<p>-----------------------------------------------------------<br>
Every PBXL wireless phone comes standard with:<br>
a big color screen,<br>
a 03 Tokyo number,<br>
voicemail,<br>
and more!</p>
<p>Everything you expect from the best office phone system<br>
on the market. </p>
<p>Call today! 03-4550-2557<br>
Get your new phone system in 3 steps: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/plans" title="http://www.pbxl.jp/plans">http://www.pbxl.jp/plans</a></p>
<p>PBXL is Hosted Business Telephony<br>
Monthly seminars at Cisco HQ: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt" title="http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt">http://www.pbxl.jp/seminarstt</a><br>
More about PBXL: <a href="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2" title="http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2">http://www.pbxl.jp/aboutus2</a><br>
-----------------------------------------------------------</p><p class="MsoNormal">
J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
The 'JIN' J@pan Inc Newsletter<br>
A weekly opinion piece on social, economic and political trends<br>
in Japan.<br>
Issue No. 496 Wednesday January 14, 2008, Tokyo<br>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">What are you going to do when you have 2
trillion yen to hand out and nobody wants it? Well, there are probably a good
number of people who would take it off your hands I would imagine, but maybe the
majority of people would think you're an idiot… a saint even? A recent Asahi
Shimbun survey regarding the government's latest stimulus package didn't go
into detail as to whether the average person thought Prime Minister Taro Aso
was either of these two things. What it did ask was whether voters believed the
stimulus package would kick-start the economy - to which 71 percent percent
replied "no."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Pork-barrel politics is a favorite maneuver of the
LDP but there are only so many times that you can throw money out in the form
of stimulus packages before people start to grow weary of them. It has been at
least a couple years since any stimulus package was seen as anything but an
attempt to boost the sagging popularity of the ruling party.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the Asahi's survey, 63 percent of voters
said they opposed the handout program. 71 percent said that it would not be
effective at all while only 18 percent said it would actually help the economy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And it seems that the stimulus package is
unpopular not just among a wide cross-section of voters but also among the
LDP loyalists – 43 percent of LDP supporters surveyed said the handout program
should be dropped altogether.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Early last month, the approval rating of
Aso's Cabinet fell to 19 percent from 22 percent. This was the lowest since Aso
took office. As mentioned in a previous JIN, Aso's approval rating fell to a
level lower than both Abe and Fukuda's when they left office. According to the
Asahi it now matches Fukuda's lowest rating while in office. But it's not just
Aso suffering in the popularity stakes. When asked which party, they would
support in a Lower House election, only 25 percent of those surveyed chose the
LDP. On the other hand 38 percent chose opposition party Minshuto. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Aso's decisions on policy have largely been
viewed as missteps by the public, his fiscal 2009 budget, which aimed to
stimulate the economy rather than continue Koizumi's plans to rebuild, were met
negatively. Now, at a time when the public is looking to its leader to provide some
kind of answer to the dire state of the economy, Aso continues to do little to
impress.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Minshuto can smell blood too. Opposition
leader Ichiro Ozawa and his cohorts having been attacking the stimulus package
as they attempt to force Aso to call a snap election. There was talk of
an election being called in late October last year but following everything
that happened in the world economy it became impossible for that to happen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It will now be even harder for Aso to call
an election with the approval ratings so low. As for the stimulus package, the government will no doubt go ahead
and spend the money but you have to wonder what it is really going to do. Hopefully
some businesses will benefit from it -- the LDP certainly won't.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Michael Condon<br>Editor-in-chief</span></p>-----------------------------------------------------------<br><p>
BE THERE WHEN THE MUSICAL YEAR KICKS OFF! </p>
<p>Speaking at MIDEM / MidemNet 2009 </p>
<p>* David Eun, VP Content Partnerships, Google Inc<br>
* Jay Marciano, President, Madison Square Garden Entertainment<br>
* J.Y. Park, Founder and President, JYP Entertainment<br>
* Jim Balsillie, co-CEO, RIM/Blackberry<br>
* Amit Kapur, COO, MySpace<br>
* Dr. Tero Ojanpera, EVP, Entertainment and Communities, Nokia</p>
<p>MidemNet: 17 - 18 January 2009 View MidemNet Programme<br>
<a href="http://novagenus.com/novacast/elaunch.aspx?I=MidemNet2009A" title="http://novagenus.com/novacast/elaunch.aspx?I=MidemNet2009A">http://novagenus.com/novacast/elaunch.aspx?I=MidemNet2009A</a><br>
MIDEM, the world's music market: 18-21 January 2009.<br>
9 000 key professionals from 90 countries </p>
<p>The earlier you register, the less you pay. </p>
<p>Register now at: <a href="http://www.midem.com/" title="www.midem.com">www.midem.com</a></p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>----------------- Web Hosting in Japan --------------------</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Customers moving from our competitors receive<br>
up to JPY10,000 cashback on completion of migration.</p>
<p><a href="http://tsukaeru.net/en" title="http://tsukaeru.net/en">http://tsukaeru.net/en</a><br>
Isao 050-3533-8241</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>------------------ Marketing Services ---------------------</p>
<p>The J@pan Inc Marketing department offers<br>
marketing and translation services to help companies<br>
enhance their performance internationally. </p>
<p>Our services include:</p>
<p>- Professional translation and localization<br>
- Catch copy writing<br>
- Modern, stylish design work<br>
- Effective PR solutions<br>
- Targeted direct marketing</p>
<p>Backed by solid marketing and design experts, our staff can<br>
provide a total creative solution, including brand enhancing<br>
brochures, annual reports, and advertising. </p>
<p>A synergized concept across a broad range of media ensures<br>
effectiveness, efficiency and performance.</p>
<p>Contact: <a href="mailto:marketing@japaninc.com">marketing@japaninc.com</a> for more details.</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>------------------- ICA Event - Jan 15 --------------------</p>
<p>NEW YEAR'S 2009 NETWORKING MIXER:<br>
Joint event with ACCJ ICT and B2B Committees</p>
<p>Details: Complete event details at <a href="http://www.icajapan.jp/" title="http://www.icajapan.jp/">http://www.icajapan.jp/</a><br>
(RSVP Required)</p>
<p>Date: Thursday, Jan 15, 2009<br>
Time: 6:30 Doors open, Buffet Dinner & Open Bar Included<br>
Cost: 6,000 yen (members), 7,000 yen (non-members)<br>
Open to all - venue is The Monsoon Cafe, Azabu Juban</p>
<p><a href="http://www.monsoon-cafe.jp/en/azabu_juban/home/location/printer" title="http://www.monsoon-cafe.jp/en/azabu_juban/home/location/printer">http://www.monsoon-cafe.jp/en/azabu_juban/home/location/printer</a></p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>Start a Company in Japan</p>
<p>Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 14th of Feb, 2009</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>For more details:<br>
<a href="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar" title="http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar">http://www.japaninc.com/entrepreneur_handbook_seminar</a></p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>------------------- ICA Event-Feb 19 --------------------</p>
<p>Speaker: Martin Hoy, Senior Manager of Sales, EIRE Systems K.K.</p>
<p>Title: Successful IT Outsourcing</p>
<p>Details: Complete event details at <a href="http://www.icajapan.jp/" title="http://www.icajapan.jp/">http://www.icajapan.jp/</a><br>
(RSVP Required)</p>
<p>Date: Thursday, Feb 19, 2009<br>
Time: 6:30 Doors open, buffet dinner included, cash bar<br>
Cost: 4,000 yen (members), 6,000 yen (non-members)<br>
Open to all: The venue is The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan<br>
<a href="http://www.fccj.or.jp/aboutus/map" title="http://www.fccj.or.jp/aboutus/map">http://www.fccj.or.jp/aboutus/map</a></p>
<p>-----------------------------------------------------------</p><br>