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

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

The undisputed global leader in polyester films is in business with a dedicated manufacturing, marketing and technical presence in all regions of the world.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The undisputed global leader in polyester films is in business with a dedicated manufacturing, marketing and technical presence in all regions of the world. The result of the integration of the polyester film operations of TEIJIN LTD. in Japan...

KURARAY CO., LTD. and ROGERS CORP. have agreed to commercialize a new type of electronic circuit material.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... KURARAY CO., LTD. and ROGERS CORP. have agreed to commercialize a new type of electronic circuit material that promises to enable the manufacture of smaller, lighter and faster interconnections -- a valuable attribute for next-generation...

In an unusual move for a trading company, TOMEN CORP. is providing financial backing to a team of scientists at Harvard University's medical school.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In an unusual move for a trading company, TOMEN CORP. is providing financial backing to a team of scientists at Harvard University's medical school working on a more effective blood-clotting preventative. The thrombolytic agent is based on a...

A fourth major Japanese pharmaceutical company has contracted to use QUARK BIOTECH, INC.'s pathology-specific gene discovery know-how to find the culprits associated with various diseases.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A fourth major Japanese pharmaceutical company has contracted to use QUARK BIOTECH, INC.'s pathology-specific gene discovery know-how to find the culprits associated with various diseases (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 364, January 2000,...

Hoping to fill its new drug pipeline faster in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, FUJISAWA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. entered into a drug discovery collaboration with ARENA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Hoping to fill its new drug pipeline faster in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, FUJISAWA PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. entered into a drug discovery collaboration with ARENA PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. The new partners are focusing on what are...

In a similar pairing, KISSEI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. will tap the genomics expertise of SYNAPTIC PHARMACEUTICAL CORP.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In a similar pairing, KISSEI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD. will tap the genomics expertise of SYNAPTIC PHARMACEUTICAL CORP. to identify and develop drugs that act through novel receptors. The Parmus, New Jersey firm brings to this job its cDNA...

KIRIN BREWERY CO., LTD. and MEDAREX, INC., which separately have developed genetically engineered mice that contain human genes for making antibodies.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... KIRIN BREWERY CO., LTD. and MEDAREX, INC., which separately have developed genetically engineered mice that contain human genes for making antibodies, forged a global alliance to advance the technology for creating fully human monoclonal...

TAP PHARMACEUTICALS INC. submitted a new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration for Spectracef (cefditoren pivoxil) to treat respiratory tract infections.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... TAP PHARMACEUTICALS INC. submitted a new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration for Spectracef (cefditoren pivoxil) to treat respiratory tract infections. The Deerfield, Illinois firm, equally owned by TAKEDA CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES,...

The FDA approved for U.S. marketing a treatment commercialized by SNOW BRAND MILK PRODUCTS CO., LTD. in cooperation with NIPPON KAYAKU CO., LTD. for the autoimmune disease Sjogren's Syndrome.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The FDA approved for U.S. marketing a treatment commercialized by SNOW BRAND MILK PRODUCTS CO., LTD. in cooperation with NIPPON KAYAKU CO., LTD. for the autoimmune disease Sjogren's Syndrome. This problem, which largely affects women, causes...

CALPIS CO., LTD. has decided to exploit the money-making potential of its world-renown lactic acid bacteria fermentation technology by licensing it to foreign companies.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... CALPIS CO., LTD. has decided to exploit the money-making potential of its world-renown lactic acid bacteria fermentation technology by licensing it to foreign companies. MONSANTO CO. is the first firm to negotiate an agreement for what Calpis...

The inaugural products from NEC COMPUTERS, INC. (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 364, January 2000, p. 3) were a pair of Express5800 servers for workgroups and departments.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... The inaugural products from NEC COMPUTERS, INC. (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 364, January 2000, p. 3) were a pair of Express5800 servers for workgroups and departments. In the hope of making the Express5800/120Ld and the...

The third generation of VAIO Slimtop desktop computers was scheduled to ship in February.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... The third generation of VAIO Slimtop desktop computers was scheduled to ship in February. The stylish SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. VAIO PCV-L630, which is said to take up 70 percent less space than standard desktop machines, is optimized for digital...

People interested in digital imaging but at a lower price point -- $1,500 to $2,600 -- than the latest VAIO Slimtop model have three new VAIO Digital Studio desktop options from SONY ELECTRONICS, INC.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... People interested in digital imaging but at a lower price point -- $1,500 to $2,600 -- than the latest VAIO Slimtop model have three new VAIO Digital Studio desktop options from SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. These additions span the entry-level...

The Computer Systems Group of TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC., the subsidiary of the world's leading supplier of portable computers, added two models to its Satellite line of notebooks.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... The Computer Systems Group of TOSHIBA AMERICA INFORMATION SYSTEMS, INC., the subsidiary of the world's leading supplier of portable computers, added two models to its Satellite line of notebooks aimed at value-conscious customers. The Satellite...

Catering to business professionals with a variety of high-performance and multimedia computing requirements, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. unveiled a pair of additions to its VAIO F Series of notebooks.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... Catering to business professionals with a variety of high-performance and multimedia computing requirements, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. unveiled a pair of additions to its VAIO F Series of notebooks. The VAIO PCG-F450 uses a 500-MHz mobile Pentium...

On the heels of this release, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. announced its first notebook computers incorporating mobile Pentium III processors with INTEL CORP.'s SpeedStep technology.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... On the heels of this release, SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. announced its first notebook computers incorporating mobile Pentium III processors with INTEL CORP.'s SpeedStep technology. These chips allow the machines to automatically switch between a...

SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. also is bringing out the first notebook computer with a CD-ReWritable drive standard.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... SONY ELECTRONICS, INC. also is bringing out the first notebook computer with a CD-ReWritable drive standard. This innovation is found on the VAIO PCG-XG19, which also features a 650-MHz mobile Pentium III processor with SpeedStep technology,...

Like its competitors, FUJITSU PC CORP. believes that the new mobile Pentium III processors with SpeedStep technology virtually eliminate the performance gap between desktop and mobile computers.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... Like its competitors, FUJITSU PC CORP. believes that the new mobile Pentium III processors with SpeedStep technology virtually eliminate the performance gap between desktop and mobile computers. This advancement is incorporated in the LifeBook...

People looking for an extremely mobile computing platform have additional choices in the MobilePro line of handheld PCs from NEC COMPUTERS, INC.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... People looking for an extremely mobile computing platform have additional choices in the MobilePro line of handheld PCs from NEC COMPUTERS, INC. The MobilePro 780, which runs the Windows CE Handheld PC Professional Edition 3.01 operating...

Bankrupt MITA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., a manufacturer of printer products as well as copiers, has reemerged under the ownership of KYOCERA CORP. as KYOCERA MITA CORP.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Bankrupt MITA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., a manufacturer of printer products as well as copiers, has reemerged under the ownership of KYOCERA CORP. as KYOCERA MITA CORP. In the United States, the renamed KYOCERA MITA AMERICA, INC., headquartered in...

For the first time, owners of current-generation Power Macintosh G3 and Power Macintosh G4 computers can take advantage of the high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) capabilities of their machines when printing.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... For the first time, owners of current-generation Power Macintosh G3 and Power Macintosh G4 computers can take advantage of the high-speed FireWire (IEEE 1394) capabilities of their machines when printing. The Long Beach, California subsidiary...

For the past two years or so, big industrial control systems player GE FANUC AUTOMATION NORTH AMERICA, INC. has supplemented internal growth with acquisitions.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... For the past two years or so, big industrial control systems player CE FANUC AUTOMATION NORTH AMERICA, INC. has supplemented internal growthwith acquisitions (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 360, September 1999, p. 5). Its latest purchase...

In 1998, HITACHI COMPUTER PRODUCTS (AMERICA), INC. moved into contract manufacturing, producing printed circuit boards and other electronic equipment.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2000... In 1998, HITACHI COMPUTER PRODUCTS (AMERICA), INC. moved into contract manufacturing, producing printed circuit boards and other electronic equipment for small but growing companies in a variety of fields. That business has expanded so much...

KYOCERA CORP. netted $280 million from the sale of 5.25 million of the shares that it owns in AVX CORP.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2000... KYOCERA CORP. netted $280 million from the sale of 5.25 million of the shares that it owns in AVX CORP., a major manufacturer of multilayer ceramic capacitors and related passive electronic components. The divestiture trimmed Kyocera's...

The Temecula, California subsidiary of TAMURA CORP., which supplies such magnetic components as audio, power and telecommunications transformers, coils and inductors, opened a telecommunications and data communications magnetic design center at headquarters.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The Temecula, California subsidiary of TAMURA CORP., which supplies such magnetic components as audio, power and telecommunications transformers, coils and inductors, opened a telecommunications and data communications magnetic design center at...

The details still are sketchy, but PIONEER CORP. plans to open a R&D facility in the United States.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The details still are sketchy, but PIONEER CORP. plans to open a R&D facility in the United States this spring to ensure that it remains on top of technical developments in the emerging field of networked digital audio-visual home entertainment...

SONY CORP. has won the backing of two leaders in the delivery of music over the Internet for its electronic music distribution technologies.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... SONY CORP. has won the backing of two leaders in the delivery of music over the Internet for its electronic music distribution technologies -- the ATRAC3 sound-compression format and the OpenMG copyright-protection technology. For its part,...

Meanwhile, both SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. and TOSHIBA CORP. are working with LIQUID AUDIO, INC.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
February 1, 2000... Meanwhile, both SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD. and TOSHIBA CORP. are working with LIQUID AUDIO, INC. to ensure that their forthcoming portable digital audio products are compatible with Liquid Music. The collaboration gives the two consumer...

The first of what SONY CORP. is calling personal video recorders should be in stores in the first quarter of this year.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The first of what SONY CORP. is calling personal video recorders should be in stores in the first quarter of this year. These hard-drive-equipped devices, which are based on technology licensed from TIVO INC. (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No....

The Sony-TiVo personal video recorders will be going up against similar devices from MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2000... The Sony-TiVo personal video recorders will be going up against similar devices from MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. dubbed hard disk recorders that incorporate REPLAY NETWORKS, INC.'s technology (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No....

SONY CORP. has previewed its third portable audio player capable of playing back music downloaded from the Internet via a PC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... SONY CORP. has previewed its third portable audio player capable of playing back music downloaded from the Internet via a PC. However, unlike the Memory Stick Walkman and the VAIO Music Clip, which use the company's so-called memory stick...

Whether because of the price of the equipment or the shortage of programming, digital television sets still are a product waiting to take off in the United States.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Whether because of the price of the equipment or the shortage of programming, digital television sets still are a product waiting to take off in the United States. Japan's consumer electronics giants, though, keep trying to entice buyers. For...

Coming in the fourth quarter of 2000 from SHARP CORP.'s Mahwah, New Jersey marketing unit will be what it bills as the industry's first 28-inch LCD high-definition display.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Coming in the fourth quarter of 2000 from SHARP CORP.'s Mahwah, New Jersey marketing unit will be what it bills as the industry's first 28-inch LCD high-definition display. This ultrathin product, the LC28HD1, is the first from the company to...

In the meantime, SHARP CORP. is shipping to the United States 50-inch plasma display panels.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In the meantime, SHARP CORP. is shipping to the United States 50-inch plasma display panels, primarily for use as advanced wall-mounted TVs. The skinny screens, which are priced around $21,000, are produced for Sharp on an original equipment...

A significant part of the world nuclear fuel market was reconfigured January 1, 2000.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A significant part of the world nuclear fuel market was reconfigured January 1, 2000 in response to the changing dynamics of the business. On that date, GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., HITACHI, LTD. and TOSHIBA CORP. collaborators since 1967 --...

Japan's scheduled March 2000 deregulation of retail electricity sales to big users has caught the attention not only of such major American players in this field as ENRON CORP. but of Japanese outsiders as well.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Japan's scheduled March 2000 deregulation of retail electricity sales to big users has caught the attention not only of such major American players in this field as ENRON CORP. but of Japanese outsiders as well. One is ORIX CORP. Through its...

The Federal Reserve Board gave SONY CORP. and partner HELLER INTERNATIONAL CORP., a major provider of various financial services to midsize and smaller businesses, the go-ahead to form SONY FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The Federal Reserve Board gave SONY CORP. and partner HELLER INTERNATIONAL CORP., a major provider of various financial services to midsize and smaller businesses, the go-ahead to form SONY FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC (see Japan-U.S. Business Report...

The investment banking unit of the proposed MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, which will be the world's largest commercial bank on formation this coming fall, will use information compiled by SANFORD C. BERNSTEIN & CO.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The investment banking unit of the proposed MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, which will be the world's largest commercial bank on formation this coming fall, will use information compiled by SANFORD C. BERNSTEIN & CO. on some 600 American companies to...

Already known as one of the major Japanese investors in Internet ventures in the United States, HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. has decided to institutionalize its information-gathering and decisionmaking processes.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Already known as one of the major Japanese investors in Internet ventures in the United States, HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. has decided to institutionalize its information-gathering and decisionmaking processes. Its HIKARI TSUSHIN CAPITAL, INC. unit...

Japanese institutional investors have committed $100 million to the MCC-PCG International Private Equity Fund.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Japanese institutional investors have committed $100 million to the MCC-PCG International Private Equity Fund. The fund was organized by MITSUBISHI CORPORATION CAPITAL LTD., which trader MITSUBISHI CORP. set up in April 1999 to expand its...

For the last 11 years, ISHIKAWAJIMA-HARIMA HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO., LTD. and Australia's BROKEN HILL PROPRIETARY CORP. have been developing the technology for a steelmaking process known as strip casting.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... For the last 11 years, ISHIKAWAJIMA-HARIMA HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO., LTD. and Australia's BROKEN HILL PROPRIETARY CORP. have been developing the technology for a steelmaking process known as strip casting -- or direct casting of molten steel into...

ISHIKAWAJIMA PRECISION CASTING CO., LTD. has a GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. contract to supply castings for manufacturing blades for gas turbine generators.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... ISHIKAWAJIMA PRECISION CASTING CO., LTD. has a GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. contract to supply castings for manufacturing blades for gas turbine generators. The blades, which measure 19.5 inches and longer, are destined for GE gas turbines in the...

With demand for copper-aluminum-copper growing among manufacturers of printed circuit boards, GOULD ELECTRONICS INC. acquired for an undisclosed price JOHNSON & JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... With demand for copper-aluminum-copper growing among manufacturers of printed circuit boards, GOULD ELECTRONICS INC. acquired for an undisclosed price JOHNSON & JOHNSTON ASSOCIATES, INC. In 1993, that Hampstead, New Hampshire firm gave Gould, a...

Under an extension to their December 1996 cross-supply agreement, SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD. is shipping on an OEM basis to VALENITE, INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Under an extension to their December 1996 cross-supply agreement, SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD. is shipping on an OEM basis to VALENITE, INC. SUMIDA DA polycrystalline diamond and SUMIBORON cubic boron nitride materials for use in cutting...

The Nevada Gaming Commission's decision to license KONAMI CO., LTD. and a U.S. subsidiary to manufacture and market casino gaming machines.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The Nevada Gaming Commission's decision to license KONAMI CO., LTD. and a U.S. subsidiary to manufacture and market casino gaming machines opens up a new line of business for Japan's top supplier of interactive entertainment software. KONAMI...

A disagreement over price caused NACCO MATERIALS HANDLING GROUP, INC. to scrap a spring 1999 memorandum of understanding with NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A disagreement over price caused NACCO MATERIALS HANDLING GROUP, INC. to scrap a spring 1999 memorandum of understanding with NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. to acquire the beleaguered automotive maker's global forklift truck manufacturing and marketing...

KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY (U.S.A.), INC. began shipments of the all-new Dynamic Acera line of hydraulic excavators at the beginning of January.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY (U.S.A.), INC. began shipments of the all-new Dynamic Acera line of hydraulic excavators at the beginning of January. KOBE STEEL, LTD. spent $3.5 million to retool its subsidiary's 11-year-old Calhoun, Georgia...

Electrodischarge machine manufacturer SODICK CO., LTD. established a R&D subsidiary in San Jose, California to help ensure that it is on the cutting edge of machine tool technical developments.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Electrodischarge machine manufacturer SODICK CO., LTD. established a R&D subsidiary in San Jose, California to help ensure that it is on the cutting edge of machine tool technical developments. The company, which is scheduled to open by the end...

Like other machine tool builders hard hit by the slump in capital spending at home, O-M LTD. sees the United States as a revenue offsetter.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Like other machine tool builders hard hit by the slump in capital spending at home, O-M LTD. sees the United States as a revenue offsetter. Japan's top maker of vertical lathes will concentrate sales on compact CNC machines -- products used by...

Now that it has switched to direct marketing of its SMT and semiconductor assembly systems in North America and Europe from OEM sales, JUKI CORP. has penciled in a big gain in business in these two regions by FY 2002.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Now that it has switched to direct marketing of its SMT (surface-mount technology) and semiconductor assembly systems in North America and Europe from OEM sales (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 362, November 1999, p. 9), JUKI CORP. has...

Big precision pump manufacturer NIKKISO CO., LTD. has decided to venture out on its own in North America.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Big precision pump manufacturer NIKKISO CO., LTD. has decided to venture out on its own in North America. For years, the company has partnered with cryogenic submerged pump supplier J.C. CARTER CO., INC. on both technology and marketing, with...

Having already staked out a strong position in the American market for midrange and high-volume digital copiers, RICOH CO., LTD. intends to build on this momentum by setting up a Network Solution Center and introducing a new line of products.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Having already staked out a strong position in the American market for midrange and high-volume digital copiers, RICOH CO., LTD. intends to build on this momentum by setting up a Network Solution Center and introducing a new line of products....

Development of a digital camera that will allow users to upload images to the Internet without first transferring them to a PC is the goal of an alliance that CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. forged with San Francisco's ZING NETWORK, INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Development of a digital camera that will allow users to upload images to the Internet without first transferring them to a PC is the goal of an alliance that CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD. forged with San Francisco's ZING NETWORK, INC., which...

NEC CORP. and four of its competitors in the memory business are working with INTEL CORP.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... NEC CORP. and four of its competitors in the memory business are working with INTEL CORP. to develop cost-effective, high-performance DRAM technology for the main memory of PCs scheduled for release in 2003 and later. Industry analysts are...

MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., TOSHIBA CORP. and SANDISK CORP., which are collaborating on a next-generation secure memory card.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD., TOSHIBA CORP. and SANDISK CORP., which are collaborating on a next-generation secure memory card (see Japan-U.S. Business Report No. 360, September 1999, p. 8), have organized an industry association to...

One of the pioneers in the development of chip solutions for the radio frequency-enabled wireless communications technology known as Bluetooth completed a $35 million third round of financing.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... One of the pioneers in the development of chip solutions for the radio frequency-enabled wireless communications technology known as Bluetooth completed a $35 million third round of financing. TDK CORP. was one of the new investors in SILICON...

DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.-- the world leader in photomasks, the plates used to project ever more complex circuit design patterns onto silicon wafers -- has a project underway with INTEL CORP.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD.-- the world leader in photomasks, the plates used to project ever more complex circuit design patterns onto silicon wafers -- has a project underway with INTEL CORP. to develop the photomask technologies that the...

In a key win for AERA CORP., big semiconductor production equipment manufacturer NOVELLUS SYSTEMS INC. made the Austin, Texas company's gas mass-flow controllers the standard MFC for its entire product line.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In a key win for AERA CORP., big semiconductor production equipment manufacturer NOVELLUS SYSTEMSINC. made the Austin, Texas company's gas mass-flow controllers the standard MFC for its entire product line. San Jose, California-based Novellus...

In advance of the widespread availability of such next-generation PC main memory candidates as DDR SDRAM, the Santa Clara, California subsidiary of world automatic test equipment leader ADVANTEST CORP. released the T5585 Memory Test System and the companion M6541A Dynamic Test Handler.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In advance of the widespread availability of such next-generation PC main memory candidates as DDR SDRAM, the Santa Clara, California subsidiary of world automatic test equipment leader ADVANTEST CORP. released the T5585 Memory Test System and...

The dismantling of ZIFF-DAVIS INC. is occurring almost as fast as its buildup into a diversified media company after SOFTBANK CORP. paid a reported $2.1 billion for the world's largest publisher of information technology magazines.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The dismantling of ZIFF-DAVIS INC. is occurring almost as fast as its buildup into a diversified media company after SOFTBANK CORP. paid a reported $2.1 billion for the world's largest publisher of information technology magazines in early 1996...

SOFTBANK CORP. meanwhile joined four of the world's biggest electronics distributors.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... SOFTBANK CORP. meanwhile joined four of the world's biggest electronics distributors and the parent of FEDERAL EXPRESS CORP. to launch what is described as the first electronic-business hub for the information technology industry. The goal of...

One indication of how determined HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. is to become a major force in the Internet world is its decision to pay $100 million for a 1.34 percent stake in IDEALAB!(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... One indication of how determined HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. is to become a major force in the Internet world is its decision to pay $100 million for a 1.34 percent stake in IDEALAB! The Pasadena, California incubator of Internet entrepreneurs, which...

In a move that builds on its core business, HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. joined a number of other first-time investors as well as existing ones in putting up $33 million for SIGNALSOFT CORP.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... In a move that builds on its core business, HIKARI TSUSHIN, INC. joined a number of other first-time investors as well as existing ones in putting up $33 million for SIGNALSOFT CORP. Founded in 1995, the Boulder, Colorado company provides voice...

Along with the Intel 64 Fund, the Bellevue, Washington subsidiary of TRANS COSMOS INC. invested in LUTRIS TECHNOLOGIES.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Along with the Intel 64 Fund, the Bellevue, Washington subsidiary of TRANS COSMOS INC. invested in LUTRIS TECHNOLOGIES, a start-up bankrolled by affiliates of CHASE MANHATTAN CORP. The Santa Cruz, California company is the developer of the...

Subscribers to AMERICA ONLINE, INC.'s services soon will be able to access, send and receive their AOL e-mail on CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.'s CASSIOPEIA handheld computers.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Subscribers to AMERICA ONLINE, INC.'s services soon will be able to access, send and receive their AOL e-mail on CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.'s CASSIOPEIA handheld computers. AOL will develop the software, which Casio will distribute with its...

Mainframe systems supplier AMDAHL CORP., a FUJITSU, LTD. company, has on the market UTS Release 4.4 for its Millennium, System 1000.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Mainframe systems supplier AMDAHL CORP., a FUJITSU, LTD. company, has on the market UTS Release 4.4 for its Millennium, System 1000, and 5995M, 5995A and 5990M families of enterprise servers as well as for its competition's machines. UTS...

A joint development project undertaken by YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP. and CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.'s Quickturn unit has yielded a system that enables extremely high-speed but accurate hardware/software coverification of complex SOC designs.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A joint development project undertaken by YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP. and CADENCE DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.'s Quickturn unit has yielded a system that enables extremely high-speed but accurate hardware/software coverification of complex SOC designs. The...

DAIFUKU CO., LTD. completed the sale of AUTO-SOFT CORP. and AUTOSIMULATIONS, INC. to BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... DAIFUKU CO., LTD. completed the sale of AUTO-SOFT CORP. and AUTOSIMULATIONS, INC. to BROOKS AUTOMATION, INC., making the Chelmsford, Massachusetts company the undisputed top supplier of automation software to the semiconductor industry (see...

Animators, game developers and other content creators have a more powerful software development tool available with the release by NICHIMEN GRAPHICS CORP. of Mirai 1.1.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Animators, game developers and other content creators have a more powerful software development tool available with the release by NICHIMEN GRAPHICS CORP. of Mirai 1.1. The original version was introduced in May 1999. Part of the NICHIMEN CORP....

The first Internet-enabled DVD authoring tool is shipping from DAIKIN U.S. COMTEC LABORATORIES of Novato, California.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The first Internet-enabled DVD authoring tool is shipping from DAIKIN U.S. COMTEC LABORATORIES of Novato, California. Version 1.0 of Scenarist Enhanced DVD Kit links the worlds of DVD-Video and the Web, allowing publishers, for example, to...

Canon Photo and Canon Photo Gold, priced at $35 and $55, respectively, are the first products in what will be a line of programs from the Canon Software Publishing division of CANON COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Canon Photo and Canon Photo Gold, priced at $35 and $55, respectively, are the first products in what will be a line of programs from the Canon Software Publishing division of CANON COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC. that are compatible with the Macintosh...

With a near-term investment of some $500 million by FUJITSU, LTD. and its Richardson, Texas fiber-optic transmission and broadband switching platform manufacturing unit, FUJITSU NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. intends by yearend to double production capacity for its FLASH-19g SONET.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... With a near-term investment of some $500 million by FUJITSU, LTD. and its Richardson, Texas fiber-optic transmission and broadband switching platform manufacturing unit, FUJITSU NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, INC. intends by yearend to double...

Some of the world's most advanced optical networking research will take place at the Photonics Networking Laboratory.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Some of the world's most advanced optical networking research will take place at the Photonics Networking Laboratory to be located at FUJITSU NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS, INC.'s campus in Richardson, Texas. FUJITSU, LTD. is moving the applied...

With the February 1, 2000 establishment of PACE-ON CORP. in Duluth, Georgia, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP. highlighted its intention of becoming a major player in the North American market for advanced optical access systems for corporate and residential use.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... With the February 1, 2000 establishment of PACE-ON CORP. in Duluth, Georgia, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP. highlighted its intention of becoming a major player in the North American market for advanced optical access systems for corporate and...

SUNCALL CORP., which produces a line of fiber-optic connectors under license from LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC., established a marketing subsidiary in Greer, South Carolina.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... SUNCALL CORP., which produces a line of fiber-optic connectors under license from LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC., established a marketing subsidiary in Greer, South Carolina. The Kyoto prefecture manufacturer envisions the new unit as a way to...

At least one cellular phone model to be introduced by MOTOROLA INC. this year will feature an electro-luminescence display manufactured by a PIONEER CORP. affiliate.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... At least one cellular phone model to be introduced by MOTOROLA INC. this year will feature an electro-luminescence display manufactured by a PIONEER CORP. affiliate. The contract represents the first time that the electronics company has made...

The team of OKI DATA CORP. and SHAREMEDIA, INC. has codeveloped a line of Internet appliances that allow users to send e-mail and fax messages anywhere in the world via the Rockville.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... The team of OKI DATA CORP. and SHAREMEDIA, INC. has codeveloped a line of Internet appliances that allow users to send e-mail and fax messages anywhere in the world via the Rockville, Maryland partner's Internet Protocol-based Fax2Net service....

A company that provides high-speed Internet access and digital communications and e-community services to commercial, lodging and residential facilities has gotten off the ground with financial help from SOFTBANK VENTURE CAPITAL and PEQUOT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INC.(Everest Broadband Networks)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... A company that provides high-speed Internet access and digital communications and e-community services to commercial, lodging and residential facilities has gotten off the ground with financial help from SOFTBANK VENTURE CAPITAL and PEQUOT...

At a cost of $100 million, KDD CORP. acquired capacity on GLOBAL CROSSING LTD.'s round-the-world fiber-optic network to connect customers in Asia, the United States, Latin America and Europe.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... At a cost of $100 million, KDD CORP. acquired capacity on GLOBAL CROSSING LTD.'s round-the-world fiber-optic network to connect customers in Asia, the United States, Latin America and Europe. Initially, the big Japanese international carrier...

With almost predictable regularity, INTERNET INITIATIVE JAPAN INC. announces another upgrade of its transpacific backbone.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... With almost predictable regularity, INTERNET INITIATIVE JAPAN INC. announces another upgrade of its transpacific backbone in a race to keep pace with the booming volume of Internet traffic between Japan and the rest of the Asian Pacific region...

People who use TOKYO TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK CO., INC.'s Internet service now have dial-up access around the world.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... People who use TOKYO TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK CO., INC.'s Internet service now have dial-up access around the world, thanks to a roaming agreement with Herndon, Virginia-based UUNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC., the world's biggest Internet services...

By the end of 2000, JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD. will pull out of the communications market in the United States and in the United Kingdom.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... By the end of g000, JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD. will pull out of the communications market in the United States and in the United Kingdom. This pending move follows the purchase last fall of a combined 30 percent stake in the long-distance carrier...

Given the still sky-high cost of digital TV sets, FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. and SARNOFF CORP. have decided to come up with a popularly priced set-top box.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Given the still sky-high cost of digital TV sets, FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. and SARNOFF CORP. have decided to come up with a popularly priced set-top box that will convert terrestrial DTV broadcast signals for display on today's analog sets....

Just 18 months after all-terrain vehicles started coming off the assembly line at HONDA OF SOUTH CAROLINA MANUFACTURING, INC. in Timmonsville, South Carolina, the company broke ground for a $20 million adjacent engine plant.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2000... Just 18 months after all-terrain vehicles started coming off the assembly line at HONDA OF SOUTH CAROLINA MANUFACTURING, INC. in Timmonsville, South Carolina, the company broke ground for a $20 million adjacent engine plant. At start-up this...