Rakuten Today: Mickey's Voice

A simple concept may work well for a time, but it may act as a hurdle to future innovation and evolution. Unchecked, simplicity can become a trap.

May 22, 2019 2 min read

Simplicity: It’s Complicated

Many experts argue the case for business simplicity. A simple product or service is appealing to customers, popular with investors and can be cost effective to deliver. It’s no surprise then that simplicity has become such a buzzword in corporate circles. But while simplicity has its merits, it can also have downsides. Companies that over-index on simplicity risk long-term health. A simple concept…

The cashless future is coming and it will be a boon to both businesses and customers

April 26, 2019 2 min read

The cashless future is coming: why businesses should embrace it

Someday soon, money as we know it — the bills and coins we count and carry with us — will be as quaint and collectible as vinyl records. Consumers are already comfortable with credit and debit cards, and mobile payment apps like Rakuten Pay, the QR code payment platform most frequently used by Japan smartphone users, are quickly growing in popularity around the world. Now the next evolution is upo…

Rakuten CEO Mikitani makes a point of speaking directly to employees around the world, answering their questions and explaining the reasons behind major company decisions, a practice critical to generating – and maintaining – buy-in.

April 10, 2019 3 min read

Getting your team on board

After the publication of her book on the language of global success, Harvard Business School professor Tsedal Neeley came to visit us at Rakuten Crimson House in Tokyo and share her thoughts on helping to chart the early success of our Englishnization Project. At our all-hands meeting, she highlighted several reasons for our success in the process of adopting English as our corporate language. One…

The imaginary audience: The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, try this exercise: Imagine you are an objective third party, watching the story play out on TV.

March 28, 2019 3 min read

The imaginary audience in times of crisis

The next time you find yourself in a difficult situation, try this exercise: Imagine you are an objective third party, watching the story play out on TV. Sit back and view your drama as if you were in the audience instead of the action. How does it look from the outside? Is it a small issue or a major crisis unfolding before your eyes? Are you making the right moves or making it worse? We may make…

January 9, 2019 3 min read

Redefining expectations: Why we’re powering Stephen Curry’s ‘Underrated Tour’

Today, we announced a new partnership with NBA star Stephen Curry. As one of the most exciting and innovative players ever seen not just in the NBA but across all sports, we’re honored to connect the Rakuten brand with Stephen, but this partnership is not based solely on recognized sporting excellence. This new partnership is rooted in shared values and experiences: With remarkable track records o…

"In 2019, our ambition is not only to become the greatest company in Japan – we want to become the greatest company in the world," says Rakuten CEO Mickey.

January 8, 2019 3 min read

Welcoming in the New Year: An optimistic outlook for 2019

2018 was a special year for Rakuten for many reasons. It was a year of tremendous growth: with our global registered membership surpassing 1.3 billion and transactions on our platforms around the world now approaching USD140 billion. More qualitatively, it was a year that saw Rakuten take a big step forward in terms of brand identity. We introduced a new logo that underscores our identity, launche…

Customers judge us, every day, on the service we provide. And their standard is nothing short of perfection. That's why the Key Perfection Indicator is...

December 21, 2018 2 min read

How to win over customers this Christmas season: The Key Perfection Indicator

What does it take to win over customers during the busiest shopping season of the year? If you answered low prices, fast shipping or popular products, you’re only partly right. These elements are important to shoppers, of course, but the measure that customers will judge you by and remember you for is service. Customers judge us, every day, on the service we provide. And their standard is nothing…

Imagine you are writing your own obituary. Start with the job you hope you will have at the end and work backward, considering along the way what steps...

November 22, 2018 2 min read

Write your own obituary before planning your next career move

It may sound macabre, but envisioning your own death is a good way to generate a successful plan. We are used to thinking about our lives in forward motion—noting where we are right now and picturing our next steps. Of course, thinking forward is useful, but it is not the only kind of thinking that can help you. We are less used to thinking backward. When we take the time to reverse our convention…

October 18, 2018 2 min read

Our New Logo: Speed and Unity

I flew into San Francisco Airport from Asia recently and had an experience that made me realize how important it is to tell Rakuten’s brand story. As I went through customs, the agent asked me what I did for a living. I said, “I work for Rakuten.” “Oh,” he responded. “I know Rakuten. Golden State Warriors sponsor! What do you do for Rakuten?” I answered, “I’m the CEO.” At this point, the cus…

Japan requires immigration to prosper in the 21st century. Our old economic model based on manufacturing has reached its limits. In this digital century...

June 23, 2018 3 min read

Opening Japan’s doors for immigration

Japan needs immigrants and it needs to start calling them by that name. An aging population means our population of 127 million looks set to shrink by 16 million by 2040. Faced with a 2.5% unemployment rate, hotels, farms and construction sites are struggling to fill positions. An open-to-the world, internet-savvy, and service-oriented Japan requires workers with diverse skills from around the wo…