In Japan, Kubota's combine harvesters and transplanters have helped achieve mechanized operations for rice planting and harvesting (the most labor-intensive process in rice cultivation), reducing labor and improving efficiency. With the rapid mechanization of rice cultivation in Asia, Kubota is committed to promoting the rice cultivation machinery technology used in Japan to other countries, providing solutions for market development outside of Japan. In 1998, Kubota established a company in China that manufactures combine harvesters and rice transplanters in order to design optimized products that reflect local demand. In 2007, the company launched sales of fully fed harvesters in Thailand, the largest market in the region; Sales have achieved steady growth. In 2010, Kubota began producing products in Thailand to establish a supply framework that meets the future sales growth brought about by the expansion of the Thai market, as well as the future sales growth of other countries (including Vietnam and India). Through these steps and measures, Kubota is actively developing its business to establish the Kubota brand in the Asian market.