JAPAN: Kao Corporation is joining forces with 25 major retailers in Asia outside Japan, including Indonesia’s Matahari and Malaysia’s Giant. Kao hopes to achieve annual growth of more than 10% in Asian sales and seeks to narrow the lead of U.S. and European rivals in the region. The partners operate supermarkets, drug stores and other outlets in eight countries and regions, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. Kao intends to have about 30 partners eventually....