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January 30, 1998
NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 1998 - As expected, the World Trade Organization in Geneva today issued a "sweeping rejection of Kodak's complaints" about the film market in Japan, Fujifilm U.S.A. President, Mr. Osamu("Sam") Inoue said this afternoon.
"As far as we know, the WTO did not even find minimal evidence to support the U.S.case," Mr. Inoue said. "After today, there can no longer be doubt: imported film is widely available and competitively priced in Japan."
The U.S. filed a complaint in 1996 alleging that Kodak was unable to compete freely in the Japan film market due to government interference. Japan contended that Kodak's relative lack of success there is due to its failure to invest, manufacture and bring innovative products quickly to market. In issuing its final decision today, the WTO rejected all U.S. claims.
In its official statement, Fuji said: "We are very pleased that this unsubstantiated case has been decided. We at Fujifilm look forward now to returning our full attention to fair competition in marketplaces around the world. We plan to continue our commitment to offering high quality products and excellent service to our customers everywhere."
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