Can Vodafone's Japan unit turn it around?

Vodafone said its business won't be impacted by a massive impairment charge at the company and that it's making good progress in turning its Japanese unit around after suffering from a delayed 3G launch and intense competition from rivals. Vodafone by far has the lowest market share of the nation's three competitors, and it's difficult to compete in this super-saturated market. To make matters worse, number portability is coming to Japan. This may be the make or break year for Vodafone in Japan as it works to combat its rivals with more innovative services and handsets. The carrier recently announced new Vodafone Live! content and new 3G handsets.

To read more about Vodafone's efforts in Japan:
- take a look at this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)
- read this piece from BusinessWeek