Rakuten Communications Launches J-TripGateway, a Prepaid SIM Card and Smartphone App Service for International Visitors to Japan

Tokyo, January 22, 2018 – Rakuten Communications, a subsidiary of global innovation leader Rakuten Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, today announced the launch of its tourism and information smartphone service “J-TripGateway”. This mobile advertising service will provide foreign tourists to Japan internet access in a new and entertaining way.

J-TripGateway combines a prepaid SIM card with a sightseeing information smartphone app which allows visitors to Japan to “earn” mobile data by viewing advertising content on their smartphones before and during their stay in Japan. Advertising content partners include Taiwan tourist activity booking service KKday Tours, as well as Rakuten services Voyagin and Rakuten Ticket, and tour and sightseeing information provided by travel companies in Japan.

Rakuten Communications will start to sell pre-paid J-TripGateway SIM cards online on AeroBile.com in Taiwan beginning today and, at a later date, through Rakuten Taiwan Ichiba, other e-commerce enterprises and travel agencies in Taiwan. Plans to expand the service across Asia, Europe and the Americas in the future are also under consideration.

As the number of tourists visiting Japan has increased steadily in recent years, the strategic promotion of tourism has been positioned as an important policy for economic growth. The Tourism Vision to Support the Future of Japan announced by the Japanese government is targeting the number of visitors to increase to 40 million by 2020 and 60 million by 2030. Almost half (46.1%) of foreigners visiting Japan have identified free Wi-Fi access as an important service to make their stay in Japan more convenient, (Note), suggesting there is a strong need for easy and convenient internet access when visiting Japan.

Through offering J-TripGateway, Rakuten Communications is aiming to contribute to the growth of the tourism industry in Japan by providing tourists with convenient mobile internet access as well as connecting regional governments and domestic and foreign corporations looking to promote their services and information with foreign travelers visiting Japan.

Notes:
 Source: “Consumption trends of foreigners visiting Japan, July to September 2017” - Japan Tourism Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.

Advertising content providers
・KKday Tours (Local tourist activity booking service)
・Voyagin (Local tourist activity booking service)
・Nippon Rent-a-car (Car rental service)
・Rakuten Ticket (Entertainment ticket booking service)
**Additional advertising content is expected to be made available in the future

Fees and Data Specifications

Note
Advertising free mobile internet access is available by purchasing additional data for 700 yen (recommended price) for 500 MB, limited to 5 times per day. Purchased top-up data can be used for the remainder of the 7 day period.

Further information
https://comm.rakuten.co.jp/kojin/tsim/tsim.html

About Rakuten Communications
Rakuten Communications, subsidiary of global innovation leader Rakuten, Inc., is an Information and Communications Technology company that strives to create new value for a digital society. In addition to existing fixed-line communication services including IP phone, Myline and internet connection services, the company offers mobile and cloud solutions to position its customers for a digital future. Rakuten Communications Corp. aims to expand by development of the potential of the IP platform, across voice, data, media and applications.
For more information: https://comm.rakuten.co.jp/english/company/