Japan, still struggling to find a way out of its bad-loan quagmire, is looking for salvation from a "guru" credited with turning around whole sectors of U.S. industry.
While remaining noncommittal on any business deals here, Jay Alix has been keenly watching Japan and giving government officials and businesspeople tips on how to get debt-ridden companies back on their feet.
Working as a certified public accountant in New York 25 years ago, Alix was curious about why so many companies were unprofitable.