Japan Computer Industry Scan articles from May 2005

Japan Computer Industry Scan archives from May 2005

Takara to conclude business alliance with Index.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, April 26 Kyodo Takara Co. said Tuesday the toy maker will create a business alliance with Index Corp. after the leading distributor of content for mobile phones became its largest shareholder the previous day. Takara's board of...

NTT devises server-based system to protect customer information.(Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, April 26 Kyodo Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a system to protect customer information via a server computer. The new system allows a server computer to store and manage all important...

Japanese editorial excerpts -3-.(management of computer security)(Excerpt)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, April 28 Kyodo Selected editorial excerpts from the Japanese press: VULNERABLE WIRED SOCIETY (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published April 27) The computer system failures that...

Softbank gets license for trial cellphone service in 1.7-GHz band.(Japan. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, April 28 Kyodo Softbank Corp. said Thursday it has obtained a license from the telecom ministry to engage in third-generation mobile phone operations on a trial basis within the 1.7-gigahertz frequency band. With trial...

ADVISORY - CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, May 2 Kyodo In the story headlined ''LEAD: Bandai, Namco likely to merge this fall,'' please note following CORRECTION. At 1st graf, 2nd line, please read...Japan's third-largest toy-game business group... (not second-largest)....

4TH LD: Bandai, Namco to set up joint holding company in Sept.(Bandai Company Ltd.)
May 2, 2005... TOKYO, May 2 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING BANDAI PRESIDENT TAKASU'S REMARKS) Japan's largest toy maker Bandai Co. and Namco Ltd., a major developer of home video games and arcade game machines, said Monday they will set up a joint holding...

Namco's rating likely to rise on consolidation with Bandai: Moody's.
May 9, 2005... TOKYO, May 6 Kyodo Moody's Investors Service said Friday it may upgrade Namco Ltd.'s Baa3 issuer rating after the entertainment company and toymaker Bandai Co. said Monday they will consolidate under a holding company. The U.S....

Softbank's net loss shrinks on 97% rise in Net financial deal gains.
May 16, 2005... TOKYO, May 10 Kyodo Softbank Corp. said Tuesday its group net loss for the year to March 31 shrank to 59.87 billion yen from the previous year's 107.09 billion yen chiefly on a jump in profits from its Internet-based financial services,...

Toshiba's new DVD can store 12-hour high-definition video.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... TOKYO, May 11 Kyodo Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday it has developed a next-generation DVD capable of storing 12 hours of high-definition video on a single disk. Toshiba will take the wraps off the DVD at the Media-Tech Expo 2005 in Las...

Omron to acquire Colin Medical Technology in June.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... OSAKA, May 11 Kyodo Omron Corp. said Wednesday it will acquire all shares of medical device maker Colin Medical Technology Corp. from U.S. investment fund Carlyle Group and other stockholders through a wholly owned unit in mid-June. ...

Toshiba buys Panasonic Shikoku's HDD design center in U.S.(hard disk device, Panasonic Shikoku Electronics Co., Toshiba Corp., Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... TOKYO, May 12 Kyodo Toshiba Corp. and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc. said Thursday they have acquired Panasonic Shikoku Electronics Co.'s hard disk drive design center in Fremont, California, to strengthen their development...

Japan Telecom, Japan Telecom IDC to merge in July.
May 16, 2005... TOKYO, May 12 Kyodo Japan Telecom Co., a fixed-line telephone operator, and its subsidiary Japan Telecom IDC Inc. will merge on July 1 to streamline operations within the Softbank Corp. group, the two companies said Thursday. The...

Microsoft unveils new Xbox on MTV.
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK, May 12 Kyodo Microsoft Corp. unveiled its new Xbox game console, which features high-definition graphics, during a special program on MTV on Thursday. The Xbox 360 will hit the shelves before this year's Christmas shopping...

Sony unveils robot dog Aibo with Kansai accent.(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... OSAKA, May 14 Kyodo Sony Corp. on Saturday unveiled the latest version of the robot dog Aibo, which speaks the Kansai dialect. Sony, which is marking the sixth anniversary of Aibo's launch, plans to promote the Kansai dialect version...

Nintendo opens 1st specialized game store in New York.(Nintendo Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 16, 2005... NEW YORK, May 14 Kyodo Nintendo Co. opened its first outlet specializing in game products in New York on Saturday, attracting some 5,000 computer game fans and visitors, company officials said. The two-story Nintendo World, located...

Sony Computer Entertainment unveils PlayStation 3.(Brief Article)
May 23, 2005... LOS ANGELES, May 16 Kyodo Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. demonstrated for the first time Monday its PlayStation 3 video game console that features realistic high-definition graphics the company claims match the image quality of...

Square Enix to supply Final Fantasy software to Microsoft.(Square Enix Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 23, 2005... LOS ANGELES, May 17 Kyodo Japanese game software developer Square Enix Co. said Monday it will supply its ''Final Fantasy'' software for use with Microsoft Corp.'s next-generation home-use game console. Square Enix President Yoichi...

Nintendo displays prototype of new console 'Revolution'.(Nintendo Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 23, 2005... LOS ANGELES, May 17 Kyodo Nintendo Co. on Tuesday unveiled a prototype of its next-generation game console, codenamed ''Revolution,'' which allows users to download the firm's old hit titles like Super Mario from its 20-year Web-based...

NTT Data, Chinese software vender to set up joint venture in China.(Ufida Software Engineering Co.)(Brief Article)
May 23, 2005... TOKYO, May 18 Kyodo NTT Data Corp. and major Chinese software vender Ufida Software Engineering Co. said Wednesday they will set up a joint venture in Xi'an, China, to offer information technology services for an increasing number of...

Electronic Entertainment Expo opens in L.A.
May 23, 2005... LOS ANGELES, May 19 Kyodo Thousands of video game insiders from around the world converged in Los Angeles on Wednesday to kick off one of the industry's largest and most anticipated trade shows, the 11th annual Electronic Entertainment...

Video game maker Namco posts record net, pretax profits in FY 2004.
May 23, 2005... TOKYO, May 19 Kyodo Namco Ltd., a developer of home video games and arcade game machines, said Friday it posted record group pretax and net profits in fiscal 2004 on strong domestic sales of video game titles and a range of one-off...

NTT Communications to offer fragrances via Internet.(Brief Article)
May 23, 2005... TOKYO, May 23 Kyodo NTT Communications Corp. said Monday it has developed a technology to offer fragrances via the Internet. The technology uses a scent-generation device that is hooked up to a personal computer, according to NTT...

Nintendo's FY 2004 profits more than double on stronger dollar.
May 31, 2005... TOKYO, May 26 Kyodo Nintendo Co. said Thursday its group net and pretax profits more than doubled in fiscal 2004 from a year earlier due to the yen's depreciation against the U.S. dollar, which swelled the value of the company's...

Internet provider IIJ to list shares at Tokyo Stock Exchange.(Internet Initiative Japan Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 31, 2005... TOKYO, May 27 Kyodo The Tokyo Stock Exchange said Friday it has approved the listing of Internet Initiative Japan Inc. on its Mothers market for start-ups on June 23. IIJ, a Tokyo-based Internet service provider set up in 1992, went...

ATTN KWS SUBSCRIBERS: photo advisory.
May 31, 2005... TOKYO, May 30 Kyodo A Scope feature story on Beatles, headlined, ''Beatles Story gets Japanese translation,'' and sent earlier is accompanied by two photos, which are available via e-mail. Call+81-3-6252-8318 (feature editor) or e-mail:...