November 1998
Vol. 5, No. 11

Consulting the Consultants
The thick skin of the Japanese market is beginning to yield to foreign companies who used to have to arm-wrestle their way in. Are the 'experts' still necessary to make a deal?

by John Boyd

The Tale of a Japanese 'Netrepreneur
For venture capitalists, it's all in the details, and the deadlines, and bottom line. Hyper Net's President Itakura, talks about how his unmanaged brainchild landed in the business morgue.

by Noriko Takezaki

The Future of Software Companies
The resilient Mr. Nishi, ASCII's former president, talks about his new involvement in the company he founded but lost control of, and offers some do's and don'ts for start-ups.

by Yaeko Mitsumori

Risk and Venture Capital
The current recession has been a double-edged sword for business start-ups. In the race for quality investments, the traditionally risk-averse Japanese are being forced into earlier capital involvement.

by Yoshinari Yoshikawa

Software Patent Protection
Software patenting holds much promise and danger for inventors in the computer industry. With the lack of legal development in this area, it is difficult to predict the patentability of innovative software.

by Karl Ruping

CJ Bookshelf
Here's a list of suggested reading for those new foreign subsidiaries, start-ups, and neophytes trying to get their feet wet in Japan.

by Robert Jamison


Editor's Page

What the Japanese Are Reading
A glance inside some Japanese computer magazines

by Yuh Nagano

The Query Column
Wondrous stationery and other technical supplies

by Thomas Caldwell

The Digital Forest
Net ventures: the iron is hot!

by Forest Linton

Industry Eye
Banners that do more than advertize

by John Boyd

Product Profiles
New Products on the Japanese Market