On February 10, 2011, Rakuten, Inc. (“Rakuten,” Chairman and CEO: Hiroshi Mikitani, Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) and Okinawa Prefecture, concluded an agreement that calls for their cooperative efforts toward regional development through Internet services.
In May 2009, Rakuten, together with Okinawa Prefecture, established a jointly-planned page (http://event.rakuten.co.jp/area/okinawa/tieup/) on the Machi-Raku website (＊), and has since been sharing information on specialty products from Okinawa Prefecture and seasonal events in the prefecture with users across Japan. Following the conclusion of the latest cooperation agreement, Rakuten will further step up cooperative relations with Okinawa Prefecture.
On February 21, 2011, bitWallet, Inc. and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, both of the Rakuten Group, will sponsor a charity event together with Okinawa Prefecture as the first cooperative effort under the agreement.
Rakuten has deployed an e-commerce consultant at its Okinawa branch for Rakuten Ichiba since September 2008 to support the opening of shops for selling goods on the Internet. Through joint efforts based on the cooperation agreement, Okinawa Prefecture and Rakuten will make even greater contributions to the development of the Internet shopping businesses in the prefecture and also exert cooperative efforts toward regional revitalization on a number of fronts, including education and culture, through the Internet.
(＊) A website that transmits information on specialty products and tourism in various regions across Japan. The website is designed to contribute to regional revitalization by introducing and increasing sales of unique products in various regions in Japan.