The ink isn't even dry on the contract (actually, as I write this on August 30, we haven't signed it yet), but I'd like to take this opportunity to announce that Computing Japan is moving. Very soon -- probably sometime in October -- we will be moving into the Takagi Heights building in Minami-Aoyama, so by the time the next issue is published the move to our new office should be a fait accompli. We'll list our new address and phone/fax numbers prominently in the November issue, and will post our new contact information on our Web site just as soon as the details are confirmed.

Why are we moving? As Terrie hinted in his July "Publisher's Message," the company is branching out into several new lines of business, starting with Internet PC rentals, Web site/homepage setup and design, and Inter- and intra-net turnkey solutions. The current office holds about a dozen comfortably, but there are now 16 of us in the company, about half of whom work mainly on the magazine and half on the new ventures.

Our new office will be more than three times as large, which will give us room to grow. And we'll need all that room if Terrie's projections are accurate: he expects the company to double in size within the next year. We're looking for energetic, dedicated staff -- an editor, an editorial assistant, a part-time office assistant, Web designers and engineers, salespersons -- so if you're looking for an opportunity with a fast-growing company, send us a resume.

I've said "company" above because another change is in the offing as well. Terrie is in the process of forming a new company, LINC Media KK, to encompass the new projects and, eventually (probably by year-end), take over as the magazine publisher as well. In this business, "image" is important, and having a kabushiki kaisha rather than a yugen gaisha as its publisher will enhance Computing Japan's image and gain us increased acceptance in the Japanese advertising market.

Last month, I mentioned that Computing Japan has been rated as one of the world's "Top 100 Computer Magazines" by Internet Valley since November 1995, and that in mid-July we were ranked No. 1 on the Japan Window "This Week's Top 10 Japan Web Sites."

I'm also proud to announce that in July, and again in August, the Nikkei Net Japan Hitlist http://www.nikkei.co.jp/enews/BB/ topten.html selected Computing Japan as one of Japan's top 10 sites with English-language content. According to Nikkei Net's Website raters, our site is "a great resource for people with a hankering for a hunk of Japan-related computer information." So, if you haven't already done so, come to http://www.computingjapan.com and take a look. All of our back issues are online (the three most current isssues for subscribers only) and searchable, and there are links to other useful IT and Japan-related sites.