On Our Radar Screen

Back to Contents of Issue: January 2001


Ventures we're keeping an eye on.

Outdoor Japan
www.outdoorjapan.com
Ambitious but still-evolving site that provides English information on outdoor activities in Japan (sister site to the ever popular skijapanguide.com, electronic version of a popular paperback). Guide section covers rock climbing, hiking, camping, cycling, sky sports, surfing, water sports, and windsurfing. Hardy voyageurs can check the nationwide weather forecast prior to departure, but JI editors think the most important section is the onsen (hot spring) listing. Links to equipment supplier REI. With tourism in Japan becoming more outdoorsy and eco-friendly, English language services like these could do well. We won't be surprised when the book comes out.

Magic Software Japan
www.magic-sw.co.jp
This Israel-based enterprise developer now employs more than 85 staff in Japan and holds 4th place in Japan's ecom development market, after giants Fujitsu, Oracle, and IBM, and ahead of Netscape Japan, according to IT market researcher MIC Keizai Kenkyujo. Some 300,000 client-based installations of its flagship "Magic" product are used here by Japanese and multinational corporations. This is the software developers need to create enterprise B2B and B2C ecom solutions that will disintermediate closed, high-cost, old economy distribution chains. Just one more example of how foreign firms can compete here on the level(ler) playing field that is Japan's New Economy.

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