Tech & Innovation
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Blog
Rakuten Product Conference 2026: The Agentic Enterprise Unveiled
There is a subtle shift underway in how we speak about AI. For years, the language was about efficiency. Tools that help write, recommend, optimize. Systems that sit alongside human effort, speeding things up, making things smoother. Lately, that framing feels insufficient. The question today is no longer what AI can do for us. It is what it can do together with us as a proactive assistant. This i…
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Rakuten’s new AI concierge is redefining the shopping experience
After nearly 30 years of searching keywords, Japan’s biggest online marketplace now has a brand-new way to navigate its vast catalog: Rakuten AI. Announced in December 2025, Rakuten Ichiba launched the new agentic AI concierge in its mobile app, giving shoppers a powerful alternative to the static search bar. Shoppers can engage the concierge in dialogue using text, voice, or even their phone’s ca…
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Rakuten is going all in on V-commerce with YouTube
In February 2026, Google and Rakuten announced a landmark partnership to bring the YouTube Shopping affiliate program to Japan. Local YouTube creators will now be able to tag specific products within their videos, which viewers can then purchase seamlessly through Rakuten Ichiba. YouTube has rolled out similar features in the U.S., South Korea, and other markets, and its Japanese debut is uniquely…
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Rakuten AI and Google are driving the next generation of autonomous agents
Superintelligent virtual assistants and autonomous robots still feel like something out of a science fiction novel. But are we really that far off? One session at the most recent Rakuten Technology Conference in Tokyo explored this very question. Rakuten’s Director of the AI Services Supervisory Department Taku Okoshi was joined by Hamidou Dia, VP of Applied AI Engineering at Google, for a discuss…
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Rakuten showcases Intelligent Growth vision at MWC Barcelona 2026
Open network architecture, diversifying revenue and adapting to an AI-driven era – those were just some of the hot telecom topics Rakuten spotlighted earlier this month at MWC Barcelona 2026, the world’s largest connectivity event. Exhibiting under the theme ‘Intelligent Growth,’ Rakuten conveyed how telcos can scale networks as software, embrace AI-powered solutions, and reimagine how netwo…
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Japan’s favorite credit card turns 20
When Rakuten Card celebrated its 20th anniversary in July of 2025, it did so as a category leader in Japan, with over 30 million cards issued and a reputation for innovation. But back in 2005, this outcome was far from guaranteed. Rakuten Card was established after Rakuten acquired Kyushu-based finance company Kokunai Shin…
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Rakuten Ichiba expands global access to the Japanese e-commerce market
Shoppers on Japan’s largest online marketplace now have more choice than ever: Rakuten Ichiba has expanded access to the platform for sellers from 22 global markets. The latest expansion welcomes merchants from Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and New Zealand. They join a roster that includes China, North America, Australia, the UK, Germany and Denmark. According to Takafumi Kanatani,…
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Tech & Innovation
How Japanese consumers are embracing AI
To better understand user sentiment around AI, Japanese market research organization MMD Labo carried out a large-scale survey on attitudes toward AI in digital services. The results reveal a public that is both curious about the potential of AI and cautious about where and how it should be used.
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Rakuten decodes Intelligent Growth at MWC 2026
With the world’s largest and most influential connectivity event just around the corner, the telecom industry finds itself at an inflection point. While hyperscalers and industry leaders continue to embrace cloud-native architectures, AI-powered automation, and robust ecosystem strategies to drive growth, others risk getting left behind. At Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2026, from March 2-…
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