September 30, 1998 (TOKYO) -- World PC Forum 98 opens today in parallel with World PC Expo 98. Speakers representing PC makers, advanced user companies and other businesses will report on the latest case studies, technological advances, and related topics.

Microsoft's vice president for the Far East, Charles Stevens, will deliver the keynote address from the International Convention Hall at 11:00 this morning. Stevens is responsible for the Application Developers Customer Unit at Microsoft. He will speak on the theme "Building solutions by means of package applications now and in the future: The latest cases in the United States." He will also speak about the next-generation system model, Windows DNA.

In his address, Stevens plans to report case studies from leading information technology users such as Merrill Lynch in the United States, and describe how they effectively use information technology in their business. He also plans to talk about Microsoft's state-of-the-art technology.

Beginning at 2:00 p.m. today, Nikkei Personal Computing will sponsor a special event to celebrate its 15th anniversary. At the opening of the event, Shigeaki Saegusa, composer and guest professor at the Tokyo College of Music will deliver a Proposal for the Digital World in the Next Millenium.

Following the Nikkei event, a panel discussion entitled "PC's New Challenge: Create the Digital World in the Next Millenium" will take place. Seven PC industry leaders will discuss themes including the role PCs will play in the fields of business, homes and society. The panelists are Eiko Harada, president of Apple Japan, Inc.; Yoshi Takayama, senior vice president of NEC Corp.; Kunitake Ando, corporate senior vice president of Sony Corp.; Tetsuya Mizoguchi, senior vice president of Toshiba Corp.; Tatsuyuki Saeki, vice president, IBM Japan, Ltd.; Tadayasu Sugita, senior vice president of Fujitsu, Ltd.; and Makoto Naruke, president of Microsoft Co., Ltd.

(Nikkei Events News)