Microsoft Cuts Deal With Japanese Firm

Softbank Corp. of Japan and Microsoft Corp. said Thursday they will establish a joint venture to develop software games for Microsoft’s new Windows 95 operating system.

The new Tokyo-based joint venture will be capitalized at 450 million yen, or about $5.3 million, with Softbank taking a 60 percent stake and Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft holding a 40 percent share.

The long-awaited release of Windows 95, delayed several times, is scheduled for August.

Softbank also announced it has bought a 41 percent stake in Kinesoft Development Corp., a U.S. developer of tools used to translate game software to Windows 95, for $12 million.

The investment in the Illinoisbased company is aimed at quicker introduction of game software to the market by using Kinesoft’s technology to translate software to Windows 95, Softbank said.