JAPAN

Government to Revise Computer Purchase Standards: Foreign computer makers locked out of the Japanese government’s computer procurement program may stand a better chance after officials revise purchase standards, according to a Japanese financial newspaper. The government will replace its current price-only standard with a more detailed list of assessment factors in selecting bids from computer manufacturers, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said. Beginning in April, government officials will initiate a review of the standards with the aim of increasing the presence of foreign computer makers in Japan, it said. The government now awards its computer contracts to the bidder with the lowest price. In the future, it plans to take into account factors such as costs for operation, maintenance and training of technicians--along the lines of the U.S. government’s assessment method.