Japan-U.S. Business Report articles from April 2000

Japan-U.S. Business Report archives from April 2000

Business-to-business electronic commerce is a direct challenge to the traditional operations of the mammoth trading companies.(Mitsubishi Shoji)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Business-to-business electronic commerce is a direct challenge to the traditional operations of the mammoth trading companies that handle such a high proportion of Japan's exports and imports. Whether for strictly defensive reasons or because...

Another early Japanese-owned manufacturing venture in the United States has fallen victim to its parent's restructuring plans.(SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. sells asset to Ipex Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Another early Japanese-owned manufacturing venture in the United States has fallen victim to its parent's restructuring plans. SEKISUI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. has agreed to sell the Eslon Thermoplastics Division of SEKISUI AMERICA CORP. to IPEX INC....

Increased import competition is forcing TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. to revamp production of polyester film.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Increased import competition is forcing TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC. to revamp production of polyester film at its big North Kingston, Rhode Island plastic film factory. Currently, some 80 percent of the plant's output of polyester film goes to make...

Since 1997, NIPPON POLYTECH CORP. has supplied the liquid photoimagable covercoat materials that ROGERS CORP. distributes in the United States and Europe under the R/flex 8080 brand name.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Since 1997, NIPPON POLYTECH CORP. has supplied the liquid photoimagable covercoat materials that ROGERS CORP. distributes in the United States and Europe under the R/flex 8080 brand name. Now, the Tokyo company has given its Rogers, Connecticut...

AJINOMOTO CO., INC. -- one of the world's leading producers of amino acids, a key building block for the biotechnology industry -- and SIGMA-ALDRICH CORP. have tied up.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... AJINOMOTO CO., INC. -- one of the world's leading producers of amino acids, a key building block for the biotechnology industry -- and SIGMA-ALDRICH CORP. have tied up to better serve the needs of biopharmaceutical firms. The alliance will draw...

Hoping to capitalize on the interest in the United States in products that have antibacterial properties, SINANEN CO., LTD. will launch U.S. sales this spring.(SINANEN CO. LTD.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... Hoping to capitalize on the interest in the United States in products that have antibacterial properties, SINANEN CO., LTD. will launch U.S. sales this spring of a proprietary inorganic antibacterial agent. The product, which has been cleared...

Like its larger Japanese rivals, DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. regards increasing sales in the United States as one key to its future business expansion.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Like its larger Japanese rivals, DAIICHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. regards increasing sales in the United States as one key to its future business expansion. To support sales that are forecast to surge from $79.4 million in FY 1998 to $504.7...

With demand increasing for FUJISAWA HEALTHCARE, INC.'s Adenocard (adenosine) and Adenoscan (adenosine), the Deerfield, Illinois company has gained Food and Drug Administration approval.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... With demand increasing for FUJISAWA HEALTHCARE, INC.'s Adenocard (adenosine) and Adenoscan (adenosine), the Deerfield, Illinois company has gained Food and Drug Administration approval to produce these two cardiovascular products at the Rocky...

YAMANOUCHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. is working with ICAGEN, INC. to develop products aimed at several central nervous system disorders.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... YAMANOUCHI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. is working with ICAGEN, INC. to develop products aimed at several central nervous system disorders. The Research Triangle Park, North Carolina firm's proprietary ion-channel technologies are key to the...

The three-year drug discovery and development arrangement that KYOWA HAKKO KOGYO CO., LTD. initiated in April 1997 with LEUKOSITE, INC. has been extended through April 2001.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The three-year drug discovery and development arrangement that KYOWA HAKKO KOGYO CO., LTD. initiated in April 1997 with LEUKOSITE, INC. has been extended through April 2001 by LeukoSite's new owner, MILLENNIUM PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. The research...

SANTEN PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD., the leader in Japan's ophthalmic pharmaceuticals market, filed a new drug application with the FDA.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... SANTEN PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD., the leader in Japan's ophthalmic pharmaceuticals market, filed a new drug application with the FDA for a medicine to treat bacterial conjunctivitis, better known as pink eye. The company's Napa, California...

A licensing arrangement also is enabling Ireland's ELAN CORP., PLC to expand its drug portfolio in the United States.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... A licensing arrangement also is enabling Ireland's ELAN CORP., PLC to expand its drug portfolio in the United States. The FDA approved Zonegran (zonisamide) capsules for sale by the company. This anti-epilepsy drug, developed in Japan and in...

Is HITACHI, LTD. on the verge of pulling out of the North American System/390-compatible mainframe market?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Is HITACHI, LTD. on the verge of pulling out of the North American System/390-compatible mainframe market? Industry analysts are asking that question in the wake of the news that HITACHI DATA SYSTEMS CORP. would stop selling models in its...

By coincidence, AMDAHL CORP. has begun volume shipments of the latest member of its S/390-compatible Millennium 2000 Series of mainframes.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... By coincidence, AMDAHL CORP. has begun volume shipments of the latest member of its S/390-compatible Millennium 2000 Series of mainframes. The Sunnyvale, California company, wholly owned by FUJITSU, LTD., claims for its 2000C system the highest...

As with other companies fighting for sales in the American notebook personal computer market, product introductions by NEC COMPUTERS, INC. are geared to the release of new Intel mobile processors.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... As with other companies fighting for sales in the American notebook personal computer market, product introductions by NEC COMPUTERS, INC. are geared to the release of new Intel mobile processors. Those include the 650-megahertz mobile Pentium...

Although best known as the world's top manufacturer of magnetic recording media, TDK CORP. also is a leader in the market for recording heads.(Headway Technologies Inc. acquired)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Although best known as the world's top manufacturer of magnetic recording media, TDK CORP. also is a leader in the market for recording heads, primarily magneto-resistive heads used in hard disk drives. To bolster its competitiveness in this...

Three multinationals have joined forces to challenge the American as well as the international dominance of HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. in the ink-jet printer market.(XEROX CORP., FUJI XEROX CO., LTD. and SHARP CORP.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Three multinationals have joined forces to challenge the American as well as the international dominance of HEWLETT-PACKARD CO. in the ink-jet printer market, especially the exploding SOHO (small office/home office) segment. In forming the SOHO...

KYOCERA CORP. will merge the Ecosys laser printer sales and marketing operations of its KYOCERA ELECTRONICS, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... KYOCERA CORP. will merge the Ecosys laser printer sales and marketing operations of its KYOCERA ELECTRONICS, INC. subsidiary into Fairfield, New Jersey-based KYOCERA MITA AMERICA, INC. When Kyocera acquired the former Mita Industrial Co., Ltd.,...

The OkiLAN 6100e+ 10/100Base-T Ethernet print server that OKI DATA AMERICAS, INC. recently introduced provides integrated support for wireless networking.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... The OkiLAN 6100e+ 10/100Base-T Ethernet print server that OKI DATA AMERICAS, INC. recently introduced provides integrated support for wireless networking and the new Internet Printing Protocol as well as data transfer speeds that the Mt....

The latest large-format ink-jet printer introduced by the Phoenix, Arizona subsidiary of MUTOH INDUSTRIES LTD. features a 61.2-inch print width.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... The latest large-format ink-jet printer introduced by the Phoenix, Arizona subsidiary of MUTOH INDUSTRIES LTD. features a 61.2-inch print width, said to be the widest in its class, as well as six-color printing. Part of the Falcon series...

Just days after this printer hit the market, MUTOH INDUSTRIES LTD., a specialist in computer-aided design systems and related equipment, disclosed that it was ending production and sales of pen-based computer input devices.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Just days after this printer hit the market, MUTOH INDUSTRIES LTD., a specialist in computer-aided design systems and related equipment, disclosed that it was ending production and sales of pen-based computer input devices at its Phoenix,...

HITACHI, LTD.'s Brisbane, California subsidiary hopes to exploit the growing demand among businesses for larger, higher-resolution color displays with a 37-inch plasma display panel monitor.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... HITACHI, LTD.'s Brisbane, California subsidiary hopes to exploit the growing demand among businesses for larger, higher-resolution color displays with a 37-inch plasma display panel monitor. The small-footprint CMP307 boasts a XGA resolution of...

It cost SUMITOMO REALTY & DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD. $311.2 million to unload the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... It cost SUMITOMO REALTY & DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD. $311.2 million to unload the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, but the $508.4 million it made off the sale to a syndicate of American and European investors can be used to pay...

TOSHIBA CORP.'s decision to spin off in whole or in part businesses slowed by sluggish demand has benefited several American companies on both sides of the Pacific.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... TOSHIBA CORP.'s decision to spin off in whole or in part businesses slowed by sluggish demand has benefited several American companies on both sides of the Pacific. The latest is GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., which in October expects to form an...

Using its power semiconductor expertise, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP. has become the world leader in power electronics-based systems.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... Using its power semiconductor expertise, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP. has become the world leader in power electronics-based systems for electric utilities and large industrial applications. In the United States, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC POWER...

Nearly a decade after it purchased the former Westinghouse Electric Corp.'s solar battery research unit, a diversifying EBARA CORP. has improved product and process technologies.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Nearly a decade after it purchased the former Westinghouse Electric Corp.'s solar battery research unit, a diversifying EBARA CORP. has improved product and process technologies to the point where it is ready to begin volume production of solar...

The Gurnee, Illinois marketing unit of RUBYCON CORP. gave PIONEER-STANDARD ELECTRONICS, INC. rights to distribute its full line of electrolytic and film capacitors in North America.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The Gurnee, Illinois marketing unit of RUBYCON CORP. gave PIONEER-STANDARD ELECTRONICS, INC. rights to distribute its full line of electrolytic and film capacitors in North America. In announcing the deal, the Cleveland electronics components...

Recognizing the convergence of its audio, video and information technology businesses, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. has instituted a corporate restructuring.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Recognizing the convergence of its audio, video and information technology businesses, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. has instituted a corporate restructuring to respond more nimbly to the ever-changing technology landscape. The reorganization brings...

CHRISTIE SYSTEMS INC. is the first company selected by TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... CHRISTIE SYSTEMS INC. is the first company selected by TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC. to work on the development and the production of all-digital cinema projectors based on the semiconductor giant's DLP Cinema projection technology. The Cypress,...

In an alliance with DIRECTV, INC., the HUGHES ELECTRONICS CORP. supplier of satellite-broadcast television programming, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD will begin sales this spring.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In an alliance with DIRECTV, INC., the HUGHES ELECTRONICS CORP. supplier of satellite-broadcast television programming, MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. will begin sales this spring of a set-top box that can receive DirecTV channels....

MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. has agreed to help OPENTV, INC. adapt its digital interactive TV set-top box software to the MultiMedia Home Platform.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. has agreed to help OPENTV, INC. adapt its digital interactive TV set-top box software to the MultiMedia Home Platform. MHP, a DVB (digital video broadcasting) specification for interoperable interactive...

What PANASONIC CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO. calls hard disk recorders were set to debut in April.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... What PANASONIC CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO. calls hard disk recorders were set to debut in April. The two Panasonic ShowStopper models are designed to let people control real-time TV as if they were watching a recorded program. One model, expected...

TOSHIBA CORP. has joined SONY CORP. in agreeing to integrate INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP.'s Electronic Media Management System.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... TOSHIBA CORP. has joined SONY CORP. in agreeing to integrate INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP.'s Electronic Media Management System into its portable digital audio players set for launch in Japan this spring. Designed to enable content...

The Warner Music Group, part of TIME WARNER INC., has joined some other big-name companies in licensing SONY CORP.'s ATRAC3 audio-compression technology.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The Warner Music Group, part of TIME WARNER INC., has joined some other big-name companies in licensing SONY CORP.'s ATRAC3 audio-compression technology for use when it begins to distribute music electronically in the second half of 2000. In...

For an undisclosed price, the London affiliate of securities dealer TOKYO TANSHI CO., LTD. acquired the 75 percent of NATSOURCE LLC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... For an undisclosed price, the London affiliate of securities dealer TOKYO TANSHI CO., LTD. acquired the 75 percent of NATSOURCE LLC that it did not own already. The New York City company brokers energy-related products. Through the tie-up with...

Within just a few years, SOFTBANK CORP.'s name has become synonymous around the world.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Within just a few years, SOFTBANK CORP.'s name has become synonymous around the world with Internet businesses. Nonetheless, the company has adopted a new organizational structure that executives say will position it for rapid international...

Since it was set up by SUMITOMO CORP. in August 1998, PRESIDIO VENTURE PARTNERS, LLC has invested more than $28 million in 40 businesses.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Since it was set up by SUMITOMO CORP. in August 1998, PRESIDIO VENTURE PARTNERS, LLC has invested more than $28 million in 40 businesses involved in information technology -- a catchall category for the San Francisco venture-capital firm that...

MARUBENI CORP. also hopes to profit from the IT boom in the United States.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MARUBENI CORP. also hopes to profit from the IT boom in the United States. It has broadened the mandate of New York City-based MARUBENI CAPITAL AMERICA CORP., which was formed in December 1994 to manage funds for its parent, to include...

Industry sources report that JAFCO CO., LTD., Japan's biggest venture-capital firm and another prominent source of financing for U.S. start-ups, has closed a $260 million North American IT investment fund.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Industry sources report that JAFCO CO., LTD., Japan's biggest venture-capital firm and another prominent source of financing for U.S. start-ups, has closed a $260 million North American IT investment fund. Some 40 institutional investors and...

Although just nine months old, SOTOKU LTD., a consulting firm that specializes in mergers and acquisitions and business tie-ups among midsize and small companies, has established subsidiaries in both the United States and the United Kingdom.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Although just nine months old, SOTOKU LTD., a consulting firm that specializes in mergers and acquisitions and business tie-ups among midsize and small companies, has established subsidiaries in both the United States and the United Kingdom....

In the first simultaneous initial public offering in Japan and the United States, CRAYFISH CO., LTD. debuted.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In the first simultaneous initial public offering in Japan and the United States, CRAYFISH CO., LTD. debuted on both the Tokyo Stock Exchange's new MOTHERS (Market of High-Growth and Emerging Stocks) stock market and the NASDAQ. Established in...

MITSUBISHI CORP., MITSUI & CO., LTD. and SOFTBANK COMMERCE CORP. jointly invested $10 million in TRADECARD, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MITSUBISHI CORP., MITSUI & CO., LTD. and SOFTBANK COMMERCE CORP. jointly invested $10 million in TRADECARD, INC., the developer of an online international trade transaction settlement network. Extending the B2B e-commerce business model, the...

NIPPON RESTAURANT ENTERPRISES CO., LTD., the company behind Bento Boxes or prepared boxed lunches, has committed $4.4 million for a plant in Fairfield, California.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... NIPPON RESTAURANT ENTERPRISES CO., LTD., the company behind Bento Boxes or prepared boxed lunches, has committed $4.4 million for a plant in Fairfield, California that will turn out products for export to Japan, where they will be sold through...

When SHOWA SANGYO CO., LTD. decided to sell its money-losing GRANDPAC FOODS, INC. subsidiary, it had to look no farther for a buyer than one of its customers AJINOMOTO CO., INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... When SHOWA SANGYO CO., LTD. decided to sell its money-losing GRANDPAC FOODS, INC. subsidiary, it had to look no farther for a buyer than one of its customers AJINOMOTO CO., INC. Portland, Oregon-based GranPac, a manufacturer of frozen foods for...

Already the dominant maker of instant noodles in the United States, TOYO SUISAN KAISHA, LTD. has announced its second capacity expansion in less than a year.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Already the dominant maker of instant noodles in the United States, TOYO SUISAN KAISHA, LTD. has announced its second capacity expansion in less than a year (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 359, August 1999, p. 6). At a cost of $9.3 million,...

The world's leading supplier of artificial crystals, TOYO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., has earmarked $37.4 million.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The world's leading supplier of artificial crystals, TOYO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., has earmarked $37.4 million to build a facility in Longview, Washington to make this product, which is used in oscillators, for example. Construction...

Much of the extensive and varied U.S. production infrastructure that RYOBI LTD. built up during the 1980s through acquisitions or greenfield investments is being sold.(MTD Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Much of the extensive and varied U.S. production infrastructure that RYOBI LTD. built up during the 1980s through acquisitions or greenfield investments is being sold -- a move dictated both by the company's decision to focus on its core...

MINEBEA CO., LTD., the global leader in miniature ball bearings, and SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY, INC., the world's largest supplier of hard disk drives, have signed a cross-licensing agreement.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MINEBEA CO., LTD., the global leader in miniature ball bearings, and SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY, INC., the world's largest supplier of hard disk drives, have signed a cross-licensing agreement, a so-called know-how licensing contract and a supply...

In May, NIDEC COPAL CORP. will open a marketing subsidiary in Los Angeles.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In May, NIDEC COPAL CORP. will open a marketing subsidiary in Los Angeles to better serve American buyers of its compact motors. Current customers include QUANTUM CORP., which uses the Tokyo firm's motors in its backup tape drives. The new...

Seeing growing demand in the United States for precision pressed parts, SANKO CO., LTD. has established a marketing subsidiary in Torrance, California.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Seeing growing demand in the United States for precision pressed parts, SANKO CO., LTD. has established a marketing subsidiary in Torrance, California. To backstop its expanded sales effort, which is projected to generate revenues of $10.4...

MEIDENSHA CORP. and SUMITOMO CORP. are not the only Japanese companies so convinced that CAPSTONE TURBINE CORP.'s clean, reliable and efficient Capstone MicroTurbine power source has enormous sales potential.(KANAMOTO CO., LTD., MITSUBISHI CORP. and TAKUMA CO., LTD.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MEIDENSHA CORP. and SUMITOMO CORP. are not the only Japanese companies so convinced that CAPSTONE TURBINE CORP.'s clean, reliable and efficient Capstone MicroTurbine power source has enormous sales potential in Japan that they are willing to...

FEATHER SAFETY RAZOR CO., LTD. gave BIOVASCULAR, INC. of St. Paul, Minnesota exclusive rights to distribute in the United States a precision micro neuro dissection set.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... FEATHER SAFETY RAZOR CO., LTD. gave BIOVASCULAR, INC. of St. Paul, Minnesota exclusive rights to distribute in the United States a precision micro neuro dissection set. Sales will begin in the latter part of 2000. The Osaka manufacturer's...

In another example of how Japanese companies are using the Internet to expand their sales and marketing reach.(SHIMADZU CORP. and SCIQUEST.COM, INC.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In another example of how Japanese companies are using the Internet to expand their sales and marketing reach -- at least in the United States, the Columbia, Maryland manufacturing unit of SHIMADZU CORP. made SCIQUEST.COM, INC. the sole...

For FUJITSU, LTD., expansion of its ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) business is the number-one priority in the United States.(Fujitsu Microelectronics Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... For FUJITSU, LTD., expansion of its ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit business is the number-one priority in the United States. To that end, San Jose, California-headquartered FUJITSU MICROELECTRONICS,INC. hopes to hire an...

Under a 1996 ferroelectric random access memory technology development and licensing agreement, FUJITSU, LTD. and RAMTRON INTERNATIONAL CORP. have defined an architecture.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Under a 1996 ferroelectric random access memory technology development and licensing agreement, FUJITSU, LTD. and RAMTRON INTERNATIONAL CORP. have defined an architecture that will enable the commercialization of megabit-class FRAM memories...

The team of FUJIFILM MICRODEVICES CO., LTD. and ANALOG DEVICES, INC. developed a CCD (charged-coupled device) signal processor.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The team of FUJIFILM MICRODEVICES CO., LTD. and ANALOG DEVICES, INC. developed a CCD (charged-coupled device) signal processor that they say significantly improves sharpness and clarity in digital cameras while prolonging battery life....

The third generation of MAP (media accelerated processor) processors codeveloped by HITACHI, LTD. and EQUATOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC. under a January 1997 agreement is sampling.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The third generation of MAP (media accelerated processor) processors codeveloped by HITACHI, LTD. and EQUATOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC. under a January 1997 agreement is sampling. The MAP-CA (media accelerated processor for consumer appliances) is a...

An investment of $29.5 million has made HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. the single largest shareholder in PIXO, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... An investment of $29.5 million has made HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. the single largest shareholder in PIXO, INC., one of the companies vying to determine how the exponentially growing ranks of wireless phone users in the United States, Japan and...

The third round of fund-raising by THINK3, a Santa Clara, California start-up determined to revolutionize the mechanical design industry, brought in $20 million from several new investors.(Hikari Tsushin Capital; JAFCO America Ventures Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The third round of fund-raising by THINK3, a Santa Clara, California start-up determined to revolutionize the mechanical design industry, brought in $20 million from several new investors, including HIKARI TSUSHIN CAPITAL, INC., as well as from...

JAFCO CO., LTD.'s Palo Alto, California subsidiary also was the lead source of the $15 million that IDIOM, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... JAFCO CO., LTD.'s Palo Alto, California subsidiary also was the lead source of the $15 million that IDIOM, INC., a provider of Web globalization solutions, secured in second-round financing. Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Idiom will use the...

Four-year-old CARBONMEDIA CORP., a provider of international end-to-end e-business solutions, has closed its initial round of financing.(Marubeni Corp. (Japan))(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Four-year-old CARBONMEDIA CORP., a provider of international end-to-end e-business solutions, has closed its initial round of financing, attracting money from MARUBENI CORP.'s main U.S. subsidiary as well as a group of European investors. New...

MITSUI & CO., LTD., plus one of its investment units, and TOSHIBA CORP. were among the companies that channeled $75 million into BEX.COM, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... MITSUI & CO., LTD., plus one of its investment units, and TOSHIBA CORP. were among the companies that channeled $75 million into BEX.COM, INC. to help the San Diego, California B2B Internet transaction infrastructure vendor and e-marketplace...

A 10-member global syndicate whose participants included SOFTBANK CORP., ITOCHU CORP. and ITOCI-IU FINANCE CORP. funneled $30 million into THE PATENT & LICENSE EXCHANGE, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... A 10-member global syndicate whose participants included SOFTBANK CORP., ITOCHU CORP. and ITOCI-IU FINANCE CORP. funneled $30 million into THE PATENT & LICENSE EXCHANGE, INC. Via its pl-x.com marketplace, the Pasadena, California firm enables...

Japan's top property and casualty insurer, TOKIO MARINE & FIRE INSURANCE CO., LTD., has joined MITSUBISHI CORP. as an investor in ERGONOMIC TECHNOLOGIES CORP.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Japan's top property and casualty insurer, TOKIO MARINE & FIRE INSURANCE CO., LTD., has joined MITSUBISHI CORP. as an investor in ERGONOMIC TECHNOLOGIES CORP. The Oyster Bay, New York consulting company advises corporate clients on how to...

With corporate interest in PC security on the rise in Asia and elsewhere, KANEMATSU CORP. made a minority investment in one of the companies hoping to capitalize on this demand.(Ensure Technologies)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... With corporate interest in PC security on the rise in Asia and elsewhere, KANEMATSU CORP. made a minority investment in one of the companies hoping to capitalize on this demand. ENSURE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. is the developer of XyLoc, a centrally...

The initial round of financing for ASPSECURE.COM CORP. attracted $9 million from a variety of investors.(KIVERA INC.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The initial round of financing for ASPSECURE.COM CORP. attracted $9 million from a variety of investors, including NIPPON TELEMATIQUE, INC. The six-month-old San Jose, California venture supplies digital rights management software and services...

In the latest phase of a collaborative relationship that started in 1989, HITACHI, LTD. and HEWLETTPACKARD CO. have agreed to enhance HP OpenView PolicyXpert.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In the latest phase of a collaborative relationship that started in 1989, HITACHI, LTD. and HEWLETTPACKARD CO. have agreed to enhance HP OpenView PolicyXpert to address the reliability and service quality requirements of administrators of...

Encouraged by the response of businesses that gather information in the field to the initial release last year of its data-gathering and order-taking software, CASIO SOFT, INC. is shipping MobileLink 2.3.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2000... Encouraged by the response of businesses that gather information in the field to the initial release last year of its data-gathering and order-taking software, CASIO SOFT, INC. is shipping MobileLink 2.3. The software, which runs on Windows...

Windows CE for Automotive, an offshoot of Windows CE, is the basis for a joint effort by DENSO CORP.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Windows CE for Automotive, an offshoot of Windows CE, is the basis for a joint effort by DENSO CORP., one of the leaders in the emerging field of car navigation systems, and MICROSOFT CORP. to create next-generation devices for navigation and...

In what is said to be its first outside investment, DENSO CORP. participated in a $9.1 million round of fund-raising.(KIVERA INC.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In what is said to be its first outside investment, DENSO CORP. participated in a $9.1 million round of fund-raising for KIVERA, INC. The Oakland, California company's technology enables mobile location services optimized for fast searching,...

The Ministry of Transport awarded SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL INC. a $152.7 million contract.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The Ministry of Transport awarded SPACE SYSTEMS/LORAL INC. a $152.7 million contract to build an advanced Multifunctional Transport Satellite for both weather forecasting and air traffic control. As its MTSAT-1R designation might suggest, the...

In perhaps its boldest overseas move to date, NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORP. will open data centers in San Jose, California and in Manhattan.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In perhaps its boldest overseas move to date, NTT COMMUNICATIONS CORP. will open data centers in San Jose, California and in Manhattan this spring and in major European and Asian countries later on. This initiative is an outgrowth of the...

International carrier FORVAL INTERNATIONAL TELECOM CORP. knows firsthand how tough it is to break into the American market.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... International carrier FORVAL INTERNATIONAL TELECOM CORP. knows firsthand how tough it is to break into the American market, at least that part seeking to carry traffic from the United States to Japan. Less than two years after setting up a...

GLOBAL CROSSING LTD., which is building the world's first global fiber-optic network, has deployed HITACHI TELECOM (USA), INC.'s Advanced Multiservice Network 5192 SONET.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... GLOBAL CROSSING LTD., which is building the world's first global fiber-optic network, has deployed HITACHI TELECOM (USA), INC.'s Advanced Multiservice Network 5192 SONET (synchronous optical network) equipment in a New York City metropolitan...

In a move described as enabling rapid growth in network bandwidth in the fiber-optic segment of the market, HITACHI, LTD. reached a multisource agreement with LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. and ALCATEL S.A. of France.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... In a move described as enabling rapid growth innetwork bandwidth in the fiber-optic segment of the market, HITACHI, LTD. reached a multisource agreement with LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. and ALCATEL S.A. of France to establish compatible sources of...

Although SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD. ranks among the biggest producers of cement in Japan, optoelectronics are one of its fastest-growing lines.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Although SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD. ranks among the biggest producers of cement in Japan, optoelectronics are one of its fastest-growing lines. To expand this business while capitalizing on the surging demand in the United States for...

SOFTBANK CORP. and SOFTBANK VENTURE CAPITAL were among the five companies that provided financing for HEYANITA.COM, INC.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... SOFTBANK CORP. and SOFTBANK VENTURE CAPITAL were among the five companies that provided financing for HEYANITA.COM, INC. The Los Angeles start-up is developing an interactive voice service that combines the power of the Internet with the...

At a cost of $18.7 million, DENSO WIRELESS SYSTEMS AMERICA, INC. will double monthly digital cellular phone production capacity to 160,000 units this summer.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... At a cost of $18.7 million, DENSO WIRELESS SYSTEMS AMERICA, INC. will double monthly digital cellular phone production capacity to 160,000 units this summer. Operational since the fall of 1998, the Vista, California subsidiary of major...

A group of name veterans of the software, wireless and Internet industries certainly is convinced that wireless Internet access via cell phones and handheld devices is on the verge of take-off.(SOFTBANK VENTURE CAPITAL and QUALCOMM INC; Ignition Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... A group of name veterans of the software, wireless and Internet industries certainly is convinced that wireless Internet access via cell phones and handheld devices is on the verge of take-off. The former executives established IGNITION CORP....

Wireless network operators in the United States soon could be offering subscribers interactive games and other entertainment content.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Wireless network operators in the United States soon could be offering subscribers interactive games and other entertainment content as a result of a tie-up between BANDAI CO., LTD. and LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. This country's top supplier of...

The North American subsidiary of SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. will develop a two-way mobile videophone.(PacketVideo Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... The North American subsidiary of SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. will develop a two-way mobile videophone based on wireless multimedia software from PACKETVIDEO CORP. The planned product will use the 3G-324M standard for broadband digital wireless...

Just as it was for the original 777, JAPAN AIRLINES CO., LTD. is a launch customer for the planned longer-range derivative of BOEING CO.'s 777-300 aircraft.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Just as it was for the original 777, JAPAN AIRLINES CO., LTD. is a launch customer for the planned longer-range derivative of BOEING CO.'s 777-300 aircraft. The envisioned plane will offer close to the seating capacity of the flagship 747 jumbo...

Continuing another earlier 777 relationship, five Japanese airframe manufacturers will be risk-sharing participants.(MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., KAWASAKI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. and FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... Continuing another earlier 777 relationship, five Japanese airframe manufacturers will be risk-sharing participants in the development of the 777-300LR and a longer-range version of the 777-200, which will offer a record range of 10,100...

NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. joined the California Fuel Cell Partnership.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2000... NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. joined the California Fuel Cell Partnership, a public-private initiative to explore ways to develop environmentally beneficial fuel-cell technology. The group will put about 50 fuel-cell cars and buses on the road between...