In October 2001 The Economist chose Japanese startup EIS Ltd as its partner to launch The Economist Japanese online service on the Web. Fukuoka-based EIS was established in August 2001 by five business managers with extensive national and international business experience and interested in bringing the world's leading economic and political magazines to Japanese business leaders to help stimulate reflection about the country's economic and political future. We asked Ms Rie Takeishi, President and CEO of EIS, about the business of turning The Economist into Japanese.