I thought at first it was Bridgestone, but after further investigation the logos don't quite match.

Got it, Belgard. See:

Japanese Equipment

And I found a catalog selling this protector for 55650 yen, which right now is just about $600. It's over twice the cost (in the same catalog) of a WV Platinum.

http://www.go-stop-call.com/gsccotalog2.pdf

Here is a link to the html page for Belgard at the Go-Stop-Call site:

–ì‹…—p•iƒxƒ‹ƒK�[ƒhŠ”Ž®‰ïŽÐ‚Ì�R”»—p•i”Ì”„�@‘S“ú–{“–ì‹…˜A–¿Œö”F�@ ‘S“ú–{ƒ\ƒtƒgƒ{�[ƒ‹‹¦‰ïŒö”F‚Ì�R”»—p•i

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With these catalog pictures, does it strike you that it is Carlucci-like in design (no, I'm not suggesting in quality or fit! Copy cat maybe?) with a plate of some sort over their closed cell protector?

The translation seems to say they will put your name on for free...

That's mighty Japanese of them!:rolleyes:

Tak's CP was custom made specifically for him.

The poster who said he was a funny guy is spot on. The first time I met him he greeted me with a slight head bow and "Takeshi Hirabayashi...sorry about Pearl Harbor."

I believe he's about 42. He can speak English fairly well, but he frequently enjoys playing to some people's uneducated assumptions and will speak like a 1950's "Hollywood" caricature.