Gates To Give Japanese Groups Technology

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates reiterated that the United States software companys commitment to the Japanese market Friday, as he kicked off a campaign here to provide free technical assistance to non-profit organizations.

Microsoft officials will travel to various regions in Japan to teach nonprofit groups ways to connect more easily with donors, to inform the public about their services, he said.

"Software empowerment can be used here well," Gates told reporters in Tokyo hotel, referring to how software technology can be used to improve education, help the elderly and the establishment of the Community.

Microsoft, its business in Japan goes back to ancient times the past 20 years, has its share of critics who tend to focus on its alleged proprietary practices.

Microsoft software occupied the Japanese market, because of its many and the rest of the world. Japanese government agencies have been trying to increase the use of generic software, such as Linux, but to depend on the Microsoft.

The company headquarters located in Redmond, Washington, also has important business partnerships in Japan, including those with electronic equipment manufacturers, software vendors, as well as games.

An area where Microsoft still struggling in Japan is in video game consoles, and its Japanese rival Sonys PlayStation 2 outsells Microsoft products, including the latest Xbox 360.

Gates faced a relatively warm reception in this country, where they were known as the "Bill Gates of Japan" is widely considered as a supplement.

"The key message we have today is that we have more optimism today about the importance of those partnerships, and are willing to invest in these," he said.

Business opportunities in Japan, growth, as more and more consumers are using digital technology to listen to music, share digital photos and other work outside of the equipment used in personal computers, such as mobile phones and TVs, Gates said.

The new plan work with non-profit organizations, Microsoft will get feedback from such groups to develop software for them, the company said. Some said that will be provided free of charge through the Internet, it said.

Microsoft has already donated 80 million yen (681,000 US dollars the United States) non-profit organizations in Japan since 2002.