Nokia to launch mobile phone service in Japan next spring

Finnish cell phone maker Nokia plans to start mobile phone service in Japan, probably next spring, with an eye to expanding the market share of its own handsets, sources close to the matter said over the weekend. It would be the first time a cellphone handset maker made inroads into telecommunication services in Japan, the sources said. The move is likely to intensify competition among other domestic cell phone carriers such as NTT Docomo Inc, observers say. According to the sources, Nokia is contemplating starting the mobile phone service in a form called mobile virtual network operator, under which the Finnish manufacturer will use communication lines owned by NTT Docomo.The world’s largest cellphone maker will sell high-end handset models in Japan, targeting wealthy consumers, to strengthen its brand image, the sources said.