Tech & Innovation
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Blog
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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Rakuten and Uber strengthen their partnership with Rakuten ID integration
Last month, Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO, Mickey Mikitani, and Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, came together to announce a significant strengthening of their partnership, beginning with the integration of Rakuten ID. By connecting Uber with Rakuten ID, a core component of the Rakuten Ecosystem, the two companies will enable customers to seamlessly earn Rakuten points through services on both the Ub…
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Rakuten Travel makes a global leap forward
For more than two decades Rakuten Travel has been a trusted platform for travelers exploring Japan. It is known for its depth of listings, attention to detail and a customer-first approach rooted in Japanese hospitality. Today that same service philosophy is now extending its reach to a global scale. With hotel booking now available across more than 400,000 properties worldwide, Rakuten Travel is…
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Deepfakes and agent manipulation: Staying secure in the age of AI
The session on AI Security at Rakuten Technology Conference 2025 in Tokyo kicked off like any other: Rakuten’s Nagayasu Kano was joined onstage by Cisco Systems Principal Architect Tiju Johnson to explore the perils and pitfalls of the AI boom. The two were soon joined via video link by a third speaker: Rakuten’s own Tech PR lead. Only the keenest observers noticed that the figure on the screen ha…
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A big year for Rakuten Mobile: Nine major milestones
From satellite video calls to AI assistants in your pocket, 2025 was a breakthrough year for Rakuten Mobile. Five years since launching as Japan’s newest carrier, the company has continued steady growth, reaching 10 million subscribers, while taking the lead in new technologies and customer satisfaction. Here are nine standout moments from a year that showed just how far Rakuten Mobile has come. 1…
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Inside Rakuten AI: Neil Primozich on Rakuten AI-powered ads empowering merchants
In this series, we sit down with Rakuten AI leaders for a deep dive into the stories behind this transformative technology and the inspiring individuals driving Rakuten’s vision of AI for all. Watch this interview and others in the Inside Rakuten AI series on our YouTube channel. Digital advertising is a dynamic field where artificial intelligence is already adding value b…
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