The kyoei gaisha have their own club, and between them its 260 members account for about one-fifth of Matsushita's parts purchases.

ECONOMIST: Business-to-business in Japan

Matsushita also works closely with kyoei gaisha individually, sharing key technologies and bringing them in early at the design stage of production.

ECONOMIST: Business-to-business in Japan

Life insurers are now worried that the slightest whiff of trouble will lead to floods of cancellations, as it did at Chiyoda Life and Kyoei Life before they collapsed last year.

ECONOMIST: Life insurers in Japan