The Japanese Trade & Industry Ministry plans to develop by 2006, less expensive fibre-optic cables made of plastic to replace current ones made of glass. If the new product improves networks of cables, the proliferation of intelligent home appliances using high-speed, large volume transmission may be viable, according to officials. With the new cables, the ministry also aims to improve Japanese companies competitiveness in the growing global market of optical communications. Keio University, Tohoku University, Asahi Glass, Fuji Xerox, Hitachi Cable and Furukawa Electric Co., will be among joint developers of the new cables. The ministry is to earmark YEN 185M in the next fiscal years budget to support the developers. The use of plastics in the cables is expected to lower the cost of material to 10% of those made of glass, while securing the same transmission speed.
