J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
The '<span>JIN</span>' J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>
in Japan.<br>
Issue No. 487 Wednesday October 22, 2008, Tokyo<br><div class="gmail_quote"><br>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
Every PBXL wireless phone comes standard with:<br>
a big color screen,<br>
a 03 Tokyo number,<br>
voicemail,<br>
and more!<br>
<br>
Everything you expect from the best office phone system<br>
on the market.<br>
<br>
Call today! 03-4550-2557<br>
Get your new phone system in 3 steps: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/plans" target="_blank">http://www.pbxl.jp/plans</a><br>
<br>
PBXL is Hosted Business Telephony<br>
Monthly seminars at Cisco HQ: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt" target="_blank">http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt</a><br>
More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2" target="_blank">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
On Monday, the Bank of Japan released a report that essentially<br>
cemented the fact that the country's longest postwar expansion phase<br>
has come to an end. The BOJ downgraded its assessment of all nine<br>
regions citing increases in raw commodities and energy costs combined<br>
with the slowdown in the global economy as the factors behind the<br>
report's findings.<br>
Since the BOJ began releasing these reports in April 2005, this was<br>
the first time that they had downgraded the assessment of all of<br>
Japan's regions at once. BOJ Governor Masaaki Shirakawa was quoted by<br>
Kyodo News as saying that Japan's economy was very likely to remain<br>
"sluggish for the time being as it becomes clear that the world's<br>
economy is slowing."<br>
The news followed a survey by the central bank that stated business<br>
sentiment at large manufacturers had fallen to its lowest level in<br>
more than five years. Lately commodities prices have dropped but that<br>
still won't be enough to improve sentiment - fears of what the global<br>
financial crisis has in store over the next few months put an end to<br>
any positivity the dip would have brought.<br>
Shirakawa didn't exactly paint an optimistic picture of where the<br>
economy was headed either. The BOJ chief said corporate and household<br>
spending could slow further due to the prolonged effects of high oil<br>
prices and other commodity prices. Shirakawa added that the flood of<br>
recent bankruptcies has meant that credit conditions would not be<br>
conducive to smaller firms gaining capital.<br>
Most of the report that the BOJ released related to the pre-credit<br>
collapse problems. It was a picture of Japan being hurt by the<br>
increase in commodities prices. While oil prices have dipped and a<br>
drop in demand for raw materials, particularly from China, means some<br>
of that pressure will be alleviated, manufacturers face the duel<br>
problems of a drop in spending overseas, certainly in the US, and a<br>
stronger yen.<br>
Also, despite Japan's money markets remaining fairly stable despite<br>
all the credit problems in the United States and Europe in particular,<br>
Shirakawa warned that the global financial crisis could still spread<br>
further. Continued bankruptcies, particularly within the real estate<br>
and construction industries, are making credit harder to get a hold<br>
of, while the wider crunch is adding to the general unease.<br>
The composite index (CI), a key gauge of the degree and pace of change<br>
in each of the leading economic indicators, was revised slightly<br>
downward from 100.7 (compared to 100 for the base year of 2000) to<br>
100.6 for August. This was slightly good news but the BOJ still kept<br>
its basic assessment of the economy for August as "worsening."<br>
Shirakawa's report has cemented a lot of what was largely being felt<br>
as the case. The economy has now officially halted. Some believe that<br>
it is already in recession.<br>
And the outlook isn't fantastic. Things will tighten up – credit will<br>
be harder to get, as it will everywhere globally. Some of the<br>
indicators on Tuesday were at least showing that things were looking<br>
up. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 413 points,<br>
or 4.7 percent. Things may be thawing out. It's not all bad. When<br>
reading the newspapers, it's easy to get the feeling that Armageddon<br>
is coming, maybe even come. But let's remain optimistic we're talking<br>
about Japan here – not the US.<br>
<br>
Michael Condon<br>
Editor-in-chief<br>
<br>
-------------Japan Inc is worth every penny!---------------<br>
<br>
J@pan Inc is Japan's only English-language business magazine.<br>
Authoritatively chronicling business trends in Japan, each<br>
beautifully designed full-color issue brings you in-depth<br>
analysis of business, people and technology in the world's<br>
second largest economy. Don't miss another issue! JPY 8,000<br>
for 1 year (12 issues) JPY 15,000 for 2 years (24 issues)<br>
Visit <a href="http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_subscriptions" target="_blank">http://www.japaninc.com/mgz_subscriptions</a> to subscribe.<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Creative and Web Services<br>
<br>
O Creative provides multilingual creative solutions for<br>
print and web.<br>
<br>
Based in Tokyo and London, O Creative specializes in logos<br>
and visual identity, branding, brochures, internal and<br>
external corporate communications solutions, multilingual<br>
web sites, web hosting, IT support, search engine optimization,<br>
online marketing, content management systems and customer<br>
relations management systems.<br>
<br>
For more information, please visit our website at<br>
<a href="http://www.o-creative.com" target="_blank">www.o-creative.com</a>,<br>
or contact us directly at <a href="mailto:info@o-creative.com" target="_blank">info@o-creative.com</a><br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
----------------- Web Hosting in Japan --------------------<br>
<br>
With prices comparable to those available in the US, and a<br>
full range of hosting services, there is no need to put up with<br>
slow-downloading websites hosted overseas anymore.<br>
<br>
With nearly 10 years experience in the Japanese market,<br>
Tsukaeru.net provides great value for money to both the<br>
Japanese and English speaking clients.<br>
We provide low cost shared hosting accounts from just 210<br>
yen per month,to fully managed complex hosting.<br>
<br>
Customers moving from our competitors receive<br>
up to JPY10,000 cashback on completion of migration.<br>
<br>
<a href="http://tsukaeru.net/en" target="_blank">http://tsukaeru.net/en</a><br>
Isao 050-3533-8241<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
The 9th METROPOLIS HALLOWEEN GLITTERBALL is on again!<br>
<br>
In the seven years since its unholy birth, Metropolis'<br>
'Glitterball' has mutated into the monster it is today:<br>
Japan's largest and most rockin' Halloween party!<br>
<br>
The no-holds-barred celebration boasts a frighteningly fun<br>
atmosphere thanks to 2,000 revelers decked out in all manner of<br>
scary, sexy and crazy costumes.<br>
With its signature open bar, food buffet and free-for-all<br>
dance floor, the Metropolis Halloween Glitterball is a<br>
must attend event for any self-respecting beauty or beast<br>
in Tokyo. Get your Freak ON!<br>
<br>
Wear a costume to win great prizes!<br>
<br>
WHAT: Metropolis Halloween Glitterball<br>
- All-you-can drink, eat, meet and dance!<br>
<br>
WHERE: Club Womb, Shibuya<br>
WHEN: Thursday, October 31st<br>
TIME: 19:00 - 24:00<br>
FEE: 2,500yen (Tickets available online, at Lawson ticket<br>
and at participating outlets)<br>
<br>
<a href="http://metropolis.co.jp/glitterball/glitterball2008.htm" target="_blank">http://metropolis.co.jp/glitterball/glitterball2008.htm</a><br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Start a Company in Japan<br>
<br>
Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 25th of Oct, 2008<br>
<br>
If you have been considering setting up your own company,<br>
find out what it takes to make it successful.<br>
Terrie Lloyd, founder of over 13 start-up companies in Japan,<br>
will be giving an English-language seminar and Q and A on<br>
starting up a company in Japan.<br>
This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved,<br>
and to ask specific questions that are not normally answered<br>
in business books.<br>
All materials are in English and are Japan-focused.<br>
<br>
For more details:<br>
<a href="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar" target="_blank">http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar</a><br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
Entrepreneur Association of Tokyo Seminar-Tuesday, November 4th<br>
<br>
Speaker: Mr. Ricco DeBlank, General Manager of<br>
The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo and The Park Residences<br>
<br>
Seminar Title: 'Passion to Serve'<br>
<br>
Are you interested in improving your customer service?<br>
If so, then don't miss EA-Tokyo's November seminar with<br>
Ritz-Carlton's service expert, Ricco DeBlank.<br>
<br>
Hailing from the Netherlands, DeBlank joined The Ritz-Carlton<br>
Hotel Company in 1995 and since then, has worked in Bali,<br>
Indonesia, Shanghai, China and Seoul, Korea as a director<br>
of human resources.<br>
<br>
He served as the General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton,<br>
Sharm el-Sheikh after a stint as Executive Assistant Manager,<br>
Rooms in Hong Kong. In 2003, he arrived in Japan as General<br>
Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka and established the hotel as<br>
the city' finest both in Japan and around the world.<br>
<br>
Mr. DeBlank was appointed General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton,<br>
Tokyo for its opening in 2007.<br>
<br>
Please sign up early while seats are available.<br>
<br>
Date/Time: Tuesday, November 4th 7:00 pm<br>
Location: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan<br>
Language: English<br>
Website: <a href="http://www.ea-tokyo.com" target="_blank">http://www.ea-tokyo.com</a><br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
------------- Looking for English Magazines? --------------<br>
<br>
Subscribe to your favorite English magazines today -- TIME,<br>
Newsweek, National Geographic, Scientific American, People<br>
and many more.<br>
<br>
eigoTown.com is now offering subscriptions to English magazines<br>
at great prices.<br>
<br>
Visit: <a href="http://magazines.eigotown.com" target="_blank">http://magazines.eigotown.com</a><br>
Credit cards and PayPal accepted.<br>
<br>
-----------------------------------------------------------<span></span><br>
</div>