from today's Nikkei

交通網整備に民間資金　東京外環道は事業費の３割　ＰＦＩを拡大　政府検討　推進へ数値目標

According to the 27th announcement,the Japanese government has started to deliberate on extending the PFI(Private Finance Initiative) scheme to a great ectent in constructing public facilities and others. So far, the scheme has been restricted in the construction of the buildings like the natinal government offices and hospitals, but from now on the government intends to expand the area to the construction and maintemance of transportation networks like express highways and the Shinkansen lines.

Another area in mind of the officials of the governmant is the construction and maintenance of the Tokyo-Gai-Kando loop highway.According to the thinking of the people concerned,about 30 percent of the cost for the loop haighway is expected to be paid by the PFI.

For one of specific tactics, numerical targets are also likely to be worked out.

from today's Nikkei

安さ・エコで新興国開拓　ライオンやユニ・チャーム　日用品、現地で生産　中間層に照準

Some of Japanese commodity makers are going to start to produce eco-friendly,low-price goods in newly developing countries, especially in Asia, for marketing them there.

Specifically,Lion Corporation intends to roll out from this autumn detergents made from vegetable ingredients,now very unique overseas,in Asian countries such as Thailand, and for that to build a new plant in Malaysia with a total of about 10 billion yen invested.

Unicharm Corporation has already begun to produce thin, paper diapers in China and is marketing them with the price set at a relatively low a par with that of local ones and the amount of used materials reduced.

Making use of low cost benifit by local production and their own eco-friendly technologies,they are vying for the market with local manufacturers and the rivals coming from the U.S. and Europe.

These strategies are aimed at the middle-class consumers, who are creating a lot of demand of consumption in emerging countries. And also it means that kind of marketing strategy has spread in other industries like livelihood-related sectors than the automobile and electronics appliance industries.

from today's Nikkei

第一三共、国内で後発薬　大手参入で普及へ弾み　１０年度に新会社

Accordng to sources, Daiichi Sankyo Company,Limited, a Japanese pharmaceutical company ranked second at home,will participate in so-clled generic drug business.
After patents of a drug expires, any other companies than the originl patent holder of the drug are able to manufacuture the same kind of drug consisting of same ingredients and using the same manufacturing process as the original drug, and such a kind of drug is referred to a "generic drug."

Specificcally,Daiichi Sankyo is going to establish a new comany for the business in 2010 and start to sell the products in 2011.

It is the first time that a Japanese major drug maker is taking part in the generic drug business, which is expected to get momentum to expand,triggered by the bid.

from today's Nikkei

次世代送電網　米ＧＥが日本参入　専用電力計　富士電機と合弁　

According to sources, the US General Electric Company likely will participate in the Smat Grid market in Japan, which is expected to expand in the future rearding transmitting generated power in an efficient way. Specifically,it will set up a joint venture in Japan with Fuji Electric Holdings Co.,Ltd in order to design and manufacture in Japan the key components of a smart meter, which is a power measurement meter equipped with telecomunicatins capability.

There is an estimate that the accumulated investment into the market for the Smart Grid in the areas of the U.S.,Japan and Europe would reach 1.25 trillion dollars by 2030, and severe competition in vying for the market has already started among companies concerned in a global scae.

from today\'s Nikkei

日米の２密約　確認　半島有事と沖縄の核　有識者委報告へ　核寄港・通過「解釈にズレ」

According to sources,it is likely that the Foreign Affairs Ministry's ad hoc panl of experts seems to have confirmed 2 covet promises supposedly concluded between Japan and the U.S. at the times including the one when the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty was revised in 1960. The panel is to make it public in March when a report is submitted to the Foreign Affairs Minister.

These promises are related to such things as unrestricted usage of U.S. military bases in Japan by the U.S. at the time when some emergency situations take place in the Korean Peninsula and re-deployment of nuclear weapons by the U.S. in Okinawa.

This is the first time that secret diplomatic promises between Japan and the U.S the Japanese government has long denied has come to light.

Another finding this time is that there was no clear agreement between the two countries about the so-called 1960 nuclear promise, which has been believed to be the promise that Japan admitted U.S. warships installed by nuclear weapons could call on Japan and pass in Japnese waters.