Rakuten Optimism 2024: Rakuten Group’s Largest Interactive Event Coming to Tokyo Big Sight in August

- Michael Martin, Kashiwa Sato and other industry leaders join Rakuten’s marquee event
- Discover cutting-edge AI and mobile technologies and experience the immersive Rakuten Ecosystem

Tokyo, June 3, 2024 - Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that Rakuten Optimism 2024, the Rakuten Group’s largest interactive event, will be held as a free, on-site event from Thursday, August 1 to Sunday, August 4 at Tokyo Big Sight.

Rakuten Optimism, now in its fifth year, aims to deepen understanding of the services and ideals underpinning the Rakuten Ecosystem and provide opportunities for new and exciting discoveries. Registration for the business conference is now available, free of charge, on the  official website^*1, as well as the latest information on guest speakers and other event details^*2.

In addition to the business conference, which brings together top industry leaders from Japan and abroad, Rakuten Optimism also features the Future Festival, an interactive event showcasing cutting-edge technologies in AI and mobile, as well as the immersive Rakuten Ecosystem.

Under the theme of “Beyond Innovation, Envisioning the Future,” the business conference will gather thousands of attendees for sessions and panel discussions covering e-commerce, fintech, telecommunications, sustainability and more. With the advent of AI, the event will delve into both the societal impact and the unlimited potential brought about by our increasingly digitalized world. The four-day event will feature a keynote speech by Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani and sessions with other top business leaders including Miyoko Nakashima, Market Strategist and Vice President of Mizuho Securities, Michael Martin, CEO of 1&1 Mobilfunk, and more.

Continuing from last year, the interactive Future Festival event, which can be enjoyed free of charge without prior registration, will enable participants to experience the breadth of the Rakuten Ecosystem through its various services. Event booths will allow visitors to  experience cutting-edge technologies including the latest in telecommunications from Rakuten Mobile, AI-powered golf swing analysis, photo content and more. Additionally, attendees can enjoy purchasing and tasting specialty products and delicacies from across Japan. Rakuten’s official mascot character, Rakuten Panda, will also make an appearance this year. A photo spot re-creating the home of the beloved mascot will be available, and visitors can purchase original goods adorned with new Rakuten Panda illustrations. Furthermore, a dedicated area will showcase the Rakuten Panda TV anime series Rakuten Panda! set to air this fall. The event venue will be completely cashless^*3.

Rakuten Optimism was first held in Japan at Pacifico Yokohama in 2019, and in 2021 and 2022, it was held online. Last year, the event returned to an in-person format at Pacifico Yokohama, attracting approximately 106,000 attendees. Marking the fifth iteration of the marquee event, Rakuten Optimism 2024 offers participants opportunities to discover new aspects of the Rakuten Ecosystem, including advanced AI initiatives and mobile experiences.

Further updates on the business conference speakers, talk session details and the latest information on interactive event content will be provided on the official website.

Rakuten aims to transform and enrich society by challenging conventional wisdom. Through Rakuten Optimism 2024, the Group aims to expand the realm of possibilities enabled by technological breakthroughs and provide a platform where people can embark on a journey of discovery towards a more optimistic future.

Notes
*1 All speakers and program information are accurate as of the time of release and are subject to change in the future.
*2 For registration details and more information, please visit the Rakuten Optimism 2024 official site.
*3 Payments only available through Rakuten Pay (app), Rakuten Edy, Suica and other transportation e-money, Rakuten Card, Mastercard, American Express, Visa and JCB-branded credit cards, Rakuten Bank Debit Card (JCB and Visa) and branded debit cards. Suica is a registered trademark of the East Japan Railway Company.

Selection of featured business conference speakers (As of June 3, 2024)
Business conference page on the Rakuten Optimism 2024 official site:
https://optimism.rakuten.co.jp/2024/conference/

Guest speakers (*Alphabetical order)
・Michael Martin, CEO, 1&1 Mobilfunk
・Miyoko Nakashima, Market Strategist and Vice President, Mizuho Securities
・Kashiwa Sato, Creative Director, SAMURAI Representative

MCs (*Alphabetical order)
・Ayako Kisa, Freelance Announcer
・Hasen Kuniyama, Producer
・Harry Sugiyama, Television Celebrity

Rakuten speakers
・Mickey Mikitani, Rakuten Group, Chairman and CEO
・Yasufumi Hirai, Rakuten Group, Group Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff to the CEO & Group Executive Vice President of Special Project Division
・Naho Kono, Rakuten Group, Group Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
・Akihito Kurozumi, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer & Chief Information Officer (CIO)
・Kazuhiro Suzuki, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Representative Director and Co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile, Representative Director, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Communications, & Representative Director and President of Rakuten Energy
・Shunsuke Yazawa, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer & Representative Director and President of Rakuten Mobile
・Ting Cai, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, CDO (Chief Data Officer), & Group Senior Managing Executive Officer of Technology Services Division
・Sharad Sriwastawa, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Representative Director, Co-CEO and CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Rakuten Mobile & Representative Director and President of Rakuten Symphony
・Masatada Kobayashi, Rakuten Group, Group Managing Executive Officer & CWO (Chief Well-Being Officer)
・Ryo Matsumura, Rakuten Group, Group Managing Executive Officer & Senior Vice President of Commerce & Marketing Company
・Takano Yoshiyuki, Rakuten Group, Group Managing Executive Officer & Vice President of Travel & Mobility Business

 Selection of Future Festival event content (As of June 3, 2024)
 Shopping booths
・Popular products from Rakuten Ichiba stores nationwide
・Limited-edition merchandise available for purchase featuring Rakuten's official mascot, Rakuten Panda

Food and beverage booths
・Smoothies made with organic vegetables from Rakuten Farm
・Gourmet foods sold across Japan

Hands-on experience booths
・Experience cutting-edge technology including Rakuten Mobile communications technology, AI-powered golf swing analysis, photo content and more
・A dedicated Rakuten Panda area with a photo spot recreating the mascot’s home

Event overview
Event name: Rakuten Optimism 2024
Dates: Thursday, August 1 to Sunday, August 4
Location: Tokyo Big Sight, 3 Chome-11-1 Ariake, Koto City, Tokyo 135-0063
https://www.bigsight.jp/english/visitor/access/
Cost: Free admission (Pre-registration required for business conference)
Hosted by: Rakuten Group
Official site: https://optimism.rakuten.co.jp/en
Register here: https://optimism.rakuten.co.jp/2024/registration/

*Speakers and content information are accurate as of the time of release and are subject to change in the future. All company names, product names, service names, etc. mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of the respective companies.