Factory output in Japan weaker than expected in April

Japan's factory output was weaker than expected in April because of slower demand for electronics goods, especially in China.

Output was 0.2% higher in April from March, the Trade and Industry Ministry said. Analysts had forecast a figure of 0.5%.

The ministry said it expects output to fall in May, before rebounding in June.

Analysts cited China's slowdown and a rising yen for the expected fall.

"Growth was weaker than expected, reflecting sluggish demand for IT-related goods worldwide, particularly in China," said Tokyo-based economist Takeshi Minami, of Norinchukin Research Institute.

"The forecast for May is worrisome, as that would mean production would fall to levels seen last summer, and the expected rebound in June is also week," Mr Minami said.

Industries that contributed to the slight rise in output included transport, chemicals and electrical machinery.

As Japan continues to recover from a devastating earthquake and tsunami last year, the ministry said industrial production continued to improve.

However, demand from China would be the determining factor for continued growth, said economist Junko Nishioka, of RBS Securities.

"The yen is strengthening but that doesn't immediately change the outlook for Japanese output," Mr Nishioka said.

"More crucial is final demand in China, as Asia-bound exports have yet to show signs of picking up."

from bbc news

Dubes Jepang Tantang Mobil EsEmKa diproduksi massal & Diekspor ke Jepang!

Duta Besar Jepang Tantang Mobil Esemka Diproduksi Massal

Duta Besar Jepang untuk Indonesia Yoshinori Katori benar-benar penasaran dengan mobil Esemka. Mobil rakitan siswa sekolah menengah kejuruan di Surakarta tersebut membuatnya rela meluangkan waktu untuk datang ke Surakarta.

Dia bahkan menantang agar Esemka segera diproduksi massal dan bisa dijual hingga ke mancanegara. »Kapan diekspor ke Jepang?” kata Yoshinori Katorinya, Jumat, 11 Mei 2012 pagi tadi.

Pagi ini saat berkunjung ke Solo Techno Park, tempat para siswa SMK merakit mobil-mobil Esemka seperti jenis sport utility vehicle (SUV) dan pick up, Yoshinori hanya didampingi salah seorang stafnya.

Begitu tiba di Solo Techno Park, dia langsung mencoba Esemka SUV warna hitam. Masuk ke ruang kemudi, mesin dinyalakan. Menurut dia, suara mesin Esemka halus. »Waktu duduk, nyaman sekali,” dia memuji.

Dia juga memuji setir Esemka yang dianggapnya membuat Esemka semakin nyaman dikendarai. Namun dia mengaku tidak tahu apa beda antara mobil buatan Jepang dan Esemka yang hasil rakitan siswa SMK di Solo.

Setelah mencoba, dia berkeliling ke lokasi perakitan mobil. Dia memuji anak-anak muda di Solo dan Indonesia yang tertarik mendalami permesinan. »Dengan memiliki fasilitas dan sistem pelatihan seperti ini, menunjukkan anak muda di Solo dan Indonesia punya industri yang penting di dalam negeri,” katanya.

Dia bahkan menantang agar Esemka segera diproduksi massal dan bisa dijual hingga ke mancanegara. »Kapan diekspor ke Jepang?” katanya.

Dia berharap kegiatan di atas terus dikembangkan. Anak-anak muda di Indonesia diminta untuk terus berusaha keras mendalami dan memahami teknik otomotif. »Sehingga bisa berkontribusi untuk negara,” ujarnya.

Direktur Pelayanan dan Pengembangan Solo Techno Park Gampang Sarwono mengatakan saat ini Esemka sedang dalam tahap akhir persiapan uji emisi. Dia menyebut teknisi sedang membenahi performa mesin.

»Dari uji emisi mandiri terakhir, diketahui bahwa untuk emisi sudah berkurang. Tapi tenaganya juga ikut berkurang,” dia menerangkan.

Untuk itu, tim sedang mengganti saluran gas buang dan menggeser lokasi inverter mendekat ke mesin agar bisa bekerja lebih maksimal. »Minggu depan perbaikan selesai dan kembali uji emisi mandiri. Jika sukses, siap uji emisi ulang di Jakarta,” katanya.


from uniknih.com


my opinion :Hopefully its true sincere compliment and not just sweet in the mouth only. People just amaze with Japan-made children's Affairs,keep going essemka make proud of the republic of indonesia

Torres staying at Chelsea

Fernando Torres has distanced himself from previous comments and pledged his future to Chelsea after meeting with the club's board.

The 28-year-old Spanish striker threatened to quit Chelsea after the club's victory on penalties in the Champions League final on May 19.

After missing out completely on Chelsea's FA Cup triumph, Torres was only a substitute in Munich and was denied his wish to take a penalty in the deciding shoot-out.

But now Torres has played down his previous comments and has vowed to stay at the London-based club.

"I've already had a conversation with Chelsea's board," Torres said.

"I only needed to know that they have the same trust in me that they had at the beginning.

"It has been a difficult year.

"I needed to know if they still expect from me what they did when they signed me.

"They trust in me and that's just what I needed to keep on fighting in order to become an essential player for the team."

Speaking during Spain's preparations for Euro 2012, Torres claimed his omission from the national squad in February was a huge disappointment.

The striker has claimed that it inspired his improvement in the latter part of last season.

"I started to understand that things were serious, that I wasn't getting much playing time with my club and that if things carried on that way I wouldn't be going to Euro 2012," Torres said.

Now Torres hopes to prove Spain's head coach Vicente Del Bosque right for selecting him again.

"Vicente has put his faith in me and now I need to show him I am ready to play whenever he thinks it necessary," Torres said.

"I hope to be able to give the team the best of me.

"When you see yourself missing out and then you are selected you are more excited even than the first day.

"I have arrived feeling fresh because I haven't had the same physical burden as the others and I am in good shape."

from soccerway

Lampard rules out England retirement

England and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard insists that he has no intention of retiring from international football soon.

The 33-year-old has been a mainstay in the national set-up for over a decade, gaining 90 appearances in the process, and is set to feature in his fourth international campaign this year in Euro 2012.

Lampard is the oldest member of the England squad travelling to Poland and Ukraine but claims that the competition will be not necessarily mark his tournament swansong.

"I don't see myself retiring from international football in the near future, so I wouldn't call this my last tournament necessarily," Lampard said.

"But I'm no fool and I know that age is a factor.

"I will take this as potentially one of my last chances. In the Champions League I had that same mind-set."

England manager Roy Hodgson has just one more friendly game, following last Saturday's 1-0 victory over Norway, to assess the squad before leading the Three Lions into their first group game against France on June 11, but Lampard believes his new international boss could take hope from the impact of Roberto Di Matteo at Chelsea.

"It's certainly possible to create something very quickly, there's no magic formula in football. You can have the right preparation and the surroundings for a tournament," he said.

"But in my opinion man-management is of the utmost importance in top football these days. When you've got a very good squad of players, of course there's training and tactics and stuff which are important. But the man-management issue at Chelsea was the huge thing.

"Robbie took players aside and talked to them and made them feel confident. He brought the best out of them, and when you can do that you've got a chance. If England can do that as a group then I still think we've got a great chance."

from soccerway

Students, ‘should be more creative’

After the results of their national examinations were announced last Saturday, students took to the streets and spray-painted their school uniforms in a tradition kept alive by students across Jakarta. 

“I am just following the tradition of senior classes in South Jakarta when they graduate,” said Irmaida Listia from SMA 18 in South Jakarta, adding that she merely looked for a medium to express her happiness after completing her senior-high school education.


Virina Nadila, 18, from SMA 7 in Central Jakarta had wanted to spray-paint her school uniform the day the government announced the exam results, but she failed to do so. “I had already prepared a white shirt to spray-paint on that day. But alas! My father picked me up when I was just about to start.” 

Irmaida and Virina said they maintained the much-criticized tradition to forget the fact that they now faced an uncertain future. The spray-painted uniform, the students said, was an empowering symbol. 

“My friends’ signatures on my shirt symbolize that many people still care for me,” Irmaida said. 

But teachers and parents want to end the tradition. “I strongly object to students who spray-paint their uniforms on the announcement of the national examination results,” said Sopan, a deputy principal at privately-run senior high school SMA Al Azhar 1 in South Jakarta.

According to him, several schools have taken measures to prevent students from coming to schools during the announcement day to discourage “irresponsible” celebrations. 

They chose to announce the examination results through various electronic media like text messages, email or school websites. But none of those efforts have worked so far. 

“We as students can always gather at our hangout places to spray-paint our uniforms,” Irmaida said. 

Education expert Arief Rahman said that schools had to be creative in finding ways to accommodate the students’ euphoria . 

“Schools, for example, can provide a 10-meter blank white cloth for students to sign,” Arief said, adding that schools could also organize charity events so that their students could donate their unused clothes to needy people.

Some schools and students have managed to find ways to celebrate graduation without having their uniforms spray-painted. 

SMA 65 in West Jakarta, for example, organized a charity event where senior students donated their unused uniforms to people in need.

The event was initiated by the school’s student council, according to Adri Aswin Azhari, who had just graduated from the school. Although senior students at his school never really had a tradition to spray-painting their uniforms.

Although Adri did not have a uniform covered with his friends’ signatures, he would always remember his high-school days as he had found other ways to treasure them.

The 18-year-old said that he kept the identity cards for all his examinations during the whole period of schooling. He collected identity cards from his first mid-semester examination until his latest national examination.

He also had one unforgettable reminder of his senior-high school era.

“I have a piece of my school principal’s car roof. I accidentally broke it when I played basketball with my friends,” he said laughing.


From the Jakarta pos