DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($) currency Y	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($) currency Y	Sep. 30, 2011 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2011 Cash flow hedges Dedesignated USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 Variable interest rate yen-denominated Samurai notes due July 2014 JPY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable interest rate yen-denominated Samurai notes due July 2014 JPY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2012 2.65% senior notes due February 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 2.65% senior notes due February 2017 JPY (¥)	Jul. 31, 2012 2.65% senior notes due February 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2012 2.65% senior notes due February 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2012 2.65% senior notes due February 2017 JPY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2012 4.00% senior notes due February 2022 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 4.00% senior notes due February 2022 JPY (¥)	Feb. 29, 2012 4.00% senior notes due February 2022 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2012 4.00% senior notes due February 2022 JPY (¥)	Sep. 30, 2012 5.50% subordinated notes due September 2052 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 5.50% subordinated notes due September 2052 JPY (¥)	Oct. 31, 2012 Subsequent Event Issuance of Debt 5.50% subordinated notes due September 2052 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2012 Subsequent Event Issuance of Debt 5.50% subordinated notes due September 2052 JPY (¥)
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of currencies related to foreign currency swaps	2		2
Hedging activity, weighted-average period (in years)	13		13
Notes payable, principal amount						¥ 5,500,000,000	¥ 5,500,000,000	$ 650,000,000		$ 250,000,000	$ 400,000,000		$ 350,000,000		$ 350,000,000		$ 450,000,000		$ 50,000,000
Debt instrument effective principal amount after cross currency swap												30,900,000,000				27,000,000,000		35,300,000,000		3,900,000,000
Notes payable, effective principal amount									30,900,000,000					27,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage						1.34%	1.34%	2.65%	2.65%	2.65%	2.65%	2.65%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%	5.50%	5.50%	5.50%	5.50%
Notes payable, effective interest rate						1.475%		1.22%	1.22%		1.22%	1.22%	2.07%	2.07%	2.07%	2.07%	4.41%	4.41%	4.42%	4.42%
Foreign currency swaps used in cash flow hedging, notional amount of swaps de-designated					500,000,000
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into earnings related to cash flow hedges	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into earnings related to net investment hedges	0	0	0	0
Derivative, Amount of Hedged Item								$ 400,000,000					$ 350,000,000				$ 450,000,000		$ 50,000,000