After getting off to a shaky start nearly a decade ago, Kinko's Japan Co. is ready to open its 24-hour business support centers nationwide, according to President Ryozo Nishida.

With innovations in information technology expected to boost the number of small office/home office (SOHO) operators in Japan, Nishida foresees a growing need for his company's round-the-clock services.

"Having opened 43 shops in four major cities -- Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, our presence in Japan has been raised," said Nishida, who took over Kinko's Japan's presidency in 1997. "From the beginning of next year, we'll start expanding our network to local cities."