International Business / The Pacific

Japanese Companies Propose 747 Remodeling: Five makers of heavy machinery--Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan Aircraft Manufacturing Co. and ShinMaywa Industries Ltd.--made a joint proposal to Boeing Co. to work with the Seattle-based company to expand the workhorse jetliner and extend its range. A Mitsubishi spokesman said Boeing hasn’t responded to the proposal and that no formal bid has been made. “We have not discussed costs or how much time it would take,” the spokesman said. “It’s too early for anything like that.” Should the five-company group take part in the remodeling effort, it will ask the Japanese government for financial assistance for development costs, the spokesman said.