from the August 29 Nikkei

NEC、米医療IT参入　先端検診事業展開　制度改革で需要拡大　富士フィルム　システム２社統合

Japanese information technology-related companies are changing their policies in the U.S. to be very active in the medical IT market. Specifically,NEC Corporation will make an investment in a U.S. venture business to develop a system for looking into the risk of illness by examining proteins in blood with the intention of participating in the medical test business there next summer.FUJIFILM Corporation will integrate its two U.S. subsidies of medical information systems to enhance the competence in marketing of diagnostic imaging systems.

In the U.S. there is an outlook that the market for preventive medicine will be expanded due to the recent medical reform by the Barack Obama's Administration.

Given that condition, many IT companies are seeking to capitalize on the trend.

from August 28 Nikkei

雇用増へ地方交付金拡充　医療・介護など６万人　経済対策概要

The government has been discussing how to help the youth find a job,the outline of which was made public Friday.The measure's one pillar is that the employment fund for local governments expected to expire at the end of March next year is to be extended one more year with the money increased by 150 billion yen. The increased money will be due to tax grant increase to local governments. By doing so and others,the government wants to create employment of a total of 60,000 people centering on new graduates in the areas such as medical treatment and nursing care services.

Saying " We will take steadfast measures when needed," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said Friday the government will decide its economic measures on August 31,given the current rapid appreciation of the yen and a lingering gloomy economic situation.

The employment measure is among this economic measures.

from today's Nikke

イオン、主力スーパー統合　「ジャスコ」「サティ」店名「イオン」に　年間５００億円コスト削減　海外進出を加速

Acoording to sources, Aeon Company has decided to integrate three general supermarket operators, which are Aeon Retail Company,Mycal Corporation and Aeon Marche Company. Specifically,Aeon Retail operating "JUSCO"stores, a Aeon's subsidy,will have completed taking over Mycal operating"SATY"stores and Aeoon Marche by February next year.

With this deal, a newly-born operator will have a total of 345 stores and an estimated annual combined sales of about 2.5 trillion yen, with all srores using a unified store name of "Aeon."

According to the saying of officials of the companies, this integation will cut the cost by about 50 billion yen by reducing overhead costs and streamlining buying in goods.

With funds generated by this deal, they further intend to advance to overseas markets in the future.

from August 22 Nikkei

日本のベンチャー　アジア新興市場に上場　１０社以上準備　現地で事業拡大


Japanese firms with venture capital are, one after another, going to list their stocks in stock exchanges in Asia.

Avoiding Japan where there is no popularity among market players in IPO (Initial Public offering), they have chosen foreign stock exchanges in South Korea and Taiwan where there is a recovered popularity in IPO and a brisk trading of stocks. More than ten Japanese companies will have applied for listing their stocks there by the end of March next year.

With their publicity enhanced in each country by the listing of their stocks, they aim to exploit the deal in their business there.

from August 23 Nikkei

トヨタ・ミサワが新型住宅　太陽光・熱で蓄電　エネルギー自給自足　消費も自動制御

Toyota Motor Corporation and Misawa Houses Company has announcced that they will have a tie-up and jointly develop the next generation houses where necesarry energy is provided on a self-sufficient basis.Specifically,they are going to produce energy more than the consumption of a house by making use of sunshine or solar heat. Another model envisaged now is that energy within the household is automatically controlled, expected to be commercially realized in 2011.