Sony expects China to surpass Japan to become its second largest market after the US within the next few years, the Wall Street Journal reported. "China is the fastest growing geographic region in which we operate," Sony CEO Howard Stringer said at the opening ceremony of the company's ExploraScience museum in Beijing. Stringer and acting Sony China chairman Shizuo Takashino hope to install a Chinese management team to oversee the technology company's operations in the country. However, Stringer refused to comment on the recall of millions of defective laptop computer batteries, which has cost the company US$428.9 million. Sony has a range of China-focused products in the pipeline following the April release of the Walkman P series, a music player with in-built voice recorder that displays Chinese lyrics and photos on its screen. The company plans to launch its 16-millimeter thick liquid-crystal-display television exclusively in China.