Honda shuts down factory

Honda shuts down Swindon plant for 4 months

Workers at Honda's Swindon factory made the last cars on Friday before a four-month shutdown caused by a sharp fall in worldwide sales. Honda shuts down Swindon plant for 4 months.

Production at the Japanese giant's plant will be halted until June 1, with 4,200 workers receiving full pay for the first two months, reduced to 60 percent for the rest of the shutdown.

Honda has insisted it intends to maintain its Swindon workforce until the Jazz model is due to go into production there later this year.

The shutdown came on a grim day of news for Honda as Japan's second-largest carmaker said its net profit plunged 89 percent in the fiscal third quarter and it slashed its annual earnings forecast by more than half.

It made a net profit of 20.24 billion yen (157 million pounds) for the three months to December, down from 200 billion yen a year earlier.

Japanese car firms have been slashing production and laying off workers to cope with the global economic crisis, which has seen demand for vehicles collapse as potential buyers find finance drying up amid the credit crunch.

In Britain, Nissan has cut 1,200 jobs from its 5,000-strong workforce at its plant in Sunderland in northeast England.

Sony says to cut 8,000 jobs, shut plants

TOKYO (AFP) - - Japan's Sony Corp. said Tuesday that it was cutting 8,000 jobs worldwide and shutting some plants as part of an overhaul of its business to cope with the global economic downturn.

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The electronics giant said it would axe about 10 percent of its manufacturing sites, cut investment in its electronics business by about 30 percent and downsize or withdraw from unprofitable areas.

Sony, seen as a bellwether of corporate Japan, said it would lay off about five percent of its 160,000 workers in its global electronics business. It will also reduce the number of seasonal and temporary workers.

"These initiatives are in response to the sudden and rapid changes in the global economic environment," it said in a statement.

Japan's electronics giants are facing tougher times after enjoying several years of strong profits thanks to brisk sales of flat televisions, digital cameras and mobile telephones.

The company will postpone a planned expansion of a plant in Slovakia that assembles liquid crystal display televisions for the European market.

Sony, which makes Bravia flat televisions, Cyber-shot digicams and PlayStation 3 video game consoles, will also end production at two overseas plants, including one in France, that make tape and other recording media.

It will also realign its network of plants and shift manufacturing to low-cost countries, while raising some product prices to mitigate the impact of the stronger yen.

The group said the measures should enable it to cut costs by more than 100 billion yen (1.1 billion dollars) a year by March 2010.

"In addition to these measures, Sony will continue to implement measures as required to help assure both short and longer-term profitability and growth," the statement said.

Sony said in October its operating profit plunged 90 percent in the second quarter of the financial year, hit by a surging yen, a weak global economy and intense price competition.

The electronics icon has endured a difficult spell in the face of tough competition from rival products such as Apple's iPod and Nintendo's Wii.

Last year it enjoyed a strong recovery under its first foreign boss, Howard Stringer, a Welsh-born US citizen. Under his watch, the group has shed non-core assets and axed thousands of jobs.

http://sg.yahoo.com/s/174227

"JAPLISH"... JAPANESE ENGLISH

1. Very difficult to make up what it is about ? 2. Maybe in Japan , there are Males who are not 'Man' 3. Bring ur own tissue....I think 4. Cheese Fair or 'Afraid of Cheese' 5. This is better than Singapore . They can construct their own WATER..... 6. U jump on the Elevator = Jail ? 7. Japlish  "L" is substituted with "R" ... and this is what happens!!! 8. They even have a room for this... 9. U will need a smoke after reading this... 10. The best so far.... 11. They even advertise their price hike... 12. Their mags need refrigeration.... 13. They sell their SOUL OUT... 14. Player... Prayer!!! 15. Should consider doing business with this Co.

Cosplay Fashion Parade & Competition

From 3rd to 19th October, Central will be having a "Go Japan" Matsuri Festival.

Well, I planned to Join Nikita to the upcoming cosplay event this coming Saturday @ 11th October 2008. Anybody want to join along that afternoon? I might try out my early Christmas present ^_^

I was suppose to join the Japanese Idol if I managed to memorize a song in time. But guess what? The solo was held last week and the group compete for this week. So, sorry I'm not joining for this round LOL Maybe next time la :p

You can talk the talk, can you walk the WALK?

It's SCARY...

OUCH!!!

Think your shoes are uncomfortable??
The latest rage in Japan ....








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