- Japan: American and European multinationals have profited from the difficulties experienced by the Japanese economy to buy numerous companies in the archipelago. In fact, direct foreign investment beat all the records during the fiscal year that finished end March with 3,100 billion Yen, an amount 30% higher compared to the previous financial year. Schichi Fujii, from the Ministry of Finance adds that, in a general manner, foreign companies already present in Japan have significantly increased their investments in this country last year. The investments by companies located in the archipelago rose to 1,140 billion Yen of 36.5% of the total. North American companies have been particularly active, ahead of German and Swiss companies. - Zimbabwe: foreign investment in Zimbabwe fell 61% between January and April 2001 compared to the same period in the previous year, indicated the Zimbabwe investment centre, which explains this phenomenon through bad macro-economic conditions (strong inflation, shortage of foreign currencies) and the political and social troubles. Only 24 foreign investment projects were approved over the period against 63 previously. Chinese companies were the most numerous to invest, followed by British.