In December 2005, Sojitz Corporation and Applied Communication, Inc. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Tadayasu Nishida), which organizes and operates corporate English/Chinese language training programs, established Amasia Corporation (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Ichiro Abe) for the purpose of providing Chinese language learning services. In addition to the Internet-based Chinese language online-lesson ‘Live China' operated by Sojitz, Applied Communication transferred, in February, ‘TLI Tokyo Chinese Language Center', which provides companies with classroom-type Chinese language training programs.

Taking advantage of the knowledge of Chinese language study techniques that Applied Communication and Sojitz have cultivated, Amasia Corporation will start providing highly-effective comprehensive Chinese learning services that combine Internet-based online- and in-school lessons. By focusing on the provision of services to companies that make inroads in China, Amasia Corporation aims to achieve sales of 300 million yen in the first year and sales of 1,200 million yen in the third year.

‘Live China' enables students in their homes and offices to receive individual coaching in the Chinese language directly from instructors stationed in China, via the Internet, through a high-speed dedicated connection between Beijing and Japan. The service allows busy people, and those unable to find a Chinese language school nearby, to participate in a course whenever and wherever they are able. Since it started in 2003, the ‘Live-China' service has been used by a total of 3,000 students as Chinese lessons that can help one to learn not only the language itself, but also real live Chinese culture.

Through a tie-up with the Taipei Language Institute (TLI), which operates Chinese language schools worldwide, the 'TLI Tokyo Chinese Language Center‘ has been offering in-school lessons based on the TLI textbooks and teaching methods, and dispatch services of instructors for corporate lessons. Since its establishment in 1997, the TLI Tokyo Chinese Language Center has been used by over 100 companies that have made inroads in China, and is highly evaluated. Further, the TLI Tokyo Chinese Language Center has the advantage of being able to provide services that utilize the TLI network (Beijing [2 schools], Shanghai [3 schools], Tianjin, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dalian, Taipei [2 schools], Taizhong and Kaohsiung).

The recent need to learn the Chinese language is especially prominent among companies that aim at business expansion in China. The objectives and contents of training courses are becoming diversified; from those for new employees to those for employees who will be transferred to China. The Chinese language learning services available from Amasia, which learning services combine online- and in-school lessons, have already been utilized in training courses for prospective employees of sogo shosha such as Sojitz. Amasia will serve the wide-ranging needs of Chinese language learners, including services for the general Chinese language learner as well as corporate services.

A ‘Live China' online lesson

Outline of Amasia Corporation

Head office	4-8-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Corporate executives	Chairman - Tadayasu Nishida President - Ichiro Abe Director - Marvin C. Ho (Representative of TLI Group) Director - Noboru Ishihara Director - Shinichi Uchiyama Director - Tomohiko Hasegawa
Establishment	December 22, 2005
Capital	200 million yen
Major capital investors	Applied Communication, Inc. (37%) Sojitz Corporation (33%) Others (Global Venture Capital Inc., Nissin Co., Ltd., NTT IT Corporation, ORIX Capital Corporation, Taipei Language Institute [TLI])