OSAKA (Kyodo) Kyocera Corp. will pull out of China's cell phone handset market, the company announced on Tuesday. All other Japanese mobile phone makers already have withdrawn from the Chinese market.

According to reports from the Japanese media, Kyocera set up a joint venture, Kyocera Zhenhua Communication Equipment Co., with China Zhenhua (Group) Science & Technology Co. The joint venture makes and sells high-end mobile phone handsets. But sales have been undergoing a depression period because of high prices.

Kyocera will dissolve the joint venture at the end of March.

Kyocera is the last Japanese mobile phone maker to keep a business presence in China. Their exit indicates that all Japanese mobile phone makers have failed in the war with European and American mobile phone makers, like Nokia and Motorola, to occupy the vast Chinese market.  

For more details, please read the full story in Chinese. (http://jjckb.xinhuanet.com/gjxw/2008-01/30/content_83720.htm)

(China.org.cn January 30, 2008)