January 2002 Issue

On the cover: Dr. NakaMats takes notes on his waterproof Plexiglas pad while relaxing in his pool. The inventor says he is the man to lead Japan out of recession

January 2002
No. 27

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January 2002 Issue

Upfront
	The Internet Cafe Cartel Business decisions in a Korean enclave in Tokyo may provide a glimpse into the future of Japan's wired cafe society.

	Small, Self-Funded, Stubborn _ and So Far Successful Technobahn takes on the big boys in the financial information market.

	Dr. NakaMats: Japan's Self-Proclaimed Savior With more than 3,000 inventions to his name, including an early version of the floppy disk, the doctor says he's halfway to his goal.

	Lambs in Cyberspace The Net Brings life on a New Zealand farm to classrooms in Kyushu.

	Radar Screen www.rescuenow.net

	From the Editor From the Editor

Features
	The year ahead - Looking for Hope in a Shattered Economy The J@pan Inc editorial team makes some dire predictions as Japan limps into the new year. But several experts help point the way to sectors that are likely to show some life in 2002.

	Kei(tai)retsu Japan's wireless giants have built on the old keiretsu model of corporate relationships to create a much more subtle -- and potentially more powerful -- structure.

	Power, Style, and (Cough) Smog Are traditional ideas about cars running out of gas?

Investor Insight
	Japanese Convertible Bonds and Their Use by Small Cap Fund Managers

	Guidelines for Fund Managers Investing in Japan Sometimes disclosures are only skin-deep -- insights from due diligence performed in the field.

	Market Watch Investors reassessing Cybird after nearly a year as a listed company are sure to be wondering this: Is Cybird a stock that can fly back towards its peak share price of JPY1.1 million (currently JPY525,000), or is it just another turkey waiting to get gobbled up by the ferociously competitive content market?

	Japanese Equity Market in 2002 Jonathan Allum is a London-based Japan strategist for KBC Financial Products. Allum was previously a Japan strategist for ING Baring Securities, and has 20 years of experience in Japanese financial markets.

	ACOM: Finding Growth in Japan An Interview with Shigeyoshi Kinoshita

	Consumer Finance Sector Market Size and The Threat of Saturation..., Competitive Environment and Future Earnings Growth..., 2002 Share Price Trends.

	A Word from the Publisher A Word from the Publisher

Reports
	The Japanese Perception of AIDS Can i-mode play an educational role?

Blowfish
	Animal House