The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has decided that Nova Corp., the nation’s largest English-language school chain, violated the Specified Commercial Transaction Law and ordered it to partially suspend business. Saying that Nova committed 18 types of violations, the ministry imposed a six-month ban on new contracts of more than one year or more…

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry on June 13 prohibited Nova Corp., which operates English conversation schools nationwide, from offering new contracts to students lasting longer than a year for the next six months. The ministry also will terminate, in the case of Nova, a subsidy to individuals that helps people acquire job skills, which…

[According to industry sources] the nation’s largest English language school chain is leaning toward a capital alliance as a way to improve its creditworthiness and secure operating expenses. [Nova] posted a net loss of 3 billion yen in fiscal 2005 and another net loss of 2.4 billion yen in fiscal 2006 as its expansion policy backfired.…

LOOKING TO DISPEL MARKET CONCERNS  Nova Corp. is considering issuing new shares to strengthen its capital and dispel market concerns that its business could worsen in the wake of the government’s order to suspend part of its operations, President Nozomu Sahashi said. Although the details have yet to be worked out, the embattled English-language school…

Over the last few years, Nova opened new classrooms at a phenomenal pace, but reduced the number of instructors at the same time. Students who wanted to cancel their contracts ran into serious trouble. It was as if Nova was ruthlessly exploiting people’s eagerness to improve their English. http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200706160079.html

Several companies in various industries, including retail firms, have offered capital and business alliances to Nova Corp., the nation’s largest English language school chain, Nova President Nozomu Sahashi said in an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun Friday.Sahashi said Nova, which was ordered by the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry to suspend part of its operations…

This is the first time that an English conversation school has been so harshly disciplined. However, it is a natural reflection of the shoddy way in which Nova has run its business–namely, engaging in a systematic deceit with the signing and canceling of course contracts. A detailed check of the management reveals 18 different rule…

Students and former employees of the Nova Corp. language school chain were critical of the company’s practices in light of its suspension Wednesday for six months from recruiting students on long-term contracts. Sadaaki Suwazono, director of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry’s Consumer Protection Division, detailed a list of 18 offenses, including exaggerated advertising claims…

Students routinely misled, METI says Nova Corp., the nation’s largest English-language school chain, was ordered by the government Wednesday to partially suspend business for six months for lying to customers about its services. Nova will be banned from selling long-term contracts for language lessons starting Thursday, officials of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry…