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The article presents an outlook for the impact of a new preliminary draft on corporate foreign exchange operations to be released by the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). It is expected that corporations that have been showing gains in their quarterly income statements may see major losses under the new rules. Major upward revisions on the asset side of the balance sheets of the foreign subsidiaries of U.S. multinationals doing business in Europe and Japan.

This article presents the analytical findings of economists Jeffrey Frankel of the University of California and Shang-Jin Wei of Harvard University on Japan's plans for the creation of a de facto trade bloc in East Asia. These economists suggest that Americans and Europeans need not fear of Japan's economic supremacy in creating Wast Asia the world's fastest growing region by means of cementing trade ties. Their analysis, summarized in a recent issue of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's periodical "Weekly Letter," shows scant evidence of a developing Pacific economic bloc dominated by Japan. These economists found that from 1979 to mid-1992, the major East Asian countries all consistently assigned a heavy weight to the dollar in valuing their currencies.

The article reports that Fuji Photo Film Co., is the world's second-largest maker of photographic film and paper, known to Americans as the company that has given Eastman Kodak Co. a harrowing run for, its money. Fujifilm has staged a remarkable makeover on its home turf. But the world of digital photography is still new. So in the next two years, as Fujiffim courts Americans with a whole new bag of digital goodies, it will confront the most confusing obstacle course in its 65-year history. The global market for photo film and paper is a tidy duopoly with clearly defined rules.

The article reports on the significance and the efficacy of msx computers in the American market. The U.S. home computer makers appear unconcerned that such an invasion about to hit. Darrel E. Whitten, an analyst at Prudential-Bache Securities Ltd., says that msx is a difficult niche in Japan due to its higher price than the hot-selling Nintendo unit.

The article reports that a U.S.-Japan commercial treaty to internationalize the Japanese yen is not expected to strengthen the yen in foreign exchange markets and to alter international trade, balance of payments, and balance of trade patterns between the two countries. Measures to make the yen an international currency include the creation of a free Euroyen market and deregulation of Japanese capital markets.

The article reports on the intensifying competition in the copiers market which has affected the dominant position of Xerox Corp. in the worldwide market for plain-paper copiers. The companies that played a role in reducing Xerox's market share are Japan's Ricoh, Savin, and Nashua, whose shares rose to 9 percent. It is noted that the decision of the competitors of Xerox to take on the company individually gave Xerox a chance to launch an assault on the small-copier segment.

The article reports on the implication of the collapse of Toyo Valve Co. to big trading companies in Japan. It mentions that over a quarter of the firm's 300 million-dollar debt is held by traders and affirms that fears are surmounting in the region due to its lusterless economic recovery. It affirms that the major cause of the company's failure is its heavy borrowing to purchase 26 million-dollar worth of new valve-making equipment.

Discusses the relationships between the United States and Japan. U.S. industry's reliance on Japan for imports of advanced components essential to production; Total transactions linking U.S. and Japanese companies; Japanese investors' annual finance of the U.S. government's debt and acquisition of a large proportion of U.S. private paper; Concern about the health of the relationship; Japan's effort to open its market and change its economy; Need to solve the tension that exists in the relationships. INSET: Case Study in Diversification: The New Face of Summitomo Metals.

The article reports that Content Idea of Asia (CIA) created a printable bar code, which is the size of a postage stamp, but can store data files such as video clips. The Japanese company dubbed the code "paper memory." It can be used with cell phones and in advertising. Kazuhiro Miwa, CIA research chief, has been working on the PM Code.

The article reports that Eastman Kodak Co. is striving to grab more market share in Japan. Kodak has only 15 percent of the Japanese market while Fuji Photo Film Co. has 70 percent. Kodak has launched a technical center for customers and distributors, revealed plans to construct a Japanese research center, and purchased a 10 percent stake in a Japanese camera producer, and acquired a Japanese distributor of various business products.

Focuses on the rising concern among the companies in Japan to preserve the environment. Information that Suntory Ltd., the food and beverage giant, readily admits to exploiting Japan's current fascination with the environment; Observation that Dozens of Japanese companies are latching onto ecology as a potent marketing theme for everything from clothing to mutual funds; Opening of "earth-friendly" corners by top department stores to sell environmentally sound products.

Reports that the decline in the yen has substantially raised Japan's labor-cost advantage as compared to the U.S. Position of yen against the U.S. dollar in 1988; Decline in Japanese factory wages in dollars; Advantage of this decline to Japanese imports.

The article features the Copyboard electronic blackboard manufactured by Oki Electric Industry Co. which has been launched in Japan and the U.S. It is a hybrid of a blackboard and a copier which prints paper versions of whatever is written on the board, providing accurate notes. The product has been targeted to schools and businesses.

Focuses on troubling developments within the Japanese business community that are marring its outlook for 1999. The effect of the government's plan to raise $645 billion in bonds which is driving bond prices lower; Fall in the Nikkei during its first two trading sessions of 1999; The rise in the yen and its effect on the economy.

The article focuses on various developments related to industrial research in Japan. It is stated that Japan became a leading industrial power by making technological innovations. In April 1985, Hitachi Ltd. will start a lab that will conduct research related to the development of biochips and computer circuits. According to William V. Rapp, commercial counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, companies in the U.S. are not willing to share technical information with Japanese competitors.

The article reports on the possible management changes in Japanese company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Despite a reported increase in net earnings and revenues in its fiscal year ended November 20, 1977, the company is experiencing deep internal problems of an aging, bureaucratic management. Also affecting the internal problem are the structural recession in Japan and expert problems from increasing protectionism and a revalued yen.

Reports on the scientific study of corrupt economic practices in the Japanese sumo wrestling business. Details of a research model which illustrates the association between incentives and economic behavior in the sport; Incidence of match-fixing in sumo wrestling.

Discusses how Softbank Corp. is using the keiretsu system to provide inspiration in the area of cyberspace. Description of the keiretsu; How Chief Executive Masayoshi Son sees Softbank's position in the huge digital marketplace; The doubling of Softbank stock since September 1998.

Despite decades of slugging it out in the worldwide film market, neither Kodak nor Fuji has made much headway on other's home turf. On May 18, 1995, Kodak launched a trade complaint against Japan, hoping to get the US government to help pry open the Japanese market. Kodak's primary complaint is that Fuji has an almost vise-like grip on Japanese film distribution. In Japan, film is sold in a multitiered system, with a few dozen distributors at the top. Fuji has locked up the 4 biggest distributors that together account for 70% of film sales. INSET: FILM WARS.

Reports on the papers presented for the 1994 International Solid State Circuits Conference in San Francisco, California on February 16-18, 1994. String of industry firsts from Japanese chip giants; Products developed by NEC Corp., Toshiba Corp. and Fujitsu Limited.

The article reports on the launch of several Japan-made TV phones that use same picture standards for better reception of video snapshots. TV phones having tiny video camera and a black-and-white screen can send or receive pictures in about 6 seconds. However, picture gets distorted in case of different picture standards of brands. Five Japanese makers including, Matsushita Electric Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., NEC Corp., Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd., and Sony Corp. have come up with new TV phones.

The article discusses on how Japan gains profit from its low labor turnover. According to economists, Jacob Mincer and Yoshio Higuchi, in a paper for National Bureau of Economic Research, Japan's so-called lifetime employment system is not simply a cultural phenomenon. They say that Japanese manufacturing workers obtain more intensive training than their U.S. counterparts. The paper also states that U.S. workers in Japanese owned companies enjoy an annual wage increase of 3.3 percent.

The article reports on the implications of Japan's move to control the silicon wafers market to the U.S. economy. The $30 million proposal would give Mitsubishi Metal Corp. to take over Siltec Corp. The Japanese already control two-thirds of the market for the materials used in packaging integrated circuits especially that thy have been buying into producers of polysilicon, the raw materials for wafers.

The article reports on the printer technology developed by Ricoh Co. in Japan, which closely duplicate the quality of the expensive color printers for computer graphics. The company created a ribbon with endless repeating patches of dyes in the colors to reproduce color images wherein the computer tells the printer to transfer thermally a dot of dye to the paper when the appropriate color passes beneath the printing head. They planned to release the product later in 1985.

The article discusses speculation that has been risen regarding the possibility that the U.S. will face some of the same economic problems in 2009 that Japan experienced during the 1990s. Steps that economists feel that the administration of U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama should take in order to not repeat the financial problems faced by Japan in the 1990s are mentioned, such as repairing the country's financial system in a timely manner.

Reports on the Japanese government's decision to begin aggressively funding basic scientific research. Reasons for Japan's lag in scientific research; Funding problems; The strategy for revitalizing Japan's scientific community; Concerns over which government department allocates the funds.

The article focuses on the Tokyo Round, also known as the Multilateral Trade Negotiations, in 1979. The Tokyo Round was the venue for trade talks which focused on the lowering of each country's tariff and nontariff barriers. Majority of the U.S. industries are expected to benefit from the meeting, providing them the opportunity to expand their business to the world market. The sectors that are expected to gain with the enactment of the nontariff barrier codes are electronics, aerospace, and agriculture.

The article reports on the slow growth of the sales of beer of Japan's Kirin Brewery Co. Ltd. in 1977. It informs that the company sold only 7 percent more beer in the first half of 1977 as compared to the period from January 1976 to June 1976. It tells that despite slower sales growth, Kirin Brewery is introducing a new beer called Mein Brau. It further informs about the company's diversification into foods

Reports that American corporation Motorola Inc. has succeeded in gaining entry into the Japanese cellular telephone equipment and services industry after the U.S. threatened economic sanctions on Japanese exports to the U.S. First significant pact under the 1988 Trade Act; Motorola's Japanese affiliate Nippon Motorola Ltd.

The article focuses on the potential effects of the intention of the administration of U.S. President Ronald Reagan to lift the federal prohibition on exporting crude oil from Alaska on Japan's petroleum imports. Reagan expresses concerns about the possible ill effects of shipping Alaskan oil abroad. The impending war between Iran and Iraq accentuates Japan's concerns about its own oil security. The Petroleum Producers' Association of Japan requested competitive prices from the U.S. to ship the crude home.

The article discusses issues on the joint venture of Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. (GM) for automobile production in the U.S. and the import quotas for Japanese-created cars. It states that Detroit, Michigan has offered subcompact deal for Japan to supply Japanese car models for the U.S. automobile industry. It says that the approval of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for the GM-Toyota deal will allow GM to develop Toyota-designed cars in its plant in Fremont, California.

The article reports on the introduction of a 43-pound personal copier machine by Japan-based manufacturer Canon Inc. on August 24, 1982. It notes that the new machine is crucial on the maintenance of the company's revenue growth in the said year. It states that the company planned to sell the product's two models on October 1 at 1,000 and 1,200 dollars each and they are scheduled to be launched in the U.S. market in 1983.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "How Japan overcame deficits and tight money," by Hang-Sheng Cheng in the May 17, 1982 issue, "A call for vision in managing technology," by Richard N. Foster in the May 24, 1982 issue and "How Clark is remodeling the NSC" in the May 17, 1982 issue.

The author reports that the Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries Ministry in Japan had a video created in order to illustrate the problems with the country's dependency on imported food. The video was created by the design studio Groovisions. Problems that are discussed in the video include citizens not supporting local farmers.

Focuses on the release of a comic book "Manga" by the Japanese Defense Agency that attempts to explain its policies. Difficulty of interesting young people in the military matters of Japan; Release of the comic book on October 8; Length of the publication; Description of the comic book which details Japanese military history, participation in the Iraq war, and defense legislation; Opinion that the magazine will not become a best-seller.

Discusses how government debt in Japan could affect the country's economy. Analysis of the Japanese economy; Need for Japan to get on a serious fiscal diet or raise taxes.

Reports on the development of an integrated circuit by Japanese chipmaker Hitachi Ltd. How the chip is designed to be embedded in currency and other documents to deter counterfeiters; Amount of code the chips can store.

Discusses efforts by Japan to marshal its resources to catch up to the West and build a New Japan. How its young elite are starting to migrate from Old Economy banks and trading houses to Internet ventures; The native-born investors that are orchestrating this migration; How money and power are coalescing in a uniquely Japanese way.

Reports on Dean Witter Reynolds Inc.'s Joseph P. Quinlan's analysis of the imbalance in the trade flows between the United States and Japan. Measurement of trade in terms of containers; Contents of container exports; Imports from Japan.

Argues against the prevailing view that strong government and efficient private business are adversaries in the U.S. View of the author that big government and excess regulation damage entrepreneurship; Reference to the examples of the health care, banking and worker training sector wherein it has been proved that government is harming American free enterprises; View of writer Daniel K. Tarullo in a paper published in the Spring, 1991, issue of the periodical "The American Prospect" that stronger government is better able to broker consensual solutions to difficult social problems; Comparison of the governmental system of the U.S. with that of Europe and Japan.

The article presents updates on economics and business from around the world as of July 27, 1974, including efforts by the U.S. Department to save the Egyptian cotton crop, negotiations between West Germany and Iran to assemble or manufacture Volkswagenwerk automobiles in Iran, and an increase in the money supply and government spending in Japan.

Comment on U.S. auto industry, which is struggling to fend off charging Japanese rivals. Report on the quality delivered by U.S. auto industry as compared to Japanese automakers; Information on a new concept adopted by Japanese autoplayers named "things gone right"; Report on Detroit market problems, which are more serious now than in the early 1980s when the U. S. auto industry was helped by "voluntary" restraints on imported Japanese cars; View on Japan's share of the U. S. car market, which has jumped three points in the past year.

The article reports that Japanese pension funds and life insurance companies are working through the Big Four Japanese brokers in New York City to do trades on high-yielding U.S. companies. In mid-August 1987, approximately 19 million shares of the electric utility, American Electric Power Co., were traded by the Japanese. These trades have little effect on the stock price because the selling and buying are almost simultaneous.

The article reports that the Japanese firms are ahead in the submicron design of memory chips which have circuit lines thinner than one micron. This was evident at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference in February 1987 where Japanese companies presented technical papers that previewed new chips. However, International Business Machines Corp. of the U.S. has also presented its own designs.

Fueled by fury in the US over Japanese imports, the US Congress is proposing legislation to slash textile and apparel imports from Asia just before the important treaty negotiations begin. Textile makers and importers protest this is an unfair spillover of anger that could hurt consumers and start a trade war.

Faced with a cost structure that gives their Japanese rivals a minimum of $2,000 per car advantage, US companies are increasingly turning to foreign products for help in developing and manufacturing small cars--or importing inexpensive cars outright.

The article offers news briefs related to various business enterprises. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. will announce the names of banks against whom it will take action. There has been an improvement in the performance of Japan's stock market with an increase in the earnings of various companies. There has been an increase in the share price of General Cinema Corp., but some economists believe that the prices may reduce in the future.

The article focuses on the strategies that can be used by businesses to respond to Japanese competition. Topics discussed include the need for businesses to consider their product and determine the degree to which potential competitors have significant advantages, the labor productivity advantage taken by the Japanese in manufactured goods and the changes adopted by Japanese manufacturers like shifting to near-continuous processing.

Discusses Japan's economic problems as of May 1998. Concerns for job security, living standards and retirement savings; The country's debt trap, including public debt, nonperforming bank loans, corporate liabilities and property prices; Hidden liabilities; The destructive cycle; What needs to be done; The country being on Moody's Investors Service's Credit Watch.

Explains that the Yakuza crime syndicate is at the center of a $350 billion bad-loan scandal in Japan. Government bailouts of failed financial institutions; Pattern of cooperation among elites, politicians, banking executives, and criminal gangs. INSET: The samurai meets the godfather..