kanebo representatives have declined to comment on the case, saying they have yet to receive the suit documents, but they say that as of this february, some 18,000 people in japan have complained of skin blotches caused by its cosmetics. >>> let's now get the latest business stories from ron madison. >>> most japanese executives expect prices to rise in the next twelve months but they don't think inflation will reach the target that the central bank officials have set. the bank of japan for the first time used its quarterly tankan survey to ask business people about price trends. executives predict consumer prices will rise an average 1.5 million over the next year, excluding the effects of the consumption tax increase. that's lower than the bank's 2% inflation target, and more than half the business people the bank surveyed say prices of their own products and services will basically stay flat. >>> moving on to the markets now, stock prices here in asia took a positive lead from the u.s. major bourses in the region finished higher. overnight gains in u.s. equities boosted risk appeti