Sterling Commerce Japan gets new presidentDallas-based Sterling Commerce, Inc., a specialist in electronic commerce (EC) system software and related value-added services, on April 1 named Takahiro Shuda as president of its wholly-owned Japanese subsidiary, Sterling Commerce KK (SCKK). Shuda also takes over from James Johnson as the parent company's Japan regional director for Asia-Pacific operations. Johnson remains as representative director of SCKK.
The move is based on the strategy that the company's business in Japan should be headed by someone well versed in the world's second largest market and local business practices. Under Shuda, SCKK will "develop the Japanese way of EC business, providing our solutions to satisfy customers' and potential customers' requirements," says Johnson. Shuda previously served as board-director for the info-communications and aircraft business of Kanematsu Corp., a major Japanese general trading firm, and president of Nippon Office Systems, Ltd., a joint-venture of Kanematsu and IBM Japan.
SCKK is in the EC business in Japan with two of Sterling Commerce's four product families (Connect and Gentran). The Connect products automate, manage, and secure file transfer and data communications across local- and wide-area networks, including the Internet and corporate intranets. Gentran products automate and manage the flow of internal and external business transactions, enabling firms to link their business systems with customers' and suppliers' systems via the Internet as well as electronic messaging, electronic data interchange (EDI), and other popular business solutions.
In order to successfully expand its business in Japan, SCKK feels it needs strong relationships with business partners. "We must cooperate with our partners, particularly with system integrators (SIs), for resale and/or installation of our products in their customers' systems," says Shuda. "I am now contacting SI vendors -- not only the major ones, such as NTT Data, but also midsize vendors with a few hundred employees." SCKK also has been forming close relationships with hardware and software vendors, such as Toshiba, NEC Software, Tandem Computers Japan, and Mitsubishi Electric, to localize and port its EC software products for various platforms.
Recently, Sterling's EC/EDI Gentran messaging gateway software has been localized in collaboration with Kawasaki Steel Systems R&D Corp. "The Gentran Server supports the standard protocols of EDIFACT, ANSI X12, and CII simultaneously. And Connect's functions
enable intercorporate communications between the different platforms, such as Unix, MVS, OS/400, Open VMS, and Windows NT," Shuda emphasizes.
Sterling Commerce KK was established in June 1997 upon Sterling Commerce's acquisition of the Sterling Software division handling sales of EC software products outside North America. At that time, the employees of Sterling Software's EC software sales and maintenance subsidiary in Japan were transferred to Sterling Commerce KK.--KM
Fujitsu expands networkFujitsu has announced that it will join its FENICS (Fujitsu Enhanced Information and Communication Service) network with the BT Network Information Systems (BT-NIS) Concert global network as a step toward enhancing network services. With over a thousand locations, FENICS is one of the largest networks in Japan. FENICS' frame relay service connects local private circuits at up to 2M bps and provides economical two-way connection channels via permanent virtual circuits (PVCs). Coupling Fujitsu's frame relay and remote LAN access services with Concert will expand FENICS' reach to 37 countries worldwide. Fujitsu's plan is to offer its corporate customers a global service network by combining its expertise with Concert's reach, which now accounts for some 90% of the world's businesses.--SR
Coca-Cola picked as Japan's top websiteCoca-Cola Japan's website was named Best Website at the 16th FCC Tokyo Ad Show. This annual competition, sponsored by the Forum for Corporate Communications, an organization of professionals involved in international communications, is Japan's largest English-language advertising contest.
Prizes were awarded in two divisions: print media and websites. The website division was further divided into advertiser and content provider categories, with one Gold and two Silver prizes awarded in each category. In the final vote between the two Gold winners, the Coca Cola site took top honors.
The Coca Cola website, produced by InfoPlus, was cited as a good example of how to use cutting-edge techniques in an easy and fun-to-navigate design. The two Silver winners in the advertiser category were Robinson's Brain on the Web (produced by Alien Bug) and Kikkoman (created by Cosmo PR).
The Gold award for top content provider went to the American School in Japan for its ambitious website. The Silver winners were the Tokyo Weekender (produced by Image Publications) and Living in Japan (a site created for the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan by Arati).
The websites were judged by six judges chosen for their diversified backgrounds (copywriting, design, website development, and Internet-related business experience) as well as their incurable online addictions. Each website was scored based on five criteria -- graphics, copy, interface design, technical execution, and "hit appeal" -- with scores tallied and winners determined by point totals. With the website contest growing in prestige each year, the Tokyo Ad Show expects to receive many more entries next year.--CJ
You can find the FCC Tokyo Ad Show contest winners at: http://www.cocacola.co.jp/ (Coca-Cola Japan) http://www.kikkoman.co.jp/ (Kikkoman) http://www2.gol.com/users/robinson/ (Robinson's Brain on the Web) http://asij.ac.jp/ (American School in Japan) http://www.livinginjapan.com/ (Living in Japan) http://www.weekender.co.jp/ (Tokyo Weekender) The website of the FCC Tokyo Ad Show is at http://fcc.gol.com/. Windows CE becomes home electronics solutionCorporate giants Microsoft and Sony are collaborating to conquer the consumer electronics market with the Windows CE operating system, which is expected to become the digital standard for connecting PCs and TVs. As part of their collaboration, Microsoft and Sony will cross-license trademark software, such as Sony's Home Networking Module, for use with Windows CE.
The two companies aim to create a home-based network that will involve the best in production, transmission, and reception of digital content. They have also agreed to support 1,080-pixel resolution as the standard for HDTV (high-definition TV).
"Sony supports the establishment of an open architecture that will enable the seamless integration of PC and AV products,"says Nobuyuki Idei, president of Sony Corporation. "This cooperation between Microsoft and Sony will play a key role in making this happen."
For more information on the Sony/Microsoft joint venture, access Microsoft PressPass at http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/press/1998/Apr98/
MSSonyPr.htm . --SR
Microsoft, NTT Personal tie up for PHSUS-based software giant Microsoft Corporation and Japanese PHS (personal handyphone system) operator NTT Central Personal Communications Network (NTT Personal) have announced that they will cooperate on development of a Windows CE-based PHS terminal. The project focuses on data communication via PHS at 32K bps, based on PIAFS (PHS Internet Access Forum Standard). Under this agreement, Microsoft will receive technical cooperation from NTT Personal to develop protocol stack software for a PIAFS-based PHS terminal into which the Windows CE operating system will be embedded. The joint development will eliminate the need for users to purchase a separate PIAFS modem card. It is expected to eventually lead to development of a variety of other Windows CE-based mobile devices with communications ability, such as handheld PCs, palmtop PCs, and PDAs (personal digital assistants). A development site for the project is being set up in Microsoft's headquarters.--NT
Digital multichannel broadcasts for mobile usersToshiba, Toyota Motor, and Fujitsu have announced that they will establish a joint-venture company to bring digital satellite broadcasts and value-added information services to mobile users throughout Japan. The new company, tentatively named Nihon Mobile Broadcasting Corporation (NMBC), was to be incorporated in May; it will start nationwide broadcasts of multi-channel programming and multimedia information services by 2001.
NMBC expects to be a pioneer of new dimensions for satellite broadcasting by being the first to target mobile users. It will provide high-quality digital music, video, and information services, includingÊ car navigation and Internet services. NMBC will use Toshiba's Radi-Vision Mobile Multimedia Satellite concept to broadcast on the 2.6-GHz S-Band frequency. The S-Band allows use of antennas that are much more compact than those typical of home systems, and it enables signals to be received even in vehicles moving at high speed.
Specifications for Japan's S-Band broadcasting standard are still being finalized by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses. When the standards are set, NMBC will start trial broadcasts, with the aim of obtaining a broadcasting license in 1999. The company will then develop and install the necessary broadcasting infrastructure in preparation for starting services in 2000. Initial services are expected to concentrate on automotive applications, such as CD-quality car audio and car navigation.
The joint venture has attracted considerable interest from potential investors. The three main investors expected to be joined by five other companies by the end of May, with an additional four partners joining by October. More companies will be invited to participate as business develops.--WA
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