Entrust Technologies Inc, the Richardson, Texas-based public key infrastructure (PKI) software company has established a Japanese joint venture in conjunction with its existing partner there, Secom Co Ltd. Entrust Japan Co will be the exclusive distributor of its PKI products, which manage digital keys and certificates. Entrust and Secom started work on localizing the software for the Japanese market in the second quarter and Secom is in the process of establishing a certification authority. Entrust would not put a date on when the localization will be complete except that it will be done in the near future, according to chief financial officer Michelle Axelson. The establishing of the certification authority is dependent on the Japanese localization. The largest shareholder in Entrust Japan is Secom and it will be run by Yoichi Tao, a Secom director. Entrust holds less than 15% and other major shareholders include NTT Data Corp, Sony Corp and Orix Corp. Entrust is 52%-owned by Canadian telecommunications equipment company Nortel Networks Inc, nee Northern Telecom Ltd.á
