A pair of big building contractors from...

A pair of big building contractors from Japan and the United States announced that they had formed an association to explore possible joint ventures. The linkage was announced by New York-based Turner Corp., the biggest U.S. general contractor for buildings, and Kumagai Gumi Co., one of Japan’s big six contractors. Hal Parmelee, president of Turner Construction Co., Turner’s U.S. subsidiary said the linkage was prompted by a diplomatic agreement reached last month that would open the Japanese construction market wider to U.S. contractors.