Asahi Glass - Japan'S Pioneer In Glass

Among the world's largest glassmakers, Japan's Asahi Glass Co. saw an unexpected fall in financial performance for the 1998 first fiscal half, partly due to the decline in the country's glass demand. Lower market prices and falls in exports also affected the company's overall balance. However, the firm's electronics division performed well; jointly with researchers from Nagoya University, this unit recently developed an innovative glass optical switch material for use in optical computers.