WW-99 -- Office Noa Loses Out to Real Networks; CEO Noriko Kajiki Bites Back

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J@pan Inc presents the Wireless Watch Japan Newsletter:
W I R E L E S S W A T C H J A P A N
Commentary on the Business of Wireless in Japan
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Wireless Watch Japan Newsletter
Commentary on the Business of Wireless in Japan
Issue No. 99, Tokyo, Tuesday, July 15, 2003

Subscribe for free:
http://www.japaninc.com/newsletters/index.html?list=ww

CONTENTS

++ Viewpoint: Office Noa Loses Out to Real Networks; CEO Noriko Kajiki Bites Back

++ Noteworthy News
-More Vodafone Vibes: Sale Leak Spikes Shares of Japan Telecom

============================= EVENT ==================================
THIRD INTERNATIONAL JAPAN AUTOMOTIVE ROUNDTABLE
Mapping the road ahead
July 17th 2003, Tokyo
http://www2.economistconferences.com/doc/ap/jpauto03/i.htm

Join senior decision-makers and discuss the best strategies for
reversing the slide and to debate new directions for the industry.
Meet industry leaders from Mitsubishi Motors, Nissan Motor,
BMW Japan, Volkswagen Group and many more...

A special 10% discount is applicable for J@pan Inc readers.
When you register, simply quote "E3C" when you receive your
J@pan Inc discount. Register online at:
http://www2.economistconferences.com/doc/ap/jpauto03/r.htm
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++Viewpoint: Office Noa Loses Out To Real Networks; CEO Noriko Kajiki Bites Back

The Vodafone Group of Britain -- the world's largest mobile phone
company -- has selected Real Networks as its supplier for streaming
video technology. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed,
but it is believed that Real Networks will receive about JPY33 per
installed player. Only the newest handsets will be able to install the
Real Player software.

The Japanese subsidiary of Vodafone, J-Phone, already provides video
services called Movie Sha-Mail, using MPEG-4 and the proprietary Nancy
technology from Office Noa. J-Phone announced in June that it has sold
more than 2 million Movie Sha-Mail enabled handsets since the start of
the service in March 2002.

Commentary: This is quite a surprise. Nancy was not selected by Vodafone
for its global video services even though J-Phone's Movie Sha-Mail success
can be mainly attributed to Nancy. To make things even worse for Office Noa,
J-Phone recently introduced new handsets that also support MPEG-4. For
backward compatibility reasons, Nancy is still installed on these phones,
but the default video client set is MPEG-4.

Apparently, Vodafone is not automatically adopting the best practices
from J-Phone for its next generation data services, and is even
forcing its Japanese subsidiary to abandon successful technology
platforms.

I talked a few weeks ago to Noriko Kajiki, the CEO of Office Noa who
was profiled in the October 2002 issue of J@pan Inc magazine. The
Vodafone surprise does not seem to bother her too much -- or so she
says. And a visit with her makes the following truths self-evident:
She still has the confidence and drive to make her Nancy the de facto
world standard by the end of 2003. Still, as she knows all too
well: There is no time to waste.

"Besides Vodafone, there are so many other companies who are
interested in my technology," Kajiki argues, showing me an impressive
list of targeted companies she intends to press further in her zeal.
"The coming month I will spend most of my time outside of Japan,"
she adds, "to show Nancy's superior capabilities to those carriers all
around the globe."

We've still got a long way to go before proprietary technology is
accepted. In the telecom world, "Letters Of Intent" are not even worth
the paper they are written on. Office Noa urgently needs a new
showcase to prove to the world that it is still very much alive and
kicking -- especially after the Vodafone decision.

Outside Japan, Nancy was launched this year by Thai carrier AIS on its
GPRS network. To become a genuine world leader, however, Kajiki and
her Office Noa must not only convince several Asian carriers of their
relevance and compatibility, but they must also persuade their
recently formed anti-Vodafone alliance of T-Mobile, TIM, Telefonica
and Orange. Not an easy task, as these companies are mainly interested
in solutions that comply with the standards of the telecommunications
bodies.

--Arjen Van Blokland

Link:
"On the Move: Office Noa's Nancy Technology," from J@pan Inc, October 2002.
http://www.japaninc.com/article.php?articleID=906

============================= EVENT ==================================
ICA Special Summer Networking Party - Open to all
Come and network with Tokyo's top IT and Business Professionals.
Date: Thursday, July 17, 2003
Location: Quest Bar in Roppongi -
3F, 5-3-1 Roppongi
(one block from Almond down the hill)
Tel: 03-5414-2225
Time: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Cost: 2,000 yen all you can drink
(Draft Beer, Bottled Beer, House Wine, Soda, and Juice).
RSVP Not Required
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++ NOTEWORTHY NEWS
(Long URLs may break across two lines, so copy to your browser.)

** More Vodafone Vibes: Sale Leak Spikes Shares of Japan Telecom

In Brief: Vodafone has reportedly entered into an agreement with
Ripplewood Holdings, the US investment fund, to sell Japan
Telecom's fixed-line operations for JPY262 billion. Vodafone
intends to focus all of its resources on J-Phone, the mobile unit
of Japan Telecom. An official announcement is expected at the
end of July, but the leaked report on Monday precipitated a
spike in Japan Telecom shares.

Commentary: Vodafone is clearly ready to shake up the Japanese mobile
market in a big way. And Ripplewood is leading the American mega-
investors buying up nearly everything in sight in Japan's volatile
market. Vodafone is eyeing KDDI and especially NTT DoCoMo in
the big mobile battle.

Link:
CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/BUSINESS/07/13/japan.telecom.biz/

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============================= EVENT ==================================
"Informal business networking event over drinks and light buffet.

Date: Friday July 18th 7PM

Share Ideas and Resources. Look for Cooperation/ Partnership.
Meet the creators of www.TokyoNOOK.com (a creative way to target businesses
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management solution from Europe which is splashing into Japan.
Earlybird discount. www.international-promotion.com or
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STAFF
Written by Arjen Van Blokland and the J@pan Inc staff;
edited by the J@pan Inc staff (editors@japaninc.com)

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