Konica Minolta eyeing bigger share in Indian market

International office giant Konica Minolta Inc. Japan, the leader in advanced digital imaging printing
technologies is watching the Indian market with keen interest as it continues to gain market share year on year. Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd is a subsidiary company of Konica Minolta Inc. Japan.

The Global Head & Senior Executive from Konica Minolta Inc. Japan,Mr. Jun Haraguchi is on a two day visit to India to further understand the Indian market dynamics. During the visit he will meet the key Konica Minolta partners & customers to understand Indian market requirements and opportunities.

Appreciating the success of its Indian subsidiary in the short span of three years, Mr. Haraguchi said, “India is one of the important markets for Konica Minolta and our objective is to continue our top positioning in the country. With more than 40000 units placement during these three years, Konica Minolta India has been able to penetrate various market verticals across India. Our products have been accepted well by our customers that include commercial printers, print shops, corporates, SME, etc.”

He further added “Globally, we are recognised for our excellent colour print quality. The unique proposition of Konica Minolta’s range of machines is the remarkable high image quality and consistent results through the entire print run. In view of the success achieved in such a short period for Product Printing and A3 MFPs, we have recently forayed into the A-4 printer segment too with a range of Monochrome and Colour Laser Printers / MFPs.”

On this occasion Mr. Tadahiko Sumitani, Managing Director, Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Our objective is to continue retaining the top position in Production Printing segment. The colour output quality of our production engines have been well accepted by the commercial printing experts. As per the latest market research report, we are leading the production printing market with 45% share. We are positioned number one in the A3 colour Multi-Function Printer category with 25% market share and hold the second position in A3 Black & White Multi-Function Printers with 18 per cent market share.”

We would like to strengthen our presence further more in India and can do so by sharpening our focus on partner centric activities and enable them to meet customer expectations. Since the start of our operation in August 2010, our focus has been on driving solutions”.

Mr. Sumitani added “Recently have we inaugurated our first Digital Imaging Square (DIS) in Gurgaon, where partners & customers can touch and feel our technology, solutions and products. We have incurred an investment of more than USD One Million to set up this facility. Our effort has been to create the Commercial Print ecosystem in “DIS” so that our customers can try out various applications and also innovate. Globally Konica Minolta has only 18 such experience zones and setting up one in India demonstrates our commitment to India marketplace, our customers and partners.”

India-born sculptor Anish Kapoor launches world's 'first inflatable concert hall' in Japan

India-born British sculptor Anish Kapoor has created the world's first inflatable concert hall which will open on the disaster-hit northeastern coast of Japan.
The unusual 'Ark Nova', a giant purple balloon made of a coated polyester material has been erected at a park in the town of Matsushima of Miyagi Prefecture, the Japan Times reports.

The innovation was Kapoor's joint venture with Japanese architect Arata Isozaki.
The structure reportedly measures about 18 metres high and 35 metres wide, when fully inflated, creating enough room for about 500 people.
The balloon can be easily deflated and travel around the region to host events, the report added. (ANI)

Japan Inc reconciles to obstacle course with India investments

Tata NYK Shipping Pte Ltd ferries coal from the Indonesian and Australian mines for the coast-based power plants in India. On the return leg the bulk carriers travel to China with iron ore from India.
Yet like other Japanese business, the company too is gasping at the rapid pace at which Indian policy lag jam has choked off imports of coal and export of iron ore.

The company's throughput which had risen 37 per cent in 2012 calendar year has dropped to 4.6 per cent this year and is expected to barely improve to 9.5 per cent in the next calendar year.
The drop is part of the larger India story which all Japanese companies are coming to reconcile themselves with. "Our plan still remains to ferry coal to India and on the return leg carry iron ore from there to China. It is not happening", said Fujimoto Kazuyoshi, manager of the Asia Group of NYK Container Line, whose subsidiary is the joint-venture with Tatas.

The coal is meant to fire the power plants as part of the ring of eight ultra mega power projects planned to be set up by 2016. Only two of these are operational and of them only one, the Tata plant at Mundra require the imported coal.

Seven & I Holdings is the largest retail chain in Japan and ranks just behind Walmart globally with sales of over $90 billion. The company with its iconic 7-Eleven format stores pockmark the entire island nation, but despite being present in 16 countries, it has no plans to enter India.
Minoru Matsumoto, senior officer at the Public Relations Center of the company said they have no plans to tap the Indian market despite the opening up of foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail by India.

Food products account for two-third of its sales at the 7-Eleven convenience stores, but that requires huge build up of a logistics chain straddling several states, still clearly impossible in the current political climate. "We aim to be the largest wherever we go," said Matsumoto.

JNU prof to be honoured for promoting India-Japan ties

Lalima Varma, Professor of Japanese Studies at Jawharlal Nehru University here will be conferred Japan Foreign Minister's commendation tomorrow for promoting mutual understanding between the two countries.

Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida will felicitate Varma at a function at the Japanese Embassy here, a statement from the Embassy said.

Varma has studied and researched for more than 30 years on India-Japan relations, Japanese diplomacy, history, social affairs and problems, it said.

Japanese students attend cultural exchange workshop in Siliguri

Local NGO ‘Concern’ today organised a workshop in Siliguri with an aim to share the cultural space between India and Japan. Fifteen students from the Hiroshima University of Japan engaged in culture-related discussions with students of various schools and colleges of Darjeeling and Siliguri.

 

Members of nine NGOs from town also participated in the event, the first of its kind in Siliguri, although Darjeeling has already hosted two such workshops earlier. Hiroshima University analyst Tai Tai Takahashi said Japanese students have got introduced to a new dimension of student culture in India through this event.

According to Takahashi, Indian students are much more aware on the social front. Tapas Karmakar from Concern, the programme manager of the event, said the Japanese representatives are looking forward to help poor children here get access to education with assistance from their Indian counterparts.

Suzuki plans year-long sales, service camps in India

Suzuki Motorcycle India Ltd (SMIL), a subsidiary of Japan’s two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motor Corporation, will organize a series of sales and service camps across the country over the next one year as part of its brand campaign Apna Suzuki, Apna Way of Life.

The company, which kick-started its campaign here through a three-day camp from September 19, has tied up with noted music composer Anu Malik for its national consumer connect initiative.The camp at Ahmedabad provided over 1,500 Suzuki two-wheeler customers with quality service and spares, according to a press release here on Monday.

Anu Malik would make the experience of coming together richer and more engaging by enthralling customers at music concerts as a high point for each sales and service camp, said Atul Gupta, Executive Vice President, SMIL.

During the camps, visiting customers can avail of 100 per cent labour charge-free facility on vehicle service, 10 per cent discount on spare parts, 5 per cent on lubricants and a 100 per cent free vehicle check-up. Additionally, there will be an automated service workshop and vehicle wash facility. Customers participating in the camp will also get the opportunity to win a limited edition Suzuki Swish.

Visitors can unwind at the customer lounge area equipped with refreshments and entertainment.

“With our new campaign, we are targeting a market share of 5 per cent,” Gupta said.

Sony India puts off price hike for now

With the rupee gaining ground against the dollar in the last few days, Sony India has, for the moment, put off plans to hike prices of its products.

Tadato Kimura, Head-Marketing, said the company was not considering a price revision of its products as of now.

“But if the rupee moves close to the Rs 70-mark against the dollar, we may have to hike prices. But, if the domestic currency strengthens close to Rs 55 a dollar, we will reduce prices,” he said.

When the rupee had been sliding against the dollar, touching Rs 68.80, last month, the market expected a price increase from the Sony stable.

However, it jumped to a one-month high of Rs 61.77 a dollar on Thursday last week after the US Fed’s announcement to continue with its monetary stimulus programme.

“Our expectation for the year was Rs 54.50 a dollar. Even at this level, though we are not too comfortable, we will keep prices unchanged,” he said.

Sony India is set to come out with new offerings in the sub-premium smartphone category this fiscal.

Sony, which is among the top three players in the premium segment, will start off with the launch of an upgraded version of its Xperia M model, which is priced at about Rs 13,000.

“The new model will be priced about Rs 20,000 and will have more features than the Xperia M. We plan to launch it sometime next month, before Diwali,” he added. Sony is in the process of rolling out its latest Xperia Z1 model, priced at Rs 44,940, across the country.

Despite the tough economic conditions, Sony India, which recently clubbed its electronics and mobile businesses, expects a 30 per cent growth over last year’s revenue of about Rs 8,000 crore. It expects India to remain in the fourth place it its global markets, after US, China and Japan.

“Whether we move up this ladder or not we will know at the end of the year. But so far this year, we are on track,” Kimura said.

Japanese SMEs keen to invest in India

Around 100 small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) from Japan are keen to invest in India, despite the slowdown in the Indian economy. These SMEs will hold a meeting with some Indian companies in Oklahoma on 7 October under the aegis of the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The Japanese government is impressed with the success that big and small companies that have invested in India have achieved. According to FICCI estimates, 1,000 Japanese companies have already invested $14.75 billion in India.

"Though business sentiment is a bit disappointing in India, Japanese companies believe this to be a temporary phase. Several Japanese companies like Suzuki, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Sony, Mitsubishi and Yamaha have invested in the country and their ventures have been quite successful," said Deb Mukherji, ADM Technologies' managing director, who will be a part of the Indian delegation. The company offers a variety of services to foreign clients who are planning to set up projects in India.
Mukherji said that the 100 SMEs that are participating in the event are related to sectors such as automobile, electronics and aerospace. "Many big companies are already operating in India but the entry of Japanese SMEs with their good technology base, will complement their requirements, and thus help expand their operations in India," he said.

Besides attracting FDI, their entry will also help local manufacturers to become more competitive through technology transfers, create more job opportunities and lead to human resources development.
There have been multiple efforts to boost India's engagement with Japanese SMEs. This month, a FICCI delegation led by Onkar Kanwar, past president and CMD of Apollo Tyres, visited Japan to explore business opportunities. The delegation comprising 70 companies and over 100 participants, took part in the joint meeting of the India-Japan Business Cooperation Committee. During the meeting, the trade body released a "Guide for Investment in India", a joint endeavour with Amarchand Mangaldas, to help SMEs invest in the country, said a FICCI spokesperson.

Sony eyes top slot in 1 year

Claiming to rule the premium smartphone segment in India by March 2014, Sony  India said that it will launch new models every month and might also look at  launching tablets in the long-term.

According to Todato Kimura, the head of marketing at Sony India, the  Japan-based company is expecting nearly 30 per cent growth in the smartphone  segment in India and aims to be among top three players in the smartphone  market. “We want to lead the premium smartphone segment,” Kimura said, on  the sidelines of Sony Xperia Z1 launch in Hyderabad.

Those smartphones that are priced above Rs 30,000 fall under the premium  segment in India. Asked whether the company has plans to launch tablets, Kimura said, “In the long-term, yes, we do. But, not in the near future.”

Sony currently has 10 smartphones models in the Indian market, of which five  of them fall under the premium category.
Working to improve its smartphone pie in India, the company is expecting only  Diwali season increase its sales by 30 per cent. Aware of the fact that it  cannot stick to only premium segment for growth, Kimura said they will  look at launching smartphones in the range of Rs 14,000-20,000.

Elaborating on its plans for other devices, Sony India launched its DSC QX- 100 and DSC QX-10 here that will be available in stores from next month for  Rs 24,990 and Rs 12,990, respectively.
Both the Cybershot cameras are compatible with Android devices. Asked if  porting facility would be allowed for the lens-style cameras, Kimura said the company will evaluate options, indicating that porting facility to other  operating systems will boost their sales.  These cameras can be attached to  any Android smartphone  via Wi-Fi or NFC with a one-touch connection.

Push to seal Indo-Japan N-energy deal soon

After resuming negotiations for civil nuclear cooperation earlier this month, India and Japan have pledged for an early conclusion of the agreement. In a meeting on Thursday in Tokyo with Prime Minister's special envoy for Japan, Ashwani Kumar, Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida expressed confidence that the proposed agreement can be concluded soon with the support of the people of both countries, the government said in a statement.

"The meeting with foreign minister Kishida also provided an opportunity for a high-level review of the India-Japan strategic and global partnership as the two countries prepare for the visit of Their Imperial Majesties and the subsequent visit of Prime Minister Abe for the annual summit," it said.

Both sides agreed that closer economic cooperation between India and Japan was essential for Asia's continuing growth. In this context, they welcomed the recent decision to expand the bilateral currency swap arrangement to $50 billion, the continuing progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor projects and the discussions on introducing a high-speed railway system in India. Kumar also referred to the progress in bilateral defence and security cooperation, including in areas of maritime security, anti-piracy and counter-terrorism.

Kumar also met a group of Japanese Parliamentarians led by Katsuyuki Kawai, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Diet. Both sides are also looking to expedite a bilateral agreement on social security that would benefit Japanese and Indian companies working in each other's country.

Referring to the forthcoming visit of Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to India later this year, Kumar said India would be privileged to welcome the Majesties. It would be the first-ever visit by the Japanese Emperor and Empress to India.

Panasonic P11 and T11: Low Cost, Quad-Core Smartphones Released in India

Japanese consumer electronics giant Panasonic on Thursday has released two feature-rich, quad-core smartphones - Panasonic P11 and T11, in India.

Panasonic P11 sports a 5.0-inch HD IPS display with 720x1280p resolution and runs on the Android v4.1 Jelly Bean OS. It boasts of an 8.0-megapixel camera with flash, auto-focus and zoom feature on the rear side. On the front side, it houses a 2.0-megapixel camera.


On the other hand, the less expensive Panasonic T11 features a smaller 4.0-inch HD IPS display with 720x1280p resolution and ships with Android v4.1 Jelly Bean out-of the box. It flaunts a 5.0-megapixel main camera and a VGA (0.3-megapixel) camera on the front.

Both smartphones boasts of same specifications like 1GB RAM and a quad-core processor with 1.2GHz CPU speed. Panasonic P11 and T11 are currently available for purchase at online store Snapdeal for ₹16,364 and ₹9,520, respectively.


Key specifications of Panasonic P11 and T11:

Model	Panasonic P11	Panasonic T11
Display	5.0-inch HD IPS display with 720x1280p resolutions	4.0-inch HD IPS multi-touch screen with 720x1280p resolutions
OS	Android v4.1 Jelly Bean OS	Android v4.1 Jelly Bean
Processor	1.2GHz quad-core processor	1.2GHz quad-core processor
RAM	1GB	1GB
Storage Capacity	4GB inbuilt memory, expandable up to 32GB	4GB inbuilt memory, expandable up to 32GB
Camera	Main: 8.0-megapixel camera flash support, auto focus and zoom Front: 2.0-megapixel camera	Main: 5.0-megapixel camera with LED flash, auto-focus, Zoom Front: 0.3-megapixel VGA camera
Network	2G & 3G	2G (no 3G connectivity)
Battery	2000 mAh	1500 mAh
Add-ons	Bluetooth with A2DP support, Wi-Fi, USB connectivity, microSD card slot, FM Radio, GPRS/EDGE	Bluetooth with A2DP support, Wi-Fi, USB connectivity, microSD card slot, FM Radio, GPRS/EDGE
Dimensions	143.9 x 73.3 x 9.7 mm	112.6 x 63.5 x 9.2 mm
Weight	160 g	120 g
Price	₹16,364/-	₹9,520/-

Mazda considering India return

 

Mazda Motor Corp., the Japanese car manufacturer is aiming to re-enter the Indian auto market. It is a well know fact that India is a developing nation, and the International car makers see a huge potential here. So as Mazda, which is planning to make the country an important production and export hub for its vehicles.

 

Speaking to the media, Masamichi Kogai, Mazda president and CEO, said, "We have done a lot of research, analyzing the market and so on, as we look into what models would be possible if we go back. It is also possible that we could use it as an export base".

Due to the global financial crisis, Mazda will re-join the Indian car market after a 4 years of long gap. Moreover, the increasing demand for vehicles in International markets has put more pressure on the company, as most of its exports are done from Japan itself. Under its latest three-year business plan, Mazda is trying hard to achieve a global sales of 1.7 million vehicles, compared to 1.33 million vehicles world-wide for the current business year.

The final decision on returning to India will be made after the completion of its three year business plan. Moreover, the company is also busy in launching its new production plant in Mexico and ensuring sales growth in North America and other major markets. The Japanese auto maker is certainly looking to do better in India than last time. The company earlier developed trucks in the country at a joint venture, Swaraj Mazda Ltd., but discontinued production in March 2007 after failing to capture the market share. This time, it is expected that the Japanese car maker will launch a wider range of vehicles in India.  

Riken launches joint research centers in India

Japan's largest research organization, Riken has launched two virtual Joint Research Centers with India's premier institution the National Center for Biological Sciences (NCBS), the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). In a bid to facilitate scientific exchange and foster collaborations between Japan and India, in the fields of biology, life science and materials science, the collaboration aims at extending the long research history between both the countries. Riken president, Professor Noyori Ryoji along with and Dr Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Dr Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India signed the Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in New Delhi. Officials have said that the RIKEN-JNCASR-IISc Joint Research Center will support collaboration and facilitate the exchange of research scientists and students working in the fields of materials science and life science research, between the three institutions. The center will initially focus on supporting the exchange of research staff, postdoctoral researchers and doctoral students working in the areas of biological sciences between RIKEN and NCBS and its allied institutions the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inSTEM) and the Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (CCAMP).

Read more at: http://www.biospectrumasia.com/biospectrum/news/195817/riken-launches-joint-research-centers-india

Japan's largest research organization, Riken has launched two virtual Joint Research Centers with India's premier institution the National Center for Biological Sciences (NCBS), the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).

 

In a bid to facilitate scientific exchange and foster collaborations between Japan and India, in the fields of biology, life science and materials science, the collaboration aims at extending the long research history between both the countries.

 

Riken president, Professor Noyori Ryoji along with and Dr Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Dr Vijay Raghavan, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Government of India signed the Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in New Delhi.

 

Officials have said that the RIKEN-JNCASR-IISc Joint Research Center will support collaboration and facilitate the exchange of research scientists and students working in the fields of materials science and life science research, between the three institutions. The center will initially focus on supporting the exchange of research staff, postdoctoral researchers and doctoral students working in the areas of biological sciences between RIKEN and NCBS and its allied institutions the Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inSTEM) and the Center for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (CCAMP).

 

Singapore, Japan get rich on Bangalore’s e-waste

Tonnes of e-waste from Bangalore and across India are shipped to Singapore, Belgium and Japan. For the country doesn't have a single fullfledged unit capable of extracting precious metals like gold, silver and platinum from it. According to industry sources, approximately 200 tonnes are sent annually to these three countries.

S Nanda Kumar, chief environmental officer, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board ( KSPCB), said though the central government implemented the E-waste Management and Handling Rules in 2012, it requires huge investment to establish a unit to extract expensive metals. These can be extracted from printed circuit boards, mobile phones and other computer components.

P Parthasarathy, MD, E-Parisara Pvt Ltd, the only firm extracting precious metals partially from e-waste in the country, said: "We can extract them from visible parts like motherboards and mobile phones," he said.

He added India doesn't have a smelting unit to extract precious metals from e-waste which are not visible to the eye in computer processors, etc, and this is sent to Belgium and Japan. Billions of dollars are required to establish a smelting unit, he added.

E-Parisara is the first government authorized unit in the country and it's the only company to extract valuable metal from e-waste.

"Shipping it abroad costs a lot of money and around 25% of the value of extracted metals goes to the foreign companies and India gets the rest," Parthasarathy said.

Three-year wait:

India will have to wait a little longer to set up a smelting unit to extract precious metals from e-waste. (Smelting is a hightemperature process). "We're in the process of establishing a full fledged e-waste recycling with the help of the central government under a public-private partnership model. We'll complete the project within 3-4 years; the first phase is ready," said P Parthasarathy of EParisara Pvt Ltd.

TIMES VIEW

Waste to wealth, the path is clear but we seem to have lost a golden opportunity. Extracting precious metals from e-waste is an extremely profitable exercise and given our user base, we generate a lot of it. The government should have sensed the financial gains of setting up a processing unit, including, of course, the basic one of getting rid of toxic material. While the initial investment is high, it would no doubt have paid for itself in the long run. It's still not too late to expedite the unit and reap its benefit.

Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Japan, Dr. Ashwani Kumar's visit to Tokyo

India and Japan pledged to take forward the ongoing negotiations for an early conclusion of the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement. In a meeting today in Tokyo with Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Japan Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his confidence that the proposed agreement can be concluded soon with the support of the people of both countries.

The meeting with Foreign Minister Kishida also provided an opportunity for a high level review of the India-Japan strategic and global partnership as the two countries prepare for the visit of Their Imperial Majesties and the subsequent visit of Prime Minister Abe for the Annual Summit. The two leaders expressed full support for further deepening the unique multi-faceted relationship between India and Japan. Both sides agreed that closer economic cooperation between India and Japan was essential for Asia's continuing growth. In this context, they welcomed the recent decision to expand the bilateral currency swap arrangement to US$ 50 billion, the continuing progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor projects and the discussions on introducing a high-speed railway system in India. Dr. Kumar also referred to the progress in bilateral defence and security cooperation including in the areas of maritime security, anti-piracy and counter-terrorism.

Continuing his high-level engagements in Tokyo following his call on Prime Minister Abe yesterday, Dr. Ashwani Kumar also met a group of Japanese Parliamentarians led by Katsuyuki Kawai, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Diet. The parliamentarians who had visited India in August 2013 where they were received by Dr. Ashwani Kumar, were greatly appreciative of the arrangements made during their visit to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore and described it as a great learning experience. Dr. Kumar stressed on the importance of more Japanese companies entering the dynamic Indian market and taking advantage of the DFC and DMIC projects in the infrastructure sectors. In this context, both sides agreed on the necessity of expediting the bilateral Agreement on Social Security which would greatly benefit Japanese and Indian companies working in each other's country.

Dr. Ashwani Kumar today concludes his 3-day visit to Tokyo to carry out his mandate in his capacity as the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges with Japan and prepare for the visits of Their Majesties and Prime Minister Abe.

 

Japanese industry raises tax issues

Japanese industry has strongly raised the issue of complexity in Indian taxation and pressed for implementation without more delay of a goods and services tax (GST).

It has also expressed serious concern over delays in major infrastructure projects, one being the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), facing land acquisition issues in Haryana and Rajasthan.

Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Hitachi and Panasonic were some of the companies which raised these issues on Wednesday during the Joint India-Japan Business Government Dialogue.

Their high-powered business delegation was led by Tashimitsu Motegi, minister of economy, trade and industry, on a two-day visit here.

“The issue of taxation has become an important issue here and it is impacting our business. We want more clarity and early introduction of GST,” said Yasuhito Harayama, representative director and executive vice- president (EVP), Suzuki Motor Corporation.

According to Junzo Nakajima, EVP and chief executive officer (Asia Pacific) for Hitachi, a GST will boost economic activity and ensure revenue stability.

The Japanese business community also showed displeasure over transfer price taxation, which had put pressure on their margins. They, however, assured continued investment in India and hoped the present grim economic scenario was temporary.

The Indian side raised some of the problems its business community faced in penetrating the Japanese market, particularly in some sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles and information technology services.

Baba Kalyani of Bharat Forge, co-chair of the joint business forum, said after implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, Japan had been able to reap the benefits and India was running a huge trade deficit.

“On some of the taxation issues raised by the Japanese industry, I would like to say that we continue to remain engaged with the government and we expect this to be implemented as soon as possible,” said Sidharth Birla, senior vice-president, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. “However, we have also taken some reforms such as the National Manufacturing Policy and opened up sectors for foreign direct investment.”

Sharma and Motegi also signed a joint statement on Japan-India Investment Promotion. Both sides also announced clearance of six major projects worth Rs 1.10 lakh crore by the DMIC Trust, to come up in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The ministers also announced work had begun on the Chennai-Bangalore-Chitradurga Industrial Corridor, to pass through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Recently, on the sidelines of the previous G-20 meeting in Russia, the two coutnries agreed to enhance the existing currency swap arrangement to $50 billion from the earlier $15 bn.

Bilateral trade had risen to $18.5 bn in 2012 from $3.6 bn in 2000. Both sides have set a target of achieving $25 bn of trade by 2015.

India, Japan agree on joint scientific research

India and Japan Saturday signed an agreement for joint research in biology, life sciences and material sciences, an official said.

A memorandum of understanding regarding this was signed between Indian science and technology ministry and RIKEN, Japan's largest research organization.

The cooperation will facilitate exchange and foster collaborations between the two countries in these fields, the official said.

Japan to woo Indian students to pursue education in the country

With just 500 Indian students studying in Japanese universities, Japan's ambassador to India Takesh Yagi has said efforts are being made to woo more Indians to pursue education in the country.

"The number of Indian students studying in Japanese universities are just 500. We are trying to mobilise Indian students willing to study in Japan.

"We have just finished Japan education fair in New Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore," Yagi said.

To mark completion of 60 years of Indo-Japanese relations, Yagi said the the Emperor and Empress of Japan are expected to visit India by the end of the year.

"Indian cooperation with Japan is increasing. The number of Japanese companies operating in India have been expanding very rapidly and have now gone up to 1000," he added. 

Japan national robbed in Jaipur

A 22-year-old Japan national holidaying in India was kidnapped and robbed of `9.5 lakhs by an autorickshaw driver and his three accomplices. The victim was held hostage for three days in a room near Jaipur. According to information, a zero FIR has been lodged in this respect at the Chanakyapuri police station here.

A senior police official said the victim, Nakano Yuma, reached Jaipur on September 3 after visiting Khajuraho and took a room in Hotel Pearl. He befriended an autorickshaw driver Ali.
Yuma told the Delhi police that Ali invited him to dinner at his uncle’s house. His uncle Karim asked Yuma to stay with them as they wanted to show him the real India but he politely refused as he had to visit Ahmedabad.

“The accused took his railway ticket and did not let him go. On September 4, Ali and Karim took the victim to Ramgarh village in their car. There they held him hostage for three days,” said the official.
The accused forced him to buy jewellery and promised to send it to his home in Japan through courier. On September 5, they showed him 10 rings and took his passport, and three credit cards.
“They told him that it was necessary to show passport to send the jewellery to Japan. The victim got a call from someone posing as custom official who asked him to show proof that he had bought the rings. On September 6, the accused used his three credit cards and made payment of `9.5 lakhs,” the official said.
Yuma escaped and reached Delhi and contacted the Chanakyapuri police station where his statement was recorded and a case was lodged.
“The case has been transferred to Jaipur police as the incident took place there,” said the police official.

Will Panasonic retreat from Japan’s smartphone market benefit India?

Panasonic Corp will pull out of the smartphone market in Japan and pare its smartphone operations to outsourced production in emerging markets like India, the company’s president said on Wednesday. The Japanese electronics company, which has suffered $15 billion in losses over its latest two financial years, is staking its turnaround on a transformation from a consumer gadget maker to a supplier for other businesses. The architect of this turnaround plan, Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga, has warned he would weed out any division that fails to meet a 5 percent operating margin goal within three years.

 

Tsuga told Reuters in an interview that the company’s mobile division was likely to lose more than the 1.1 billion yen targeted loss for the financial year ending next March. Panasonic’s mobile division posted an 8.1 billion yen loss last year. Panasonic Panasonic “It’s not acceptable for the company to be bleeding red ink like this, so we have to think about ways to develop assets that we do have in a more effective direction,” Tsuga said. While the company is stepping back from the consumer smartphone market, it has said it is developing smartphones for business use that would be similar to its popular “Toughbook” notebook PC series. Panasonic is one of several handset makers caught out by the meteoric rise of the two dominant smartphone makers – Apple Inc and Samsung Electronic Co Ltd – which have upended the traditional hierarchy of mobile players.

 

Microsoft Corp this week agreed to buy Nokia’s phone business, which once dominated the global market but has slipped drastically in recent years. Japanese consumers, once partial to highly customised feature phones made by Panasonic, NEC Corp and Fujitsu Ltd, have since moved in large numbers to Apple’s popular iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy series. In 2001, Panasonic was the second-largest handset maker in Japan, after NEC, with more than 19 percent of the market. Last year, it barely had a 7 percent share, far behind Apple’s 25 percent lead. Tsuga said Panasonic did not need to manufacture and sell its own smartphones under a vertically integrated business model, but will instead use the company’s brand to sell phones made by other manufacturers as it does already in India. The knockout blow to its business came when NTT DoCoMo Inc , Japan’s biggest mobile carrier and a loyal distributor for Japanese-made handsets, announced it would promote only Sony Corp’s flagship Xperia smartphone and the Samsung Galaxy during its summer campaign. NEC announced in July that it would pull out of smartphones after discussions to sell its handset business to Lenovo Group Ltd fell through, sources familiar with the matter said.

 

Japan to resolve chemical issue in Indian shrimps export

Japan will seek to resolve by this year-end the issue of problems faced by Indian marine exporters regarding Ethoxyquin levels in shrimps, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshimitsu Motegi assured Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma at a meeting here Thursday.

Sharma urged the Japanese Minister that the matter needed to be "expedited by Japan within a specific time frame” as "the standards in India meet that in other sensitive markets like EU".

Motegi assured Sharma: "We have received the request. The concerned agencies are engaged with the same. They have been asked to look into a solution by year-end."

Indian shrimp exports to Japan have been facing difficulties after Japan’s Food Safety Commission announced in September 2012 new regulations imposing compulsory testing for Ethoxyquin in shrimp consignments. The new regulations introduced health standards that would tolerate Ethoxyquin levels up to 0.01 ppm only -- down from the previous 1 ppm.

Ethoxyquin is a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a food preservative and a pesticide.

According to the Marine Products Export Development Authority of India, in the year 2012-13 “export of Frozen Shrimp decreased by 11.07 percent in quantity terms and 21.92 percent in dollar terms mainly due to the Ethoxyquin issue with frozen shrimp exports from India”.

India participates in Japan travel fair

India showcased its 'Incredible India' trademark at Japan's largest travel fair, the JATA Tabihaku Travel Showcase 2013, at the Tokyo Big Sight recently.
Started in 1977, the JATA Tabihaku Travel Showcase is one of Asia's largest tourism events and has a goal of igniting demand in the tourism industry.

This year, JCB, as the main sponsor, invited over 700 organizations from 160 countries.
The event has expanded in scale in response to ongoing marketplace changes, and now offers more business meetings, opportunities and chances for the public to learn about travel.
Travel agencies and airline companies showcased their best available offers to boost the industry.
Travel ambassadors from Asia, Europe and Africa introduced their countries and the region's best potential for tourism.

After winning the bid for hosting the 2020 Olympics, Japan is enthusiastic about welcoming foreign tourists.
The Governor of Tokyo, Mr. Naoiki Inose, who has returned back from Buenos Aires, said, "In Japan, we will describe the road sign boards in English and the menu at restaurants should also be described in many foreign languages including Arabic and French".
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also agreed to introduce a plan to make Japan more open to the world.
Japan is enthusiastically ready to welcome the guests for 2020 Olympic Games.

Japan to conduct feasibility study for 534km Indian rail project

The 534km Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail corridor project in India will now progress to the next level as the country has given approval for Japan to conduct a feasibility study.
Expected to cost INR630bn ($9.65bn), the proposed route is set to be the first stretch to be explored for the Indian railway sector's major bullet train project.

The Indian Railway Board chairman Arunendra Kumar said that Indian Railways will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan Internal Cooperation Agency (JICA) to carry out a detailed study.

Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) and French firm Systra has already conducted a pre-feasibility study for the proposed project.
The planned Japanese study will build a more detailed picture as it will explore the possibility of operating trains at a speed of 300kmph between the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The new study will observe the funding pattern, alignment, possible halts, patronage and tariff structure, along with other information required for the project.
All preparations to begin the study will be concluded in September 2013, with JICA's work expected to get underway in October.

The bullet train corridor study has to be completed in 18-month span, with the cost of the study to be jointly shared by Indian Railways and JICA.
To be implemented under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the rail corridor project will have the state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat as stakeholders, along with Indian Railways.
In addition to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route, India has identified six other routes to carry out pre-feasibility studies for high-speed corridors, including Delhi-Agra-Patna, Chennai-Bangalore-Thiruvananthapuram, Howrah-Haldia and Delhi-Amritsar.

India,Japan to develop competitively priced LNG market in Asia

India and Japan, two of the world''s biggest buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), today agreed to work together for globally competitive price of the fuel in Asia.
The two nations have said that the LNG sold to Asian countries is priced more than the rates at which it is supplied to consumers in Europe and US. In October last year, they had agreed to carry out a joint study to examine ways to mitigate increasing import costs in Asia as well as to maintain stable supplies of LNG to the region.
Japan and India have agreed to work together towards the development of LNG markets that will enable effective, stable and globally competitive LNG procurement, said an official statement.

 The joint statement followed Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily''s meeting with Japan''s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshimitsu Motegi in Tokyo on the completion of the joint study on LNG pricing mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific market.
Moily, who arrived in Tokyo this morning, will address the Second LNG ProducersConsumers Conference tomorrow.

"Forming a transparent and globally competitive LNG price in the Asia-Pacific market serves the common interest of Japan and India," the statement said. "For both LNG producers and consumers, the LNG price should be at a mutually acceptable level."
Stating that LNG prices in Asia were substantially higher than Europe and US, the two nations said procuring LNG from more diversified suppliers and/or regions will lead to an increase in market connectivity and price convergence among regions, which will result in more competitive pricing of LNG.

 "The LNG prices in Asia are substantially higher than those of other major consuming regions such as Europe and North America. (This is called ''the Asian premium'')." it said.
The two nations noted that since the prices of individual contracts signed on a bilateral basis are confidential, there are no reliable price indices that accurately reflect the LNG supply and demand balance in the region at this point.
"Many contracts include inflexible conditions such as destination clause, which further the market illquidity in the Asia Pacific region," they said, adding that it was essential to review current business practices that would hinder market liquidity.

 They also agreed to support the launch of a multi-lateral joint study group on LNG including energy research institutes in LNG consuming countries.
The statement said: "In order to further share the analysis and best practices from multiple initiatives and studies on LNG markets today, Japan and India support the launch of a Multilateral Joint Study Group on LNG, including energy research institutes in LNG consuming countries." PTI ANZ

India, Japan to enhance cooperation in IT, electronics

India and Japan Wednesday agreed to set up a joint working group to facilitate investments and enhance cooperation in information technology and electronics sector.

"Steps have been taken to form a joint working group for greater cooperation in the IT and electronics sector,” trade and industry ministers of the two countries said in a joint statement after a meeting here.

The decision was taken during a meeting of India's Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi here.

To facilitate Japanese companies in investing in electronics sector in India, a Japan Help Desk has been set up in the Department of Electronics and Information Technology of the government of India here.

"Both sides have noted the idea to establish a Japanese Electronics Manufacturing Township with Japanese assistance in India with world class infrastructure and agreed to take this up in the forthcoming joint working group meeting," the joint statement said.

The ministers also reviewed the progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project. Japan is playing a key role in the $100 billion project connecting India's political and commercial capital with a dedicated corridor on which seven new cities will be developed.

Japanese edu fair to woo Indian students

The University of Tokyo, in association with 12 other Japanese universities, hosted an education fair in the City.
The universities form the ‘Global 30’ group — a project introduced by the Government of Japan which aims to facilitate a global learning environment in Japanese universities. Accordingly, the 13 universities, including Tohoku University, Waseda University, Nagoya University, Kyushu University and the University of Tokyo, will now offer degree programmes in English on an introductory basis.

Hiroshi Yoshino, the Director of University of Tokyo, said the number of successful foreign applicants to Japanese universities has risen from 167 in 2012 to 430 this year. At the current time, there are about 500 foreign students studying at the University of Tokyo, out of which 42 are Indians. “We are tying up with Jawaharlal Nehru University, University of Delhi and also IIT,” Yoshino explained and added that the University of Tokyo is conducting student exchange programme with Delhi University.

Japan to study bullet train project

With Indian Railways seriously pursuing the bullet-train project, Japanese companies have been called upon for a comprehensive micro-study on the 543 km Mumbai-Ahmedabad, high-speed corridor by the start of next month, on which such trains are to run for the first time.

The study will be financed and its terms and conditions will be finalized in the next fortnight.

Japan Internal Cooperation Agency (JAICA) will be conducting it. The study will take 18 months. “This time we are serious and the study is aimed at working out every details including viability factors,” said Chairmen Railway Board Arunendra Kumar in an informal media interaction.
                        
The project which had been almost been shelved suddenly, was revived after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan. The high-speed rail corridor project found a place in the joint statement of Singh and the Japanese prime minister. Arunendra Kumar was in Japan this week on a four-day visit to follow up the issues which were agreed upon in the meeting of the prime ministers of both countries.

“The joint feasibility study will include every aspect including the cost to be incurred, how many passengers the project could attract, how much people will have to pay after the project becomes operational and all other issues. Japan has agreed to follow up the project after the study is complete,” Kumar said.  Earlier, railways’ infrastructural wing and French firm Systra had carried out a pre-feasibility study of the Pune-Ahmedabad route on the possibility of running high-speed trains.

However, the government dragged its feet on the issue since it would cost Rs. 63,000 crores. Pawan Kumar Bansal, the then railway minister had even said that the project is not under consideration.

Panasonic’s lab to cook up Indian cuisines for microwave

Panasonic has launched its first microwave-oven cooking lab in India. This will be the Japanese major’s fourth such lab in the world after Russia, China and Japan.

In a statement, the company said the lab would develop Indian recipes that could be incorporated in the auto-cook menu of its microwaves. The lab will also be used to engage with consumers, sales staff and chefs across the country and conduct classes, workshops and training sessions.

 

The company said it would also familiarise the sales team, dealers and salesmen about all product features. In addition, it will provide regular feedback and have interaction and dialogue with consumers.

Gaurav Minocha, Product Group Head AC & HA, Panasonic India, said, “Panasonic’s innovative technology will help consumers save time and money while delivering them with high-quality cooking results. India is a very important market for Panasonic.” The company said it was focused on consumer insight-driven product development to match Indian kitchen requirements.

India needs to reduce non-revenue water: Japan International Cooperation Agency

Emphasizing on the need to reduce non-revenue water (NRW), officials of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), while speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day national workshop for reduction of NRW in India held on Thursday, urged the government to tackle issues in the water sector at the earliest.

At the conference held at a resort in Utorda, Tomohide Ichiguchi, deputy chief representative, JICA India, said that they had 30 engineers from the PWD in Goa in non-revenue water management and its time that they should not sit idle but start action and take measures to reduce the NRW.

"Weak financial base and political intervention are two major issues in the implementation of the project in Goa and the lack of asset inventory and management system are responsible for the delay in the JICA project," said Emi Doyle, JICA country analytical in the water sector in her opening remarks.

Doyle added that practices in the state were time-consuming such as land acquisition, tender evaluations, government approvals from other authorities like tree-cutting, road permissions and utility shifting, and that the poor performance of the contractor and frequent transfer of key staff are some of the reasons in delay of JICA-assisted projects in the water supply and sanitation sector.

"Need of reduction of NRW is need of the hour and the issue is to be addressed on a war footing. This will also help increase the revenue of the state," said PWD minister Sudin Dhavalikar, while addressing the delegates. Dhavalikar said that no work orders were given over a period of one year in spite of finalization of tenders and that work orders were issued only after the new government came to power while putting the blame for delays in completion of JICA projects on the previous government.

Anand Wachasunder, project director of JICA Goa project said that the NRW rate in Goa was around 42% which is two times the national NRW average of 20%.

India-Japan to sign bullet train deal

In a move that could speed up the bullet train dream, the railways will ink an agreement with Japan Internal Cooperation Agency (JAICA) for comprehensive study of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed rail corridor.

On his return from Japan, rail board chairman (CRB), Mr Arunendra Kumar, claimed that the JAICA is serious about execution of the bullet train project, which as per an initial estimate would cost a whopping `63,000 crore.

Mr Kumar stated that the agreement of the study, which was stated in a joint statement issued after the summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, would be signed by the end of this month. “The study will be completed in 18 months time, which will look into all aspects like cost, passenger, alignment, the funding pattern, fare structure, etc. It’s a big step and JAICA has shown seriousness to also follow up after the study,” Mr Kumar told reporters on Friday.

The proposed 543 km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor would be both underground as well as elevated, added Mr Kumar. India had earlier been cold to the idea of the bullet train, which will run at a speed of 300 kmph, but after PM’s strong backing the idea is now being seriously followed up.

Kawasaki launches Ninja ZX-14R, ZX-10R in India

Japanese bike major Kawasaki, which has a long tech-partnership with Indian two-wheeler company Bajaj Auto, is now introducing its high-end products in India. India Kawasaki Motors (IKM) on Wednesday launched two of its well-known models - Ninja ZX - 14R and ZX -10R for the Indian market to strengthen its product portfolio.


In India, the bikes will be imported as completely built units (CBU) from Japan and will be retailed through the newly established standalone shop of Kawasaki at Wakdewadi in Pune. The shop will be inaugurated on September 7, 2013 and bookings of the bikes will commence from September 5, 2013. The bikes will be priced at Rs 16.90 lakh for ZX-14R and Rs 15.70 lakh for ZX-10R, ex-showroom Pune.

Said Yuji Horiuchi, MD, India Kawasaki Motors, "We would take this opportunity to thank our partners Bajaj Auto for the incessant support in setting up this business and will look forward to their continued collaboration in the future. With the positive feedback on our existing models such as Ninja 300 and Ninja 650, I am confident that the new launches will also be accepted by the Indian consumers enthusiastically. India is an important market more us and which is why we have brought the latest and the best of Ninja's portfolio in the country. We are optimistic of introducing 1-2 launches of this stature every-year."

In the steady super-bikes market of India, IKM initial target for sales is 100 units per year. IKM will going forward expand its business territory in a phased manner, with its focus on Maharashtra, followed by the rest of the country.IKM is looking at carefully selecting and training staff that can work on the two valued motorcycles. The Ninja ZX-14R and ZX-10R will be sold and serviced through the exclusive shop of Kawasaki.