TOKYO -- Japanese cement companies are expanding their footprint in the U.S., seeking to tap the surge in housing demand there as well as an expected construction boom ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "We'll aim for mergers and acquisitions if the opportunity arises," Taiheiyo Cement President Yoshifumi Taura has said. "We can invest 50 billion yen [$338 million] without any problems."