojo (Craftsman...

Japan's Land Prices Show Signs of a Rebound.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) At long last, land prices in Japan have begun to show signs of rising after a downward spiral that has lasted for more than a decade. In Tokyo, the average price of land fronting major...

The Dissolution of Parliament and Japan's Bicameral System.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Sasaki Takeshi Japan's recent general election attracted a great deal of attention both domestically and internationally. Leaving aside the question of whether the election...

Two Major Foreign Policy Issues in Japanese Politics.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Shiraishi Takashi The snap election called by Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro was held on September 11. Koizumi made the issue of postal reform the centerpiece of his election...

Interview with Kaneko Masashi, Chairman, Nikko Cordial Group.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Interviewer: Doge Ichiro Japan is entering an "age of high-profile M&A deals," with mergers and acquisitions involving Japanese companies reaching an all-time high in the...

Kutani Ware: World-Famous Pottery.
November 1, 2005... (From Journal of Japanese Trade & Industry (JJTI)) Byline: Toshioka Kosen Centuries ago, small quantities of gold were discovered in Kutani, a part of Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture. The local Daishoji Domain daimyo (feudal lord),...

Media Release: Dr. Brian K. Dieckgraefe.
November 1, 2005... (From MediaNet Press Release Wire) MEDIA RELEASE PR20491 Sargramostim Therapy Demonstrates Significant Improvements in Quality-of-Life for Patients with Crohn's Disease HONOLULU, Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ -- - Study Results Presented at...

Thailand: Central bank adjusts GDP growth forecast for 2005 upward.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Economy - The Bank of Thailand (BoT) has raised its 2005 economic growth forecast to between 4.25% and 4.75% this year, citing evidence of an improved economic outlook in the second half, the Bangkok Post...

Thailand: TPI creditors agrees to 6-month extension of debt rehabilitation period.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Creditors on Friday approved a six-month extension for the US$2.7-billion debt rehabilitation period for Thai Petrochemical Industry Plc until the end of June 2006, the Bangkok Post...

Thailand: Court dismisses True Corp's suit against TOT Corp in dispute over long distance service.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - The Administrative Court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit by True Corp against state-owned TOT Corp over the latter's Y-Tel 1234 domestic long-distance service, the Bangkok Post reports. ...

Thailand: Easy Buy denies charges that it charges more interest than legal limit.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Executives of the consumer finance company Easy Buy Plc on Friday denied charges that it had violated the law regulating interest rate limits on personal loans, the Bangkok Post reports....

Thailand: BAAC to encourage farmers to store their own rice.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co-operatives will encourage rice farmers to store their own rice to help eliminate opportunities for corruption, the Bangkok Post reports. ...

Thailand: Singapore-based Fraser Place Service Residences to open two new projects in Bangkok.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Fraser Place Serviced Residences, a Singapore-based serviced apartment management firm, plans to open two new complexes in Bangkok next year - aiming for a 70% annual occupancy rate, the...

Thailand: SEC gets mixed review in performance evaluation survey.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Local market participants have given mixed reviews to the performance of securities regulators, according to a survey by Thammasat University's Research and Consultancy Institute, the...

Nokia Thailand confident of maintaining market leadership thanks to 3G services.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Nokia Thailand is confident it can maintain leadership in the local handset market next year thanks to the introduction of new third-generation services and growth upcountry, the Bangkok...

Thailand: Textile industry operators develop strategy to boost exports.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The local textile industry is developing a market access and regional supply strategy as part of an effort to increase exports by 20-25% per year, the Bangkok Post reports. The Textile...

Thailand: Government allocates budget for Buddhist summit.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The government has allocated a budget of Bt15 million for the fourth world Buddhist summit, which Thailand will host next week, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop said on Wednesday,...

Thailand: Mahachon Party accuses prime minister of election law violation.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government and Politics - The opposition Mahachon Party has accused Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of violating electoral laws and has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission to that effect,...

Thailand: Group of protestors want NRC dissolved.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - More than 50 protestors who claimed to represent Buddhists and religious organisations gathered in front of the Prime Minister's Office building on Wednesday to demand the dissolution of...

Violence in South of Thailand continues.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - A military psychological operations unit was ambushed on Wednesday shortly after a session in Narathiwat with local residents, The Nation reports. There was serious violence elsewhere...

Thai staff of BBC news prepare for broadcast cancellation.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Somchai Suwannaban, head of the BBC's Thai section, left for Bangkok on Wednesday to discuss the termination of the BBC's Thai service with local radio stations, The Nation reports. ...

Thailand: House committee urges government to stop television broadcast via Internet.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The House committee on telecommunications on Wednesday called on the government to crack down on "illegal" television broadcasts via the Internet and satellites, The Nation reports. ...

Thailand: Prime minister ponders cabinet reshuffle.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government and Politics - The format of a new Cabinet line-up remains uncertain with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra saying on Wednesday that he wants to ponder his options over the weekend before...

World Health Organisation warns of "diabetes epidemic" in Asia.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Asia is likely to suffer social and economic devastation from an escalating diabetes epidemic that could be even more crippling than HIV/Aids or a feared influenza pandemic, a World Health...

Thailand: Chiang Mai zoo celebrate pandas' arrival anniversary.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Chiang Mai Zoo is to hold a series of celebratory events between November 8 and 12 to mark the second anniversary of the arrival of its two resident giant pandas and its own 28th birthday,...

Thailand: Farmers continue to demonstrate for debt relief.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The 5,000-strong farmer demonstration will continue outside Government House until they get a meeting with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to demand debt relief, a representative said on...

Thailand: Constitutional Court to review auditor-general case.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government and Politics - Constitution judges face major dilemma as auditor-general fiasco grinds on with bid to replace her To rule or not to rule? That is the question the Constitution Court will on...

PM Thaksin visits northern Thailand areas.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has scheduled myriad activities, including the distribution of government handouts, for his two-day trip to Nakhon Sawan starting on Monday, The Nation...

Thailand: Interview - Phochana Phichitsiri, TRT candidate for Phichit by-election.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government and Politics - No grace in buying victory: Navin, The Nation reports. Navin Boonseat, the Thai Rak Thai candidate for Phichit, talks to Phochana Phichitsiri about his chances in this...

Thailand: Mahachon candidate Siriwat sure of Phichit by-election victory.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Government and Politics - Mahachon Party candidate Siriwat Kachornprasart tells Phochana Phichitsiri about the progress of his campaign ahead of the Phichit by-election on Sunday. Who will win this...

Thailand: Siam Cement Group to invest in new petrochemical complex.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Olefins plant part of Bt60-billion plans, The Nation reports. The Siam Cement Group (SCG) will invest Bt60 billion in a new petrochemical complex, its largest project since the 1997...

Thailand: ShinSat to apply for licence for next communication satellite.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - NTC licence sought for Thaicom 5 in lieu of concession fee, The Nation reports. Shin Satellite Plc plans to apply to the National Telecommunications Commission for a licence for its...

Thailand: Egat's household customers may be able to buy company's IPO shares.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Egat Plc's 14 million household customers are tipped to be the first to subscribe to the electricity agency's shares to be floated next month, Energy Minister Viset Choopiban said on...

Thailand: Customs Department makes more money this year on auctions of impounded cars.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - The Customs Department has generated Bt766 million this year from six auctions of seized vehicles, The Nation reports. Soiphet Suwanchaiyote, director of the Seized Property Bureau,...

Essence of chicken maker Cerebos (Thailand) moves to ally fears of bird flu.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Cerebos (Thailand) Co Ltd, manufacturer of Brand's essence of chicken and birds' nest beverages, plans to visit its 16 export markets to reassure consumers and trade partners that its...

DPM Somkid says Thailand needs to enforce laws against white collar crime better.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Existing penalties not deterring wrongdoers, says commerce minister, The Nation reports. Although Thailand's corporate governance (CG) is above the international standard, according to...

Thailand: Daidomon Group to file rehabilitation plan.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Daidomon Group Plc is to file a business rehabilitation plan featuring a 50-per-cent debt forgiveness with the Central Bankruptcy Court by January, an executive said on Wednesday, The...

Thailand: Central bank reports on NPLs for September.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The financial system's non-performing loans (NPLs) at the end of September fell to Bt576.9 billion, or 9.93 per cent of outstanding credit, The Nation reports. The reduction...

Thailand: Sampanh Insurance accuses competitors of low-balling tactics.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Sampanh Insurance on Wednesday accused its rivals of low-balling prices, which kept the company's premiums from growing in the third quarter, The Nation reports. As a result, the...

Thailand: TDRI says to focus on consumer purchasing power when negotiating FTAs.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Focus more on higher purchasing power: TDRI, The Nation reports. Thailand should focus more on strengthening people's purchasing power when negotiating trade agreements, the Thailand...

All Nippon Airways launches cargo service to Thailand.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - All Nippon Airways (ANA) plans to operate a cargo service from Bangkok to Kansai and Nagoya in Japan, starting early next year, The Nation reports. Kimiya Arima, general manager for...

Thailand: Uniliver Thai Trading launches "Clear Confidence Zone" campaign.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Unilever Thai Trading Ltd on Wednesday started a new campaign for its Clinic Clear line, the largest player in the fast-growing health shampoo market, The Nation reports. The company...

Thailand: Build to Built to offer unit trusts to homebuyers.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Build to Built Co to offer unit trusts to new homebuyers, The Nation reports. Build to Built Co Ltd, a home-builder focusing on the middle to upper market, announced on Wednesday it...

Thailand: Economic slowdown hits housing development market.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - As the home-building market contracts in the wake of tighter economic conditions, many builders are seeing a drop in sales, missing their targets for the first nine months of this year by...

Thailand: Deputy Prime Minister Somkid wants certain service sectors liberalised.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Economy - Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will ask Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Thursday to approve opening the service sector to foreign competition, The Nation reports. Somkid will...

Thailand: Export of frozen and processed chicken rises sharply.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Business News - The Export Promotion Department expects exports of frozen and processed chicken to increase 37.7 per cent, or Bt774 million in value, this year, The Nation reports. Chantra...

Thailand: Demand for Bohemia crystal remains strong.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Demand for Bohemia crystal continues to show strong growth, up 20 per cent this year, according to Jiraporn Chareankittiyaporn, managing director of Bantai Crystal Ceramic Co Ltd, The...

Thailand: DTAC to launch new products.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Total Access Communication (DTAC) is ready to move more aggressively after the change in the shareholding in its group last week, The Nation reports. The country's second-largest...

Thailand: Group works to improve regional exhibitions to meet international standards.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Convention and exhibition experts from 21 Asia-Pacific countries have set up a working group to improve regional exhibitions to international standards as well as human resources...

Thailand: True nature of Islam need to be understood and explained.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Editorial - The true nature of Islam needs to be more effectively espoused, in order to counter the false dogma of terrorists, The Nation reports. From Thailand's Muslim-majority South to Islam's...

Thailand: Government social policies have galring contradictions.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Commentary - What's the main cause of Thailand's worsening social malaise? Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra posed the question in a recent radio address, The Nation reports. He then went on to...

Thailand: Central bank raises GDP growth forecast.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Economy - The Bank of Thailand (BOT) Friday raised Thailand's GDP growth forecast 2005 to 4.25-4.75 per cent on robust exports growth since July, strong domestic consumption and easing oil prices, The...

Thailand: Farmers demonstrating for debt relief go home after government offers promises of help.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Protesting farmers Friday dispersed their rally in front of Government House after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra met them and promised to look into their demands, The Nation reports....

Thailand: Malaysian foreign minister says Thai Muslims who fled to Malaysia will not be forced back.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - Malaysia will not forcibly repatriate the 131 displaced Thai Muslims, its foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said Friday, The Nation reports. The migrants will have to decide on their...

Thailand: TPI creditors agree to extend debt restructuring period.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Corporate News - Creditors of Thai Petrochemical Industry agreed to extend the firm's US$2.7 billion debt restructuring for 6 months from December 2005, TPI said last Friday, The Nation reports. The...

Thailand: Deputy prime minister says Thai-Malay diplomatic row is over.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: General News - "From now on there will be no problems in relations between Thailand and Malaysia. There will be no officials giving interviews through the media. All parties understand each other," Deputy...

Thailand: Political machinations in by-elections make a mockery of democracy.
November 1, 2005... (From Thai Press Reports) Section: Commentary - Campaigns by all parties for Sunday's four by-elections have had little for constituents to get their teeth into, The Nations reports. With the ruling party apparently in cahoots with the...