Rakuten to Host Rakuten AI Optimism at Pacifico Yokohama, the Group’s Largest Business Event For the AI Era

Tokyo, June 1, 2026 – Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that it will host Rakuten AI Optimism, the Group’s largest annual business event dedicated to pioneering the AI era, from Wednesday, August 5 to Friday, August 7, 2026 at Pacifico Yokohama. Registration for the free three-day event begins today^*1 and the latest information on the speaker lineup and sessions for the Business Conference is now available on the official website^*2.

Rakuten is proactively driving "AI-nization," an initiative to accelerate the integration of AI throughout the Rakuten Ecosystem, with the ultimate goal of making AI available for all. Through this event, Rakuten will collaborate with partner companies to create a platform for learning and dialogue that transcends industry boundaries.

Now in its seventh year, Rakuten Optimism is an experiential event series launched in Japan in 2019 that has attracted approximately 840,000 participants to date*³. Building on last year’s theme of "Empowering the Future," this year’s Rakuten AI Optimism will dive deep into the potential of Agentic AI, exploring AI-driven transformation from multiple perspectives and providing attendees with the insights needed to take their next steps forward.

The business conference brings together visionary leaders to deliver keynotes and panel discussions across a variety of AI-centric themes. In addition to Rakuten’s own leadership team, led by Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani, the speaker lineup features prominent global experts, including Kaz Ataka, Professor at Keio University’s Faculty of Environment and Information Studies and Senior Strategist at LY Corporation, Miyoko Nakashima, Market Strategist and Director at Mizuho Securities, and Rieko Komiyama, Professor at Tokyo Gakugei University’s Graduate School of Education and Advisor to the President's Office at Kagoshima Horiguchi Seicha Co., Ltd. All session and panel discussions will be accompanied by English and Japanese AI-powered subtitles.

The exhibition area offers hands-on experiences with cutting-edge AI technologies and solutions designed to accelerate business growth. The floor will feature interactive booths showcasing AI content from various Rakuten services, corporate partner showcases, dedicated business networking spaces and a food and beverage area.

Attendees will also be able to purchase event-exclusive merchandise – such as rubber mirrors and hand towels – featuring Rakuten’s official mascot, Rakuten Panda. Further updates on speakers, session agendas and exhibition details will be provided on the official website.

Naho Kono, Rakuten Group, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) commented, "Now in its seventh year, Rakuten Optimism returns as an open venue for learning and co-creation that breaks down traditional barriers across industries. AI is now part of daily life – it’s in our infrastructure. By leveraging our ecosystem-driven data through Rakuten AI, we are creating hyper-personalization that delivers optimized, value-added experiences for all our customers. This year, alongside an expanded list of partner companies, we look forward to exploring the future of AI and providing visitors with actionable insights to enrich their businesses and daily lives.”

Rakuten is committed to empowering society and enriching lives by challenging conventional thinking. Through this event, Rakuten aims to provide a platform where attendees can engage with the transformative potential of next-gen technology and unlock new discoveries.

Notes
^*1 Advance registration (free of charge) is required to attend this event. Please see the Rakuten AI Optimism official website https://optimism.rakuten.co.jp/?wovn=en for further registration details.
^*2 Information is current as of the date of publication and is subject to change.
^*3 Figures for 2019, 2023 and 2024 represent the number of participants at the offline venue. In 2021 and 2022, as the event was held exclusively online, figures are based on the number of online viewers.

Event Overview
Event name: Rakuten AI Optimism
Dates: Wednesday, August 5 to Friday, August 7, 2026
Venue: Pacifico Yokohama, Exhibition Halls B, C, D (1-1-1 Minatomirai Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-0012, Japan)
Access: https://www.pacifico.co.jp/english/access 
Admission: Free (*Pre-registration required)
Hosted by: Rakuten Group
Official site: https://optimism.rakuten.co.jp/en
Registration URL: https://optimism.rakuten.net/public/application/add/438?wovn=en

Selection of featured business conference speakers (As of June 1, 2026)
Guest Speakers (*Alphabetical order)
Kaz Ataka, Professor, Faculty of Environment and Information Studies, Keio University and Senior Strategist, LY Corporation
Miyoko Nakashima, Market Strategist and Director, Mizuho Securities
Rieko Komiyama, Professor, Graduate School of Education, Tokyo Gakugei University and Advisor to the President’s Office, Kagoshima Horiguchi Tea Co., Ltd.

Rakuten Speakers
Mickey Mikitani, Rakuten Group, Chairman and CEO
Naho Kono, Rakuten Group, Group Executive Vice President, Group CMO
Akihito Kurozumi, Rakuten Group, Group Executive Vice President, Group CIO (Chief Information Officer) and Group CTO
Ryo Matsumura, Rakuten Group, Group Executive Vice President, President of Commerce & Marketing Company
Shunsuke Yazawa, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, President of Rakuten Mobile
Ting Cai, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Group CAIDO (Chief AI & Data Officer)
Sharad Sriwastawa, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Co-CEO and CTO of Rakuten Mobile, President of Rakuten Symphony
Yoshiyuki Takano, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Senior Vice President of Commerce & Marketing Company
Seiichiro Sonoda, Rakuten Group, Group Senior Managing Executive Officer, Fintech Segment Leader, President of Fintech Group Company
Masatada Kobayashi, Rakuten Group, Group Managing Executive Officer, Group CCuO (Chief Culture Officer)
Kazuhiro Suzuki, Rakuten Mobile, Co-CEO

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