MITI to make database for small firms' int'l tie-ups

Asian Economic News, June 7, 1999

TOKYO, May 31 Kyodo

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) will create a database in cooperation with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum to promote international tie-ups between smaller businesses, ministry officials said Monday.

The move is aimed at helping smaller companies cope with the growing globalization of business activities, the officials said.

MITI plans to create an English-language database on the Internet in July to offer technology, product and other information provided by small and midsize Japanese companies wishing to do business overseas and their counterparts in APEC member economies.

Match-making between companies finding agreeable terms and conditions will be made by Japan Small Business Corp., an affiliate of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency under MITI.

The corporation will have three experts provide free advisory services such as offering relevant tax and legal information.

The number of Japanese firms to provide information to the database will reach some 2,000.

The database will also cover information provided by businesses in such APEC member economies as Brunei, Canada, Singapore, South Korea and the United States, and eventually expand coverage to other members of the forum, which groups 21 economies including Japan.