Japan Eyes China’s Rice Market
Senior Vice Agriculture Minister Nobutaka Tsutsui left for China on a three-day visit to promote the grain and to increase the number of outlets selling Japanese rice.
On one hand, the Japanese market is propping up the domestic rice price as well as a reducing the rice cultivation land. On the other hand, the government is looking for other markets to sell off surplus grain. Among the total 1312 tons exported rice in 2009, about 30 tons is exported to China.
According to survey, the Japanese rice is quite popular in Chinese market even though the price is almost three times as high as Chinese rice. However, if the government expects to significant increase exports the price will have to come down even more.
Government OKs the Airlines’ Limited Use of Body Scanners
The government has decided to allow the use of a body scanner security system in air carriers if they wish in special condition such as privacy protection.
Since people have many disagreements about this controversial scanner by using electromagnetic waves, it can only be used when further check is necessary after examinations with metal detectors and if passengers choose it over contact inspection by airline staff.
But considering the privacy issues and the cost, Japan Airlines Corp and All Nippon Airways Co have no such plans for now.
Yamada Denki Plans 5 0utlets in 3 Years
Japanese electronics retailer Yamada Denki Co. is planning to open five outlets in China in the next three years, including the one that opens in Shenyang on Friday.
The Shenyang Yamada Denki outlet is the company’s first overseas store and also yamada Denki is the first major Japanese electronics retailer to fully enter the Chinese market. According to sources, the second outlet will be launched in Tianjin in June next year. To assure the full-fledged business in China, the company has already hired a lot Chinese students who have studied at Japanese universities.
The Shenyang store, which has seven sales floors with a total space of 24,000 square meters, offers some 1.5 million items including not only electronics but also cosmetics and toys.
Importing Japanese-style retail strategies, the shop will display products of different makers by category. It will also introduce a point card system that is popular in Japan.
JAL to Layoff around 200 Pilots and Cabin Attendants
Maggie Zhang joined iTV-Asia in September 2010. She is originally from Henan, China and is “Content Coordinator” for Japan. She is focused on a number of industries including advertising, energy, entertainment, finance, food & beverage, media and real estate. Maggie is new to Shanghai and is exploring and learning about this great city. She can be reached at maggie.zhang@itv-asia.com.
Japan Airlines Corp. said it will layoff around 200 pilots and cabin attendants on Dec. 31 as its voluntary retirement program has failed to meet a job reduction target that forms part of its revival efforts.
JAL, which is restructuring under court protection, is expected to fix screening criteria and notify those to be dismissed as early as next week, a move that will likely strain relations with labor unions and could complicate the carrier's rehabilitation efforts if the unions bring the matter to court.
Under its rehabilitation plan approved by the Tokyo District Court, JAL is aiming to reduce its head count to 32,600 by the end of March, cutting roughly 16,000 jobs, or around 30 percent of its group workforce of 48,714 on March 31, 2010, the end of last fiscal year.
As part of its workforce reduction efforts, JAL announced on Nov. 15 that it will terminate the employment contracts of up to 250 pilots and cabin attendants.
Maggie Zhang joined iTV-Asia in September 2010. She is originally from Henan, China and is “Content Coordinator” for Japan. She is focused on a number of industries including advertising, energy, entertainment, finance, food & beverage, media and real estate. Maggie is new to Shanghai and is exploring and learning about this great city. She can be reached at maggie.zhang@itv-asia.com.