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Issue 10       [February 2007] 
                           OCCI e-Magazine
                http://www.osaka.cci.or.jp/e/index.html
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[CONTENTS, February 2007]

1. Kansai Economy 

2. Digital Concept Partners (DCP)　 

3. OCCI International Division reports on VIP visitors　


*** Please Respond to “Questionnaire of e-Magazine”.


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1. KANSAI Economy 

With the business sector playing the main role, the economy of Kansai 
generally continues steady.  Increased exports to Asia of steel and parts 
of acoustic/visual image equipment have been a contributing factor, and 
companies' investments in plant and equipment have also made good progress.

However, the sector of household economy seems not to share the same confidence 
with personal spending falling off on winter wear caused also by the unusually 
warm winter, as well as on purchases at convenience stores.

While bankruptcy in the textile or clothes-making industry remains noticeable, 
overall business failures in December 2006 recorded the third successive 
monthly decline.  In the still difficult situation where the higher-than-average 
rate of actual unemployment stands, although gradually lowering, the general 
environment for employment in Kansai is improving, with the ratio of effective 
job-offers turning more favorable.

Kansai business leaders are generally taking a cautious attitude in their 
prospect of the current year’s economy, according to the survey made late 
last year: As an acceptable condition for the timing of Bank of Japan’s 
additional raising of interest rates, more than 30 percent of the businesses 
propose such time “when the economic recovery becomes clearly tangible or 
is actually felt, with the effects felt by small and medium enterprises”, 
and 20 percent of them give the time “when the effects of recovery spread 
into the household economy.”


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2.“Digital Concept Partners” (DCP)

DCP is a project of world leaders (headquartered in Kansai) in digital 
appliances, devices and software (Matsushita/Panasonic, Sanyo, Sharp, etc) 
forming an industry group, not only to increase business opportunities 
in the region but also to seek joint development, technical tie-ups or 
joint venture proposals from outside the region, with support from 
government bureau/agencies etc.

DCP welcomes such proposals through DCP applications.


* For more details: http://www.neocluster.jp/dcp/eng/eng_index.html

* Contact : http://www.neocluster.jp/dcp/eng/contact_eng/contact_eng.html
  The DCP Secretariat (OCCI Economy & Industry Division)
  Tel: +81-6-6944-6403 Fax: +81-6-6944-6249 E-mail: j-azuma@osaka.cci.or.jp


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3. OCCI Reports [VIP visitors]

* February 2 (Fri)  H.E. Mr. Dato' Mohd. RADZI Rahman Bajunid, Ambassador
		         Embassy of Malaysia, Tokyo


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[OCCI e-Magazine QUESTIONNAIRE]
(We would appreciate your feedback by March 09, 2007)

Thank you for your support and constructive suggestions from some readers 
to the OCCI e-Magazine.  In about 5 weeks, we will see out our fiscal 2006, 
with the passage of 12 months since we launched the e-Magazine hoping to 
provide timely and as concise as possible information on main events and 
projects conducted or planned by OCCI and also those directly related to us 
to take place in Kansai.

At this opportunity, we are sending you a short Questionnaire and would like 
to ask you to help us improve the e-Magazine by responding to it, together 
ith any suggestions or comments that are most welcome.  Thank you.

(Q.1) How useful do you find the e-Magazine for your information on the above 
events and projects?

A. Most useful
B. Useful
C. Fairly useful
D. Not so useful


(Q.2) Which articles did you find more useful than others? 
A. Reviews on economy or business environment
B. Events or projects in Kansai
C. OCCI activities
D. OCCI Chairman’s Message, Introduction OCCI Directors, staffers.
E. VIP visitors, Seminars
F. Others (		　　　　　　)


(Q.3) Which articles would you like us to put more emphasis on? 
A. Current conditions/prospects of Osaka/Kansai economy
B. Main projects in Osaka/Kansai
C. What’s new in Osaka/Kansai
D. OCCI activities
E. Others (		　　　　　　)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　                                          


YOUR COMMENTS or SUGGESTIONS:
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Thank you for your cooperation.
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