Rakuten Auction Inc. (“Rakuten Auction,” President Toru Funaki, Head Office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) was awarded the tender for the FY2011 “Internet Auction” (*1) from the National Tax Agency, and will hold a public auction dealing with real estate and automobile listings from the Agency.
Rakuten Auction launched its services in November 2006. Since then, it has enhanced user convenience through facilities such as the escrow service “Rakuten Anshin Payment Service” that allows users to stay anonymous, and has provided a safe and secure transaction environment for a large number of personal and corporate users.
Utilizing the knowhow that it has accumulated through its Internet auction services, Rakuten Auction has now developed a new auction system aimed at government agencies. The FY2011 “Internet Auction” will be held three times, and the first auction is scheduled for September.
In the future, Rakuten Auction plans to expand its service offerings to include the “Online Sale of Public Property” (*2). Although the online sale of public property has already been implemented in several local government bodies, it has not yet been implemented in most central government ministries and agencies. The Cabinet Office’s Government Reform Congress is reviewing the online sale of public property by the central government as one of the measures for increasing government revenue, and the market is expected to expand further.
Furthermore, Rakuten Group is taking steps to promote cooperation with various local government bodies. This “Government Auction” is one of the many efforts it has taken, and it will work to further strengthen collaborative ties with local governments.
With the aim of providing services to an even greater number of users, Rakuten Auction will continue to enhance the convenience and usability of its Internet auction services, and to enhance security for its users.
*1 Refers to the online bidding and sale of property foreclosed by the National Tax Agency or taxation bureaus.
*2 Refers to the online bidding and sale of property owned by public administrative agencies.