Japan looks west and holds its breath as Chinese pollution heads its way

The choking pollution that has shrouded large parts of the mainland is moving east to Japan, threatening to push levels of health-threatening PM2.5 particles there beyond World Health Organisation health standards.

Japanese computer simulations show the fine air particulates could reach 40 micrograms per cubic metre today or tomorrow and cause smog in parts of western Japan such as Nagasaki.

Dr Toshimasa Ohara, head of the National Institute of Environmental Studies' Centre for Regional Environmental Research, conceded this figure was very low by Chinese standards, as cities such as Beijing often measure PM2.5 levels in the hundreds. But 40 was twice the level generally seen in Japanese cities this time of year and higher than the 25 micrograms level set by the WHO.

Ohara said this had raised concerns among Japanese, and complaints had been growing louder in recent years as China's air pollution worsened. Some fear the problem shows little sign of abating as China's economy continues to grow rapidly on the back of heavy industry and development.

Much of eastern China remained smoggy yesterday, with poor visibility stranding tens of thousands of air travellers. More than 100 flights in and out of Beijing Capital International Airport were delayed or cancelled.

The conditions may improve today with the arrival of an Arctic cold front, but while those winds would come as a blessing to China, they could be a curse to neighbours such as South Korea and Japan, Ohara said. Pollution from Chinese coal-fired power plants, factories and cars would be blown far into the Pacific Ocean.

"To Japan, winter is not the worst season [for air pollution]," he said. "In the spring, the high pressure systems on the continent can pump a lot more pollutants out of China."

But some mainland researchers disagree with their Japanese counterparts about the pollution threat to Japan.

Dr Wang Yuesi , a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Atmospheric Physics, said the impact of Chinese pollutants on Japan would be too small to matter. "Japan is a long, narrow strip of islands. The entire country would not catch many pollutants with such a landscape. Most of the pollutants end up in the ocean. It shouldn't concern the people in Japan," he said.

Ohara said the impact varied across different regions, being higher in the western part of Japan and lower in the east. "We have definitive proof. The challenge is getting a precise estimate on the severity of the issue."

Scientists studying trans-boundary pollution in Asia are also struggling due to insufficient pollution data from China, according to Ohara.

Without the direct data, non-Chinese researchers can use only indirect ways to estimate China's pollution, such as monitoring monthly energy consumption, the increase in the number of cars being bought and used, and the capacity of power plants.

Beijing and Tokyo should work out a united mechanism to protect the environment in the Asia-Pacific region, Ohara said.

Japan could also take steps to address the problem at its source.

"Japanese politicians should push for the migration of clean production technology from Japan to China," Ohara said.

Resource: South China Morning Post

Japan, China discuss cooperation to fight air pollution

BEIJING--Japanese and Chinese government representatives met here Feb. 22 to discuss China's air pollution for the first time since PM 2.5 pollutants reached critical levels throughout the country in January.

PM 2.5 stands for particulate matter of up to 2.5 micrometers in size and is believed to raise the risk of asthma, lung cancer and other diseases.

Division directors representing the environment, foreign and industry ministries of Japan and the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China attended the two-hour talks.

A source who attended the meeting quoted Japanese representatives as saying that Tokyo is highly concerned about the air pollution in China because of its possible cross-border spread and environmental impact on Japan.

They also told their Chinese counterparts it would be in the common interests of both countries for Japan to offer its air monitoring, pollutant identification and related environmental technology, which it acquired through its past efforts to fight pollution in Japan, for use in China.

PM 2.5 is believed to come from a broad variety of emission sources. It is impossible to block these emissions unless the pollutants and their sources are identified, a Japanese government source said.

Tokyo's representatives argued that Japanese technology such as electron microscopes and other devices to identify pollutants, along with its pollution-simulation technology, would be instrumental in fighting PM 2.5.

Observers said Tokyo also hopes to open up new business opportunities for Japanese companies that specialize in air pollution mitigation technology to become involved in the efforts in China.

Beijing's representatives replied that China hopes to share the experiences of advanced industrialized nations, including Japan, and explained about Beijing's countermeasures and PM 2.5 monitoring system. Both sides agreed to continue with the talks, the source said.

Japan and China have been cooperating for more than 20 years to fight air pollution. It remains to be seen how the ongoing standoff between the two countries over the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea will affect the future of the bilateral talks.

Resource: The Asahi Shimbun

Japan, China agree to cooperate over air pollution

BEIJING (Kyodo) -- Japan and China agreed Friday to promote technical cooperation and to explore further measures for dealing with air pollution in China, a Japanese government official said.

At working-level talks in Beijing, Japan expressed eagerness to cooperate on tackling pollution, noting it not only affects people in China but could also affect Japan's environment, the official said.

China explained its measures for fighting pollution and said it will look into how Japan could cooperate, according to the official.

Beijing also said it seeks to forge trilateral cooperation over the issue with South Korea, which is located nearer to China, the official said.

The talks were held at Japan's urging to consider measures against so-called PM2.5 air pollution, or hazardous particulate matter 2.5 microns or 2.5 thousandths of a millimeter in diameter or less that can cause health problems.

Japan hopes that its technology can be used to help trace the origins of PM2.5 and to predict how it will spread, the official said.

In January, a thick blanket of toxic smog covered a large part of China, stoking fears that it may spread to Japan.

The meeting was attended by officials from the Japanese foreign, environment and industry ministries, as well as representatives from the Chinese environment ministry, the official said.

In Tokyo, Japan's top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said in the morning press conference that the Japanese government intends to compile provisional measures sometime this month to deal with air pollution originating from China.

The steps include strengthening monitoring at local municipalities and issuing a warning to the public when pollutants in the air reach a certain level, the chief Cabinet secretary said.

Resource: The Mainichi

China Resources wins bid for Kingway Brewery

Hongkong- China Resources Enterprise Ltd. will acquire the brewing operations of Kingway Brewery Holdings Ltd., a midtier company based in Guangdong Province, for 5.38 billion yuan, including Kingway's liabilities.

The move is a sign that competition in the world's largest beer market is only growing.

China Resources is already China's largest beer brewer by sales volume. It places a premium on the short-term growth of the domestic beer demand. It won the deal with Kingway against foreign rivals and other Chinese players, including Tsingtao Brewery Co....

Resource: The Nikkei Weekly

China rising in medical equipment

Competitively priced products giving companies foothold in domestic and foreign markets

Guangzhou/Singapore-Chinese medical device makers are growing rapidly by offering cost-competitive products, increasing their presence at home, and in other countries.

More than 2,600 firms participated in the last China International Medical Equipment Fair, a semiannual event held every spring and fall. The venue for the fall show changes every year, while the spring show always takes place in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, the nation's hub of medical equipment manufacturing.

Thanks to the development of the electronics industry, "90% of electronics parts and material can be delivered by car within two hours," said a Shenzhen city official. The city is the backbone of the new industry.

Extensive network
Mindray Medical International Ltd. once was one of those little startups in Shenzhen. It is now a major Chinese maker. The firm handles a wide range of products, including ultrasound image diagnostic devices, blood testing equipment and clinical test analyzers. It has an extensive sales network covering 190 countries and regions. In 2006, it became the first Chinese medical device maker to list on the New York Stock Exchange. For the five years through 2011, sales at the firm jumped by roughly 400% to $881 million.

Mindray was founded in 1991 by Li Xiting and others who left a local medical equipment maker to start their own firm. The firm focused on patient monitoring devices, which are used to check conditions of in-patients, because the market was large but money invested in this business was small.

With low labor and parts procurement costs, it succeeded in developing patient monitoring devices about 40% lower in price than those made by foreign makers, which dominated the Chinese market. Meanwhile, it expanded its market share by making steady efforts to meet demand in small and midsize clinics and hospitals in rural areas.

Many Mindray employees have work experiencce in the U.S. and Europe and are familiar with cutting-edge technologies in the medical industry. Co-founer Xiting is also the CEO. He once studied in France. He has made it that the office has no fixed seating, and workers often engage in heated discussions.

"The office has a free-spirited atmosphere like an American company," said a Japanese industry official. Many foreign visitors express surprise about the office environment.

Rising demand
It is hard for Chinese products to get sales approval in the U.S. But Mindray has established a foothold there through the purchase in 2008 of the patient monitoring business of U.S. firm Datascope Corp.

"In 2011, we achieved high growth, an increase of about 16-19%," said a Mindray official. Sales in the U.S. and other developed countries accounted for 24% of the firm's total in 2011. The percentage was still smaller than that in China and emerging economies, which accounted for 43% and 33%, respectively, but sales were picking up.

U.K. research firm Espicom predicts that medical device market in the Asia-Pacific region will grow by an annual average of 5.4% from 2012 to 2016 and that China would expand by 12.8% because improvements in living standards are pushing up demand for medical services.

Although China makes up less than 5% of the global market of medical equipment, major U.S. and European firms, such as General Electric Co. and Siemens AG, are also stepping up marketing operations in the country. Demand for inexpensive devices is growing fast in China, as income levels are not on a par with those in developed countries.

Foreign partners
Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer Co., China's leading maker of disposable medical supplies, sells various products, including syringes, catheters and surgical suture thread. It expanded its sales by 300% to 3.2 billion yuan ($513.1 million) in the five years through 2011.

The Shandong Province based firm has been teaming up with Japanese companies that are looking to cut manufacturing costs through these partnerships...

Resource: The Nikkei Weekly

靴屋で磨いたニーズつかむ嗅覚

フィリピン　SMインベストメンツ副会長　テレシタ・シー・コソン氏（62）

昨年12月、中国・重慶に東京ドーム2個分の売り場面積を持つ巨大なショッピングモールが開業した。手掛けているのはフィリピンの小売り最大手グループ。持ち株会社SMインベストメンツ副会長のテレシタ・シー・コソン（62）は、顧客のニーズをつかむ嗅覚を武器に国内外の事業拡大の先頭に立つ。

中国福建省がルーツの父ヘンリー・シーは比長者番付1位。一族は日本の孫正義をしのぐ91億ドル（8463億円）の資産を持つ。テレシタは後継者と目されるが、ただの2世ではない。原点にあるのは「移民の家族というメンタリティー。後は貧しい生活が原点にある」とテレシタは言う。

振り出しは父がマニラで開いた小さな靴屋だった。幼いころから家業を手伝ったテレシタは、店番をしながら路上を行き交う人々を観察。客の足に靴を合わせ、どの客層がどんな商品を求めているかを肌で感じてきた。どんな教科書でマーケティング理論を学ぶより、効果的な“授業”だった。

大学卒業後、大学院でビジネスを学ぶことを望んだが、父から家業を継ぐよう喩された。利益をほぼ全て投資に回して事業を拡大する猛烈な商法。華僑のビジネスは机上ではなく、現場で学ぶべきだとの考えだ。

SMグループは、ファーストリテイリングと提携し、カジュアル衣料品店「ユニクロ」を展開する。ファストリ社長兼会長の柳井正は近著でテレシタに触れ、「出会った中で最優秀の経営者」と書いている。フリピン人であふれる巨大モール。行き交う人々を観察しながら次の一手を練るテレシタの鋭い目は、靴屋の店番だったころのそれと変わらない。

SMインベストメンツ：
SMは靴屋（シュー・マート）の頭文字。小売り、不動産だけでなく、比最大手銀行も傘下に持つ複合企業。主力のショッピングモールは12年末時点で国内45、中国に6店舗を展開する。12年1～9月期の売上高は前年同期比13％増の1579億ペソ（約3600億円）、純利益は同14％増の229億ペソ。

リソース：日本経済新聞

中国の不動産大手、国内富裕層追い海外投資急ぐ

最大手が米進出　内需は引き締め策で成長鈍化

中国の不動産大手が海外事業の拡大に動き出した。最大手の万科企業（広東省）が米国での住宅事業進出を決めるなど各社は米欧やアジアへの進出を急いでいる。中国国内では政府が価格高騰を抑えるための不動産取引抑制策を続け、市場の成長が鈍化。投資機会を求めて世界に流出している中国富裕層マネーを取り込もうとしている。
 

中国の住宅販売額は昨年10％増にとどまった（広州市）

◆高級マンションを開発・販売　万科のトップの王石・董事会主席が自身のブログで、米サンフランシスコでの不動産事業参入を明らかにした。米不動産大手のティシュマン・スパイヤーと組み、同市で高層の高級マンションを開発・販売する。

万科は2012年の住宅販売額が1412億元（約２兆１千億円）に達する中国最大手。中国本土と香港以外での事業実績はなかったという。海外事業の規模などの具体的な計画はまだないが王主席は「グローバルな視野で国際化を進める」と強調。米国以外の海外展開も目指す考えを示した。

米国では中国不動産大手の●（森の形に金が３つ）苑置業（北京市）も12年から住宅の開発・販売を本格化させている。同年秋にはニューヨークの金融街から近い人気住宅地で、米国の不動産会社が資金繰りに行き詰まって手放した200世帯以上が住む高級コンドミニアムの建設用地を取得した。

中国不動産大手による米国での投資を勢いづけているのは、中国の富裕層などの投資や移民による現地での住宅購入の拡大だ。全米不動産協会（ＮＡＲ）によると、米国での外国人への住宅販売に占める中国人の割合は12年調査（12年３月末までの１年間）で11％。07年調査の５％から大幅に伸ばし、米国の隣国のカナダに続く２位につけた。

一方、中国国内では大都市などで２軒目以降の住宅取得を制限したり、上限価格を設けたりする規制を中国政府が継続している影響で減速が鮮明になっている。中国国家統計局によると09年に前年比75％増だった国内の住宅販売額は、11年は12％増、12年は10％増にとどまった。不動産業界では「過去のような高度成長は難しい」（万科の郁亮総裁）との見方が広がる。

◆アジア展開も相次ぐ　アジア各地に進出する動きも相次ぐ。大手の碧桂園（広東省）はマレーシアで住宅・商業不動産開発に着手。緑地集団（上海市）は韓国の済州島で医療施設の充実を売り物にしたリゾート開発に参加している。

一方、中国大手の海外進出はあつれきも生んでいる。中坤集団（北京市）がアイスランドで計画する土地取得が阻まれた。現地での中国の政治・軍事的意図に対する警戒感が背景にあるとの見方がある。購入者として期待する中国人の投資が「価格をつり上げている」と反発を招くケースも各地で出ている。

リソース：日本経済新聞