Japan producing toys for adult people

(By S M Mehdi Hassan)
Because of the lower birth rate Japanese toy companies are now targeting elderly people. Talking baby dolls have become very the popular among Japanese people who are in their eighties. Japanese women, who are aged and retired buy these dolls. Most of these women live alone, they treat these dolls like their grandsons or granddaughters. The dolls also have the same weight of a baby. The ‘Yumel doll’ one the most popular dolls is a boy doll. The makers of the doll have labeled it as a ‘healing partner’ and it costs 8500 yen ($ 80). Japan has the lowest child birth rate but at present, it has hit the record. By 2050, the population of Japan will be hundred million from hundred and twenty eight million. This low rate of children will affect the Japanese toy market seriously. Now the toy makers are shifting their attention from children towards elderly people. According to Osamu Kiriseko, who is heading the Yumel project said that toy makers are now targeting the senior citizens.
Links:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4919606.stmhttp://news.agendainc.com/mt-agenda/content/archives/2005/02/as_japan_greys.html

Canon’s Profit rise in Digital Camera and Copier

(By S M Mehdi Hasan)
When it comes to cameras Japanese producers are the best in the world. Japanese companies produce good quality digital cameras at an affordable price.
Canon Incorporation, world’s largest producers of digital cameras and color copiers is expecting a rise in their profit margin in the first quarter of the year. Reuters declared that the data they collected from six analysts showed that Canon’s operating profit in the first quarter will be 152.3 billion yen. However, this figure is shorter than Canon’s own estimate which is 153 billion yen. Despite yen’s bad condition in the international market Canon has impressively held its top position.
Japanese Camera and photo industry sector is not doing very well this year. Fuji, Konica did not have the expected profit margin. Still they are hoping to turn around by this year. Both the companies are restructuring.
In addition, Xerox Corporation, another big producer of copiers and printers did not do very well in their first quarter. Last Monday they admitted a fall in their sales due to higher costs of their black-and-white products.
Kunihiko Kanno an analyst, estimated that Canon will exceed its quarterly target and will be able to make around 653 billion yen profit by the end of the year.

Sales rise in departmental stores in Japan

Sales at the department stores in Japan rose to 2% in March. The total figure was 683.6 billion yen. The Departmental Stores Association said that this was the second straight month of gain. The department stores started to observe this raise from 2005. Last year the sales were up to 0.7 percent.

The statistics were collected on 96 chain stores who operate 282 stores around the country.

In January the sales dropped to 0.4% but in February it rose to 0.5%. The main reason behind this increase is the economic growth of the country.

The major sales products are clothing, food, furniture, home appliances, household products and restaurants and cafeterias.

However, sales of clothes were the highest among all other products. More than forty percent of the total revenue came from clothe sales.
Related Articles:
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/tm.site/news/ECONOMIC%20NEWS/230366/
http://futures.fxstreet.com/Futures/news/afx/singleNew.asp?menu=economicnews&pv_noticia=1145858456-f05e0f08-07507
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-lead-japans-fy-2005-department-store-sales-up-/2006/04/24/1599668.htm

Sony’s Price Cut

(by S M Mehdi Hasan)
Sony has declared to cut the price of its popular Video game console, Play Station-2. Market specialists are assuming that the price cut was made in order to keep up the sales. Sony’s play station has been a great success since its inception in 2000. Since then Sony has produced more than 100 million units. Sony reported that in 2004 they had sold 80 million, and another 100 million in 2005.
According to the BBC report of November, 2006 Sony will be launching its new product Playstation-3 pretty soon.
But the price cut will be applied to USA only. The present price of play station-2 is $ 129 which is $20 less than the previous price. Last year in June, Sony reduced the price from $179 to $ 149. The price reduction was mainly done to keep the demand of the consoles. Gaming console is a very competitive industry and after every one or two years new consoles appear in the market. As a result, older versions loss their popularity. A price cut can give an incentive to the buyers to buy the consoles. However, the price did not change for UK (£104.99).
On the other hand, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, the next generation device is the most popular in the market which costs $400. There is also a good possibility for Microsoft to reduce the price of its console.Related Articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4927950.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12403946/
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060413-6594.html
http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=11838551
Sony has declared to cut the price of its popular Video game console play station-2. Market specialists are assuming that the price cut is done in order to keep up the sales. Sony’s play station has been a great success since its inception in 2000. Since then sony has produced more than 100 million units. Sony reported that in 2004 they had sold 80 million, and another 100 million in 2005.
According to the BBC report on November, 2006 Sony will be launching its new product Playstation-3.
But the price cut will be limited to USA . The present price of play station-2 is $ 129 which is $20 less than the previous price. Last year in June, Sony reduced the price from $179 to $ 149. The price reduction was mainly done to keep the demand of the consoles. Gaming console is a very competitive industry and after every one or two years new consoles appear in the market. As a result, the older version losses its popularity. Hence, price cut can give an incentive to the buyers to buy the consoles. However, the price did not change for UK (£104.99).
On the other hand, Microsoft’s Xbox 360, the next generation device is the most popular in the market which costs $400. There is a good possibility that like Sony Microsoft could also reduce the price of its console.

Related Articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4927950.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12403946/
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060413-6594.html
http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=11838551
http://www.southasiabiz.com/

Low precipitation affecting farmers of Bangladesh

Low precipitation affecting farmers of Bangladesh
Bangladesh is an agro-based country. Rain is a very important thing for Bangladeshi farmers. Since they do not have the access to modern farming technologies they depend much on nature. This year the rain has not started yet. Rainy season extends from June to October but the April rain is very important for the farmers. Although there were storms there was very little rain. According to the AFP report the precipitation was recorded 90milimiter in March which was the lowest in the country’s record since 1948. Such low precipitation would severely effect the rice production. This is the time to sow seeds for the Spring Crop which accounts for the majority of the rice production of the country.
Along with the scorching heat and dry weather is the added problem of power supply. Farmers use power generators for irrigation but due to power failure and fuel shortage they can not supply necessary waters to the cropfield.
The government should take proper steps so that farmers can get necessary power supply to continue their work or else economists are expecting a serious famine in near future. There should be a comprehensive plan to tackle this problem in future.Related Articles:
Bangladesh farmers pray for rain
Bangladesh farmers urged to pray for rain to save spring rice
http://www.southasiabiz.com/bangladesh/

(by S M Mehdi Hasan)

China economy news links

Here are some links about Chinese economy. Check them if they are useful for you.
Labor group cooperates to lure foreign investment
New Japan-China spat over gas
China backs overseas investment
Companies hit by Rajkumar riots
Chevron invests in India refinery

Asian News update

Here are some of the links about Asian Business. I hope the readers will find them useful.
S. Korea Sees Boom in Male Plastic Surgery


China worried over pace of growth

16, 106 Experts call for caution against following the U.S. deadline

S.Korea Economy on Track for Growth in '06

India flowing with Wind energy

Today's links about Asian Business

China launches campaign to improve IP protection at expos
China president at Gates house, not White House
China dangles trade deals at Taiwan's opposition
Air China to buy 20 planes/yr for next few yrs - exec
Benefits of outsourcing "wildly exaggerated"?

South Asian Business

In this blog, I generally cover the business of Asia Pacific . Those of you looking for information and analysis about south Asia and the Indian subcontinent please pay a visit to http://www.southasiabiz.com/.

ABout South Asian Business

For the last 25 days, I am writing about South Asian Business in Know More Media. I have already posted more than 100 entries . I invite you to visit my blog about how South Asia on a regular basis . The url of my blog is:
http://www.southasiabiz.com/

China trying to pacify its partners

China has decided to increase its import from this year to resolve the dispute between its trading partners. The country is facing serious problems regarding trading with the United States.
The United States is the second largest trading partner and China is the fourth largest export market of the United States. Last year, China’s trade surplus was 100 billion dollar. According to US trade deficit has reached to US$ 202 billion.
Recently, China’s vice premier, Wu Yi has gone to Washington to solve this dispute before President Hu Jin Tao’s visit to Washington. Along with WU a business delegates of 202 members representing 111 business organizations went to Washington. Wu said a mutually beneficial trade relationship is crucial for overall China-U.S. relations, though some friction is to be expected. In a signing ceremony at Los Angeles the Chinese delegations signed 27 deals which was worth some US$4.44 billion.
Under this contract the Chinese business organizations will purchase: US$700 million (euro569 million) worth of Microsoft Windows software ; 4.98 million metric tons of soybeans ; and 20,000 tons of U.S. soy oil.
Commerce Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao on a briefing said, "They will buy many products including agriculture products, airplanes, software, auto parts, electronic products, telecommunications products."
(written by S M Mehdi Hasan)

World Cup Football 2006 : Good news for German Economy

(I know World Cup Football 2006 does not go with the theme of this blog- Asian Business. However, today, football is both the most popular and the richest sports in Asia. So, I have decided to post about World Cup Football 2006. Fortunately, Biplob Kishore Deb, one of my most favorite students, is a great soccer enthusiast and he is going to write about World Cup Football 2006. I have asked him to write about the economic aspects of the world cup more than the game itself since it is a business blog. However, I am not going to disappoint my readers and publish everything he writes about World Cup Football 2006. Why? Simply because, in the next few days the excitement of World Cup Football will be the main interest for the people living in almost all the Asian countries. So, happy reading!)

World Cup football, one of the most prestigious and richest sports tournaments in the world, is going to be held on June 9 in Germany. In today’s world, games and sports are not confined in a recreational motif; rather the financial or economic aspects get more priority. From this perspective, German economy will observe a substantial growth through hosting the tournament.
According to specialists, the incoming world cup can result a growth by 0.5% or about three billion Euros in German economy.

On the occasion of world cup, a huge number of football fans from different countries will come to Germany. So the hotels and restaurants will have a good profit over the one month long tournament. Some football fans will not only enjoy the matches but also take the chance to visit historical and other tourist attractive sites that will make their tourism sector profitable.
Last but not the least, this tournament will bring many businessmen and entrepreneurs to the country who may invest there in future. No doubt, that The World Cup 2006 will upgrade German’s present economic condition.
(Written by Biplob Kishore Deb)

Global Gaming league (GGL) going for China

Who does not like video games. It is a great way to pass your time. Online gaming has become a mojor source of making money and entertainment. In China online gaming is a thriving business. The Global Gaming league (GGL), one of the largest online gaming companies has opened their office in the Sichuan province of South West China.

GGL has 1.3 million opoerators around the world at present. In an interview with Xinhua.net, a news website Brett W. Hawkins, president of the company, told that Global Gaming League (GGL) is expecting at least one million subscribers in China by the end of 2006.
According to an article, ‘Online gaming growing fast in China, study says’ published in the standard.com last year China made more than US$ 298 million revenue from online gaming in 2004 and by 2009 this figure would quadruple. This huge market created lots of opportunities for game companies domestic and international.

Every day hundreds and thousands of players play online games in China. One of the most popular games is Warcraft played by 1.5 million people in China

Although Chinese government is encouraging online gaming it is also concerned with the people who spend 10-15 hours in playing games. The Massive Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games ( MMORPG) is filled with violence. Last year one video gamer in Shanghai was stabbed to death by another game player for selling his weapon. Such problems has forced the government to control the gaming habits of people.

Rising energy worry of China

The rising industrialization has already started to exert its pressure on China. China at present is the second largest consumer of fossil fuel and the largest oil importer after USA. In a recent report published in businesswire.com it was mentioned that because of rapid industrial development china compared to other developed countries requires higher energy consumption per unit. The report also mentioned that in 2006 the import will increase by 900 million barrels.

However, China is also planning to increase its domestic production of oil and coal. To meet the huge energy demands the policy makers are also thinking about nuclear power plants, bio gas, solar and hydro electric power.

It is now clear that in the future energy market China will bring many changes but there are demerits behind these rising energy needs. The more it will industrialize the more it will produce green house gases and pollute the environment.

China's neighbor India is facing the same worry about energy. India has announced to follow an integrated energy policy. The growing energy demand in China and India has only one consequence- increasing oil price in the international market, something which we all hate.

Dispute on auto part tariff among China and EU and US

The dispute about high tariff on autoparts has started to take a serious shape among China and United States and the European Union.

First EU filed a complaint followed by the United States. They are saying that by putting higher tariff on imported auto parts China is breaking its resolutions as a member of the WTO. China has imposed higher tariffs on whole vehicles and spare auto parts that make up 60% or more of the value of a final vehicle. In April last year, this figure was 30% for the whole vehicle and 15% for auto parts.

US Trade Representative Rob Portman said, "What the Chinese policy does is favour its domestic industry or force US companies to relocate to China to avoid these illegal taxes,"
(Source: http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/01/content_4370951.htm )
EU also voiced the same complaint that in order to encourage the local car makers China is increasing its tariff which is illegal and against WTO rules and most of all against the norms of free market economy.


On 20th March,2006 China’s division chief under the Department of Industrial Policy in the National Development and Reform Commission, Li Wanli, said the United States' complaints were groundless. He said, "We consider (the auto-parts tariff policy) complies with WTO rules,"
(Source: http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/20/content_4321558.htm)



The problem is that China considers some auto parts as complete vehicles and charges higher tariff and from 1 July, 2006 this higher tariff will be extended to any auto parts that value 60% or more of complete vehicle.

Regarding this issue EU on 31st March, 2006 asked for bilateral consultation of WTO. Peter Mandelson, Trade Commissioner of the European Union said: "Consultations will allow us to clarify the legal issues and find a mutually satisfactory solution. It remains my strong preference and intention to seek an amicable solution to this issue."
(Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/31/content_4366038.htm )

In addition, a senior official of the U.S. Trade Representative Office (USTR) said that China should be a "responsible stakeholder" in the world trade system.

(Source: http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/03/content_4254401.htm )

Recently, China's Ministry of Commerce expressed its regrets regarding this issue. Cong Quan, a spokesman said that china is seriously considering the request for dispute settlement.
(Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/03/content_4377107.htm )

According to the rule of the WTO if a dispute is not resolved within 60 days then the WTO will take it over.
(Written by S M Mehdi Hasan)
To read about the best of South Asian Business everyday, visit http://www.southasiabiz.com this website is updated 4-5 times daily.

China becoming serious about Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

Western countries have been calling on China for a long time to pay more attention to IPR. It seems that China is going to take this matter more seriously from now. IPR protection of China has passed "Shanghai Initiative" in order to decrease piracy. Under this initiative China is going to establish Intellectual Property Rights service center in 50 major cities. The centers will investigate on IPR related complaints.
Canada, Australia, France, and Germany at the China Forum on Criminal IPR Protection signed the document. Under the agreement the countries will exchange information, and make joint efforts to stop software piracy.

Jiang Zengwei China’s vice minister of Commerce and Director of the State Office of Intellectual Property Protection said, “We aim to arouse the whole society to strengthen enforcement of IPR protection.” He also said that government would take more effective measures to protect IPR in cooperation with the international community. (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-03/31/content_4368962.htm)

At present there are 6,700 IPR infringement cases in the past five years involving 3.5 billion yuan (437.5 million U.S. dollars).Chinese economy is growing at an astounding pace and many manufacturing companies are now opening their factories in China. Thus giving more attention to IPR is really a very smart move by Chinese government. As a result of this move, many international investors will feel more motivated to invest in China.
(written by S M Mehdi Hasan)

To read about the best of South Asian Business everyday, visit http://www.southasiabiz.com/and this website is updated 4-5 times daily.

To discover Bangla (the 5th largest language in the world) literature visit http://write-translate.blogspot.com/.

Mobile digital Television : another new techno- hype in Japan

Recently, Digital television program for mobile phone started in Japan. It will remain as a test broadcast for several months and for the time being, will remain limited to urban areas. Consumers are already rushing to the stores for new mobile sets but now there are not too many phones with the facility. However, Japan is not alone in mobile phone television broad casting. South Korea, Britain, some parts of the USA and several other nations provide this facility.

At present, this service is free. The system is using the digital broad casting system that relays images through television towers. Big companies like Nippon Television, Fuji Television and TV Asahi are involved.

Japan is the place where people love every new gadget and if digital television in mobile becomes a hit then within a short time it will grow into a multi billion dollar industry.

Related Articles:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7003017642

http://www.playfuls.com/news_01883_Japan_TV_Networks_To_Deliver_Digital_TV_Broadcasts_On_Mobile_Phones.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=1794479&technology=true

(By S M Mehdi Hasa)
To read about the best of South Asian Business everyday, visit http://www.southasiabiz.com/
and this website is updated 4-5 times daily.