Transforming Entertainment Universes: How Rakuten TV Is Pioneering the Future of Content Accessibility and Diversity

A Richer, More Inclusive Content Ecosystem

This strategic shift isn’t just about abandoning old sales models; it’s about fostering a vibrant, diverse, and more engaging content universe. For example, Rakuten is set to introduce new ways of accessing Asian dramas, LGBTQ+ stories, and niche documentaries that resonate with specific communities. Picture a viewer eager to explore stories highlighting LGBTQ+ experiences—by 2026, they will be able to seamlessly access these narratives via new delivery formats like free channels, rentals, and curated playlists. Such inclusivity not only broadens cultural horizons but also significantly enhances viewer engagement by offering content tailored to diverse tastes. Moreover, these initiatives demonstrate Rakuten’s commitment to social progress and its recognition that entertainment should be a gateway to understanding and embracing differences—a key to truly connecting with a global audience.

Leading the Market with Innovation and Inclusivity

Rakuten’s strategic overhaul positions it as a trailblazer in the fast-evolving entertainment industry. Heavy investments in cutting-edge Connected TV (CTV) technology are central to this vision—integrating on-demand streaming, ad-supported content, and live broadcasts into a single, seamless platform. Imagine a busy family effortlessly switching from a hit movie rental to a live sports event or a cultural documentary—all within the same interface. This convenience, combined with innovative content offerings, including localized programming for diverse audiences, exemplifies Rakuten’s leadership. Plus, their focus on launching tailored content for underrepresented groups, such as LGBTQ+ communities, encapsulates a forward-thinking approach that not only satisfies current viewer demands but also anticipates future needs. This isn’t merely a market strategy; it’s a comprehensive movement toward a future where entertainment is more inclusive, personalized, and universally accessible—ensuring Rakuten remains at the forefront of digital innovation and user engagement.

https://breaking.dog/bab903d05fd348dcb36038f4e5a1f223?lang=en
 

The Global Open RAN Market size is projected to reach USD 4.0 billion in 2025 and grow at a compound annual growth rate of 40.8% to reach a value of USD 86.3 billion in 2034.

Published on : December-2025

The Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) is a modern approach in telecommunications that promotes the separation of hardware and software in the RAN architecture. By using open interfaces and standards, Open RAN enables multi-vendor interoperability, allowing telecom operators to reduce dependency on single suppliers and encourage innovation. This flexibility supports network scalability and cost efficiency, especially as demand for 5G and future wireless technologies grows.

Globally, Open RAN adoption is gaining traction as operators seek flexible and programmable network solutions. Key developments include pilot deployments, collaborations between vendors, and the integration of Open RAN in urban and rural network expansions. Operators are leveraging Open RAN to optimize network performance, enhance automation, and reduce operational complexity. The market is also influenced by regulatory initiatives promoting open and interoperable networks, which have accelerated adoption across multiple regions.

Open RAN is expected to play a crucial role in enabling private networks for enterprises, supporting edge computing, and facilitating multi-vendor ecosystems. By disaggregating traditional RAN components, it allows for easier upgrades, faster deployment cycles, and more competitive solutions in the telecommunications industry.

https://dimensionmarketresearch.com/report/...billion%2520in%25202034
 

Telefónica CTO Predicts Open RAN Massificatio by 2025

Within four years, “if everything is going well, up to 60%, 70% of the total deployment of radios will be done with this architecture,” Telefónica CTO Enrique Blanco said.

October 06, 2021

By Matt Kapko

https://www.sdxcentral.com/news/...ts-open-ran-massification-by-2025/
 

Discover the Taste of Europe at the Rakuten Ichiba EU Food Fair

12 November 2025

We hope you enjoyed the delectable journey through European flavours during the previous European Food Fair campaigns with Japan’s leading e-commerce platform, Rakuten Ichiba. Building on this success, we are delighted to announce the next edition of the EU Food Fair, taking place from 17 November to 16 December 2025!

The EU Food Fair is an exclusive e-commerce campaign that invites Japanese consumers to discover and enjoy the finest European food and drink products – from premium meats and delicious dairy items to fresh fruits and vegetables, indulgent confectionery, exquisite olive oils, and fine wines.
This year’s campaign features exciting new elements to make the experience even more rewarding. Shoppers can earn Rakuten Super Points when purchasing eligible EU products after clicking “Entry” here. In addition, over 5,000 exclusive discount coupons will be available for a wide range of European products, encouraging more people to explore and enjoy the authentic tastes of Europe.

With these new features, the campaign promises to bring even more authentic European flavours to Japanese homes while rewarding shoppers for their curiosity and loyalty.

https://enjoy-its-from-europe.campaign.europa.eu/...hiba-eu-food-fair
 

Rakuten Launches Trial Sales at Reuse Select by Rakuten Rakuma on December 22, 2025

Rakuten's Innovative Trial Sales Initiative

Rakuten Group, a prominent player in the e-commerce landscape, is set to launch a groundbreaking trial sales initiative on December 22, 2025. This initiative involves the establishment of an official reuse store called 'Reuse Select by Rakuten Rakuma' within its online shopping platform, Rakuten Ichiba. The move is aimed at expanding sales opportunities for sellers on the Rakuten Rakuma app, a popular flea market application, thereby enhancing customer reach and experience.

Expanding Opportunities for Sellers

On December 22nd, select sellers using the Rakuten Rakuma platform will have the opportunity to apply for listing their products on Rakuten Ichiba via a dedicated application page. This feature is designed specifically for individual users who meet certain criteria established by Rakuten. The products that are listed will be carefully curated, ensuring that only quality items are selected for the trial sales phase. This initiative effectively opens new avenues for Rakuma sellers, allowing them to access a larger pool of potential customers.

The initiative addresses a common concern among users regarding the safety and reliability of peer-to-peer transactions. By adopting the established mechanisms of Rakuten Ichiba, such as purchase experience and customer support, Rakuten aims to alleviate apprehensions that sellers and buyers may have during their transactions. Moreover, a special inspection service, known as 'Rakuma Strong Authentication,' will also be available for specific items, providing sellers with additional confidence in the quality of their products.

Seamless Transaction Experience

Products selected for sale on 'Reuse Select by Rakuten Rakuma' will be listed concurrently on Rakuten Rakuma, providing a seamless experience for both sellers and buyers. The sales process will mimic the existing procedures used by Rakuten Rakuma, where items can be shipped through convenience stores or post offices. This ensures that both parties can engage in transactions while keeping personal address information private.

Upon delivery of the purchased items, Rakuten Rakuma will take responsibility for confirming receipt and providing transaction evaluations on behalf of the buyers, thereby ensuring a shopping experience similar to what users would expect from standard purchases on Rakuten Ichiba. The initial categories for the products will encompass Entertainment & Hobbies, Ladies, and Men's items.

https://third-news.com/article/...0-9b11-9ca3ba0a67df#google_vignette
 

Rakuten Travel Expands Worldwide Hotel Booking, Giving Travelers Choice, Clarity and Rewards Across More Than 400,000 International Properties
- Expanded platform gives travelers access to a vast global network of hotels, resorts and unique stays with transparent pricing, intuitive search and ecosystem benefits

Tokyo, October 28, 2025 - Rakuten Group, Inc. today announced that its online travel agency, Rakuten Travel, is expanding its hotel booking services worldwide, giving travelers access to more than 400,000 accommodations across diverse destinations.

Previously focused on inbound and domestic travel in Japan, alongside outbound services from Japan, Rakuten Travel's enhanced platform now allows travelers to book hotels, resorts and unique stays around the world.

Since its launch in 2001, Rakuten Travel has built strong relationships with a wide range of accommodations across Japan, from small inns to luxury hotels and traditional Japanese ryokans. Local sales consultants work closely with each partner to optimize guest satisfaction and revenue. Rakuten Travel is now applying the same approach as it expands its service offerings and partnerships internationally, bringing its proven methods and collaborative spirit to travelers worldwide.

James Park, Director of Rakuten Travel Singapore, stated, “This launch marks a significant milestone for Rakuten Travel as we expand beyond our Japan-centric roots to become a truly global online travel agency. Building on our extensive experience serving travelers within Japan and welcoming visitors to the country, our goal is to make planning, booking and staying as smooth and rewarding as possible for every traveler.”

The new global hotel platform provides travelers with transparent pricing, showing the final cost upfront, inclusive of all taxes and fees, and offers access to more than 400,000 hotels, resorts and unique accommodations worldwide, with plans for continuous expansion.

Alongside an intuitive search, comparison and booking interface available in eight languages including English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong and Taiwan), Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese, the platform makes booking easy and efficient. Future integration with other Rakuten services will allow travelers to enjoy seamless experiences and enhanced loyalty rewards, adding even more value to every trip.

About Rakuten Travel
Rakuten Travel is a leading online travel agency in Japan. Launched in 2001, the service offers Japan’s broadest selection of local travel accommodation listings. With 14 offices in various countries and regions, Rakuten Travel is expanding its international operations and offers support in eight languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (Taiwan), Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong), Korean, Thai, Indonesian and Vietnamese. It is part of the Rakuten Group, which operates more than 70 businesses spanning e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications with 2 billion members around the world.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1028_02.html
 

Rakuten Group Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

A Discounted Cash Flow model estimates what a business is worth today by projecting the cash it could generate in the future and discounting those cash flows back to the present.

For Rakuten Group, the latest twelve month free cash flow is negative at roughly ¥23.2 billion, reflecting the heavy investment phase the business is in. Analysts and Simply Wall St projections suggest a sharp improvement ahead, with free cash flow expected to reach about ¥656.2 billion by 2029 and continue rising towards roughly ¥1.47 trillion by 2035, as loss making operations mature and capital intensity eases.

Using a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity model, these projected cash flows are discounted back to arrive at an intrinsic value of around ¥4,182 per share. Compared with the current market price, this implies the shares are trading at a 77.8% discount to that estimated value. This indicates a wide gap between the market’s cautious view and the model’s more optimistic long term outlook.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/...tion-recent-asset-020824558.html
 

Rakuten Securities adds Nikkei 225 options trading (large and mini) to the target stocks of "SOR orders" - Expansion of target stocks in addition to domestic stock and futures trading! Execute at the same or favorable price –

December 12, 2025

https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/company/newsrelease/fy2025.html
 

Udai Kanukolanu, Global Head of Sales for Rakuten Symphony, accepts the FutureNet World Award for Automation Solution

This is exactly where Rakuten Site Management changes the game. By delivering proactive, AI-powered insights across the entire site lifecycle, it ensures projects stay on track, on time, and on budget—no matter how complex the rollout.

And one of the toughest pieces of that puzzle? Fiber-optic cable management. As 5G and data center deployments explode, precise fiber planning, tracking, and documentation have become non-negotiable. Rakuten Symphony Fiber Manager within Rakuten Site Management solves this with end-to-end automation and real-time visibility.  

The industry has spoken—these aren’t just promises, they’re proven results backed by four major 2025 awards. What used to be the biggest bottleneck in telecom is now the fastest path to revenue. Rakuten Symphony turns complexity into velocity—getting sites live sooner, at lower cost, and with zero surprises.  

The future of site management isn’t just automated. It’s Symphonized!
AI-based business space automation

Our Internet Services business  unit won a prestigious GLOMO award for Best Mobile Innovation for Digital Life at MWC Barcelona.  

In an unstaffed business, nobody is around to turn out the lights. That’s where Rakuten NEO shines. This AI-based software can control all building systems – such as lights, heat, security systems, and more. The GLOMO award team saw that this new software can optimize the operation of unmanned businesses, reduce operational costs, and maximize business profits.

These awards are not for products  but for company citizenship and how we take care of employees.

The corporate awards we won include:

ET Edge – India’s Best Locations to Work in 2025

India Mobile Congress – Biggest Indian Telecom Technology Exporter of the Year

Both of the awards were earned as a result of our activities in India. This is the second year that we have been recognized as largest Indian technology exporter of the year. We have more than 3,000 employees in India, where we do a lot of our software and AI/ML development on products that are sold into markets across the globe.  

Keeping those employees happy and productive is a management  priority, and being named a best location to work was a great recognition of the workplace culture we strive for. This culture combines purpose with possibility and creates a workplace where every individual is empowered to grow, contribute and lead.
 

World’s Best Digital Banks 2025: Round II—Consumer Winners

December 15, 2025

Consumer banking is moving far beyond traditional branch-based models.

A clear trend is the ascendancy of the “super app” strategy, where institutions consolidate hundreds of functions—from daily banking and wealth management to lifestyle services like transport and stock trading—into a single, seamless digital ecosystem.

Complementing this is the pervasive integration of artificial intelligence (AI) that is evolving from a customer service tool to a core driver of personalized financial advice, fraud prevention, and hyperefficient digital lending.

Furthermore, the focus on user experience (UX) and robust information security has intensified, with banks prioritizing intuitive design, unified platforms, and advanced defense mechanisms like SIM-card fraud joint defense to build trust in a mobile-first world.

Finally, the pioneering of open-banking APIs and agile transformation demonstrates a move toward a more collaborative and financially inclusive industry, expanding access to underserved populations and leveraging technology to embed financial services deeper into customers’ daily lives.

Best Digital-Only Bank: Rakuten Bank

Rakuten Bank distinguishes itself within the competitive digital-only banking sector by adopting a full-service, universal-bank model. This approach moves beyond the typically limited offerings of many neobanks, providing a truly comprehensive suite of banking products and financial services accessible entirely through the bank’s robust online and mobile platforms. This universal digital scope caters to a broad clientele, serving the complete financial needs of both individual consumers and corporate entities.

The expansive array of services offered includes core banking functions such as standard banking, lending solutions, investment and wealth management, corporate finance, foreign exchange, and international services. By integrating these diverse financial pillars—from daily transactions to complex financing and investment—Rakuten Bank provides a singular, highly digitalized ecosystem where customers can manage virtually every aspect of their financial life without the need for a physical branch.

https://gfmag.com/award/award-winners/...5-round-ii-consumer-winners/
 

Rakuten Mobile Leads Japan in 5G Speeds While SoftBank Dominates Overall Network Performance in Q3 2025

December 15, 2025

In terms of 5G performance, Rakuten Mobile took the lead in Q3 2025, despite ranking third overall across all technologies. Rakuten posted a strong 5G download speed of 128.39 Mbps and upload speed of 22.34 Mbps, reflecing the effectiveness of its newer, cloud-native network architecture and targeted 5G deployment strategy.

Rakuten Mobile, Japan’s challenger operator, holds a smaller but growing position with about 8.6 million subscribers (roughly 4.1 percent market share). Rakuten has made aggressive investments to build its cloud-native 4G/5G network from scratch, spending approximately ¥168 billion in 2023 and ¥81 billion in 2024, with plans to raise Capex to around ¥150 billion in 2025 to sustain growth and broaden coverage. Cumulatively, Rakuten has invested an estimated ¥1.8 trillion (about US$11.8 billion) in its mobile infrastructure since launch, positioning itself for future expansion.

https://telecomlead.com/5g/...l-network-performance-in-q3-2025-123848

 

5 hours ago

“We need to talk about AI. What is going to happen? To business, to you, to the community, to the country, to the world?”

At the 17th Rakuten Technology Conference, held on November 15, 2025, Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani challenged an auditorium of engineers to rethink their assumptions around AI. The theme of the day: AI-nization with U.

“Is this another incremental innovation, or is it the fourth industrial revolution? Or is it something even bigger? Something fundamentally different?”

AI is about data, execution and talent

Mikitani broke down his perspective on AI into three key points. First: data.
“Rakuten is very unique in terms of the ownership of data,” Mikitani said. While many AI leaders rely mostly publicly available data for training, Rakuten leverages valuable transactional and behavioral data for its models.”

With over 70 different services in operation in Japan, Rakuten has access to an unparalleled data trove.
“Globally we have over 2 billion members. In Japan, we have 45 million monthly active users – meaning they actually transact. Maybe they use Rakuten Card, or Rakuten Ichiba, or Rakuten Bank. [Approximately] half the adults in Japan use Rakuten every month.”

But data is worth little without Mikitani’s second point: execution. He highlighted a few ways Rakuten is already putting AI to work.

“For Rakuten Pet Insurance, we used AI to improve efficiency by 28 percent and shorten processing time,” he revealed. “Rakuten Securities is providing AI stock analysis, analyzing 8,500 U.S. and Japanese stocks.”

Rakuten Ichiba and Rakuten Travel users also have access to personalized agents to help them shop and plan.

“For Rakuten Mobile, besides automated network management and automated recovery, we reduced electricity use by 20 percent. If all mobile companies did that, tens of billions of dollars would be saved.”

And the final piece of Mikitani’s AI trio: talent. “We believe hiring top talent is going to be key.”
Mikitani revealed that Rakuten will be assigning a Chief AI Officer to every business unit to help further accelerate AI adoption.

“Over 90% of Rakuten employees are users of our Rakuten AI for Rakutenians platform. We’ve created over 20,000 AI templates. Token usage has increased 17 times from last year,” he told the conference. “People use AI for knowledge management, search, planning, translation, QA, everything.”
It’s this level of employee buy-in that will make a company stand out in the AI-driven age. “Every single employee needs to really believe, if you can’t use AI, it will be difficult to thrive.”

Rakuten Mobile‘s ecosystem impact

At the foundation of Rakuten’s AI transformation is another major undertaking: connectivity. Now more than five years into full operation, the impact of Rakuten Mobile on the company has made itself clear.
“The reason we started this project is because mobile bills were becoming too expensive,” he explained. “That wasn’t good for many industries – for consumers, for tourism, for retail.”

Today, it enjoys some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry, and has become a core pillar of the Rakuten Ecosystem.

“When Rakuten members join Rakuten Mobile, they spend 50 percent more [on Rakuten Ichiba]. They spend 30 percent more with Rakuten Card. The nurturing effect of Rakuten Mobile on our ecosystem is very significant.”

Blazing a trail into a new age

“We’ve always been the trailblazer, or disruptor; a crazy company trying to do new things. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we fail.”

Over a decade ago, Mikitani’s Englishnization initiative pushed the company through a linguistic transformation, a gambit which is paying off in the tussle for AI talent.

“We have more than 4,000 engineers in India. We have Viber in Israel and Ukraine, Rakuten France, Rakuten TV in Barcelona, Kobo in Canada, Viki, and our ad business in Silicon Valley.”

As Rakuten becomes a “federation of global companies,” Mikitani challenged the conference to ponder how business should look in an AI-driven future.

“I think we can overlap what we did with our language transformation,” he said. “The way we manage business before and after the AI revolution: Will it be the same?”

https://rakuten.today/blog/mikitani-to-engineers-heres-whats-next.html

 

"Rakuten Pay" app wins the grand prize in the "Everyday Useful Category" at "Google Play Best of 2025"

November 21, 2025

Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Rakuten Payment") is pleased to announce that its cashless payment service "Rakuten Pay" app has won the Grand Prize in the "Everyday Useful Category" of the "Google Play Best of 2025".

The "Google Play Best of 2025" is an award given to apps and games that have gained popularity in Japan in 2025 from among Google Play content. This time, the "Rakuten Pay" app has won the Grand Prize in the "Everyday Useful Category", which is given to apps designed to make life easier and more efficient.

Takao Shiono, Managing Executive Officer and General Manager of the Product Development Division of Rakuten Payment, commented: "We are very honored that the 'Rakuten Pay' app has won the Grand Prize in the 'Everyday Useful Category' of the 'Google Play Best of 2025'.

The "Rakuten Pay" app has maintained high customer satisfaction through ease of use, safety and security, and a variety of value offerings such as payments. In recent years, it has been linked with various services, such as the Rakuten Group's main functions, to further improve user convenience. The recognition of this award is the greatest joy and great encouragement for the entire team.

We will continue to accelerate the use of AI and strive to improve our services so that not only existing payment functions but also Rakuten Group's fintech services can be used more smoothly. We will continue to strive to evolve beyond everyone's expectations."

The "Rakuten Pay" app is an app equipped with various cashless payments such as "Rakuten Pay", as well as functions that make every day fun by allowing you to shop and do poi activities with coupons. Some functions of "Rakuten Point Card", "Rakuten Edy", and "Rakuten Card" can be easily used with just one smartphone. Rakuten Group is also packed with useful features to support users in enriching their lives.

Rakuten Payment will continue to value the user's perspective and strive to further improve customer satisfaction by providing more friendly, convenient, and reliable payment services.

Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd. was established in April 2019 as a company within the Rakuten Group that develops services centered on payment and marketing. In the QR code payment industry of the 2nd Japan Customer Satisfaction Index Survey in FY2025, Rakuten Pay, which won the first place in "customer satisfaction" for three consecutive years for the first time in history, as well as "Rakuten Point Card", "Rakuten Check", and "Rakuten Pay" physical store payments. In addition, Rakuten Edy Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Rakuten Payment Co., Ltd., operates "Rakuten Edy" and "Rakuten Cash". We provide user-friendly, convenient, and secure payment services, and merchants provide business support through a wide range of payment services tailored to industries and business types, as well as marketing programs that utilize data.

https://payment.rakuten.co.jp/news/2025112100/

 

Carousell Luxury Opens First Verified Pre-Owned Luxury Bag Resale Store In Singapore At The Centrepoint

Shop Over 1,000 Verified Designer Bags And Enjoy Instant Valuation For Quick, Convenient Selling!
Carousell Luxury—the trusted pre-owned segment of the Carousell platform—has officially opened its first-ever permanent offline retail store! Located right in the heart of Singapore’s premier shopping district at The Centrepoint on Orchard Road, this 1,400 sqft flagship store reinforces Carousell’s commitment to providing a trusted, convenient, and omnichannel experience for buying and selling verified designer bags.

Moving beyond its digital-first roots, the new store offers locals and visitors the invaluable opportunity to physically browse, touch, and try on pieces before purchasing, complementing the massive inventory available online.

Step into the Centrepoint store and discover one of Singapore’s largest and most curated selections of pre-owned luxury items. With over a thousand handbags, accessories, and small leather goods from iconic houses like Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Gucci, there is something for every collector.

https://www.littlestepsasia.com/singapore/shop/...ry-the-centrepoint/

 

Using a 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity model, these projected cash flows are discounted back to arrive at an intrinsic value of around ¥4,182 per share. Compared with the current market price, this implies the shares are trading at a 77.8% discount to that estimated value. This indicates a wide gap between the market’s cautious view and the model’s more optimistic long term outlook.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/...-assessing-valuation-160829767.html
 

Rakuten Unveils Japan’s Largest High-Performance AI Model, Developed as Part of the GENIAC Project
- New “Rakuten AI 3.0” LLM achieves top scores in Japanese language benchmarks
- Delivers up to 90% cost reduction when powering Rakuten Ecosystem services

Tokyo, December 18, 2025 - Rakuten Group, Inc. today unveiled its latest AI model, Rakuten AI 3.0, a Japanese large language model (LLM) developed as part of the Generative AI Accelerator Challenge (GENIAC) project promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

The new model is based on a Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture and is now available for use across Rakuten services through the Rakuten AI Gateway, Rakuten’s internal platform offering a suite of GenAI APIs. Going forward, it will be rolled out sequentially through the Rakuten AI agentic platform to other Rakuten services. In addition, the model will be released as an open-weight model in Spring 2026.

Rakuten AI 3.0, the company’s largest LLM to date, is an approximately 700 billion parameter MoE model optimized for Japanese. Developed by leveraging the best models from the open source community and building on Rakuten’s high-quality, bilingual original data, engineering and research, it offers a superior grasp of Japanese language and culture. Rakuten AI 3.0 balances both performance and efficiency. Extensively trained on Rakuten’s robust data, Rakuten AI 3.0 delivered up to 90% cost reduction in trials when powering Rakuten Ecosystem services, compared with third-party frontier AI models.

In July 2025, Rakuten was selected for the third term of the GENIAC project to develop Japanese language-optimized AI models. Part of the training cost for Rakuten AI 3.0 was provided from the GENIAC project which offers support for computing resources necessary for Japan’s generative AI development.

Ting Cai, Chief AI & Data Officer of Rakuten Group, commented, "At Rakuten, we’re committed to developing high-quality, cost-efficient models that deliver transformative benefits to all – from the small ventures to global enterprises. Our strategy aims to enrich user experiences and provide tangible AI-driven value. With the launch of Rakuten AI 3.0, our most competitive model yet, we are set to elevate our offerings even further."

Watanabe Takuya, Director of AI Industry Strategy Office, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, commented, "We welcome the successful development of large scale, efficient AI models that deliver high performance. We look forward to seeing the implementation of Rakuten’s achievement to expand AI ecosystems and lead Japan’s AI industry.”

High-efficiency model trained at a large scale
The model activates approximately 40 billion parameters for each individual token within the total of approximately 700 billion parameters, while the remaining parameters stay inactive for increased efficiency. The total number of active parameters encompasses three dense layers as well as expert components, where each token routes through eight specialized experts in addition to the always-active shared expert. This innovative structure maintains high efficiency within the model when processing requests.

Model training was carried out on an in-house multi-node GPU cluster engineered by Rakuten. The model is deployed in Rakuten's isolated, secure cloud environment to ensure a high level of control of data security, with all data kept internally. The model is fine-tuned using proprietary, high-quality data optimized specifically for the Japanese market and Rakuten's business needs.

Best-in-class Japanese performance
After further fine-tuning of the foundation models for conversational and instruction following abilities, Rakuten conducted model evaluations on multi-turn conversational benchmarks also known as Japanese MT-Bench, which assesses model capabilities in actions including adopting and maintaining a persona, composing a compelling blog post or providing insights into technical terms. Scores of the new model were compared with leading models as well as Rakuten AI 2.0*8 and other previously released Rakuten LLMs.

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2025/1218_01.html

 

https://global.rakuten.com/corp/ai/  

Japan's Rakuten woos foreign sellers to fend off rivals Temu, Shein

Online marketplace steps up effort to win over users with broader array of products

Rakuten Group aims to bring 450 to 600 new foreign sellers to its online marketplace per year.

HIROKI SAKURAGI and RYO SATO

December 16, 2025 07:19 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten Group looks to encourage more foreign businesses to set up shop on its Rakuten Ichiba online marketplace, part of a strategy to keep users away from competing platforms with lower prices, like Shein and Temu.

https://asia.nikkei.com/business/retail/...fend-off-rivals-temu-shein
 

It is a joke, that there doesn't exist any escomptation of the extreme big advantages of Rakuten in AI in the share-price.  

Rakuten Insight Recognized by Verisoul for Top User Quality in 2025

November 7, 2025

Proud moment for Rakuten Insight! Our mobile app has been recognized by Verisoul as a Top Performer for User Quality in 2025. This distinction underscores our dedication to providing the highest quality data to our clients and partners.

A Recognition Backed by Rigorous Analysis

Verisoul’s analysis is particularly robust, making this recognition even more meaningful. Their methodology involved reviewing 50 million sessions across more than 3,700 mobile respondent sources (apps). This comprehensive study allowed them to identify top performers based on real-time traffic analysis and fraud rates.

What This Means for Our Clients and Partners

Validated Quality Through Rigorous Processes: Our strong performance in this extensive study directly validates our rigorous procedures for ensuring data integrity and minimizing fraud. Each stage of the respondent journey is protected through advanced fraud-prevention technologies, continuous monitoring, and strict verification protocols, ensuring that only genuine participants contribute to our research.

Trusted Insights from Authentic Sources: It reinforces our commitment to delivering authentic insights derived from real people, not fraudulent activity. Our systems continuously scrutinize answer data, prevent access from unauthorized areas, and identify malicious IPs and suspicious behavior, ensuring the integrity of every data point.

Upholding Industry-Leading Standards: By being recognized as one of the best, we continue to uphold our position as a leader in reliable market research. Our ongoing assessments, including routine quality checks, manual reviews in high-risk regions, and final manual validation of all reward redemptions, ensure that only genuine and engaged panelists contribute to our data.

We are incredibly proud of this recognition, which reflects our unwavering commitment to data integrity, fraud prevention and the delivery of trusted insights.

We thank the Verisoul team for this valuable assessment and our dedicated community for their continued trust and participation.

https://insight.rakuten.com/...verisoul-for-top-user-quality-in-2025/

 

Yomiuri: Rakuten Develops Japanese Large Language Model

Last Updated: Dec. 18, 2025 at 3:21 a.m. ET
First Published: Dec. 18, 2025 at 3:11 a.m. ET

Rakuten Group Inc. has developed its own Japanese large language model (LLM), a foundational model for generative artificial intelligence, the company announced on Thursday. It plans to gradually introduce the model, one of the biggest yet developed in Japan, into its online shopping services and other platforms.

According to the announcement, Rakuten's LLM, "Rakuten AI 3.0," achieved approximately 700 billion parameters, a metric indicating training scale. It is said to possess a deeper understanding of Japanese-specific nuances, culture and customs than other large language models. Operational costs were reduced by up to 90% compared to other models of similar scale. The company plans to make the model available externally around next spring.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/...se-large-language-model-a51cbd85
 

Rakuten unveils Japan’s largest high-performance AI model, developed as part of the GENIAC Project

Dec 18, 2025

- New “Rakuten AI 3.0” LLM achieves top scores in Japanese language benchmarks
- Delivers up to 90% cost reduction when powering Rakuten Ecosystem services

Tokyo - Rakuten Group, Inc. today unveiled its latest AI model, Rakuten AI 3.0, a Japanese large language model (LLM) developed as part of the Generative AI Accelerator Challenge (GENIAC) project promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

The new model is based on a Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture and is now available for use across Rakuten services through the Rakuten AI Gateway, Rakuten’s internal platform offering a suite of GenAI APIs. Going forward, it will be rolled out sequentially through the Rakuten AI agentic platform to other Rakuten services. In addition, the model will be released as an open-weight model in Spring 2026.

https://www.telecomtv.com/content/ai/...-of-the-geniac-project-54549/
 

A beauty appliance manufacturer visualizes the invisible structure of the BtoB market with data. Improve productivity with speedy decision-making and KPI utilization of sales strategies.
2025.12.15
Situation before the survey
We had never conducted a survey on brand awareness or purchase experience, and we were unable to grasp the differences in brand image and customer base by product category.

Therefore, with a budget of 2 million yen, I decided to look for a "research company that will accompany me from the survey design".

Goal
We will understand the awareness and penetration of the A brand among the general male and female population nationwide, the age distribution of the customer base, the purchasing status of the target group, the reasons for choosing the brand, and the factors that make the purchase decision, and in particular, the attributes and values of the non-customer group will be clearly stated. In addition, identify the factors of the customer journey from brand recall to purchase and obtain suggestions for effective marketing strategies.

Process
As a result of comparing multiple research companies, Rakuten Insight organized the purpose of the survey and proposed the optimal plan during the interview. The fact that Asking Big Data can be used for free is also attractive, and we decided to request it because we decided to provide deep implications.

Rakuten Insight's Internet Research is an online quantitative research service that utilizes a large-scale in-house panel of approximately 2.2 million people, one of the largest in the industry. We support companies in efficient marketing decision-making, including consistent support from planning proposals to analysis and report preparation by experienced researchers, as well as multifaceted analysis using "Asking Big Data".

https://insight.rakuten.co.jp/knowledge/usecase/usecase003/

 

Software developers use internet research to speed up sales strategy decisions

2025.07.09

Challenge
The sales channels of customer management package software are mainly through distributors, making it difficult to see the actual situation and issues of small and medium-sized enterprise customers, and it takes time to prioritize the value appealed to and make decisions on sales strategies.
Goal

We want to understand the content and extent of the issues faced by the size and industry of small and medium-sized business customers, the software currently used, and the acquisition channel, and use them as basic materials for formulating sales strategies.

Process
In order to solve the problem, consider conducting an Internet survey. While it is a common survey method for consumer research, he was worried about its feasibility in BtoB business, fearing that it would be difficult to secure the number of samples necessary for the extraction and analysis of target audiences in many cases. In order to select the best research partner within a limited budget (within 1 million yen), we compared multiple companies and adopted Rakuten Insight's Internet research for the following reasons.

Why did you choose Rakuten Insight?
(1) Amount of job panel information: Rakuten Insight has a "work panel" that collects and creates a database of detailed information about occupations such as monitors' employment status, industry, company size, department, job type, job title, approval power, and qualifications. This allowed us to extract specific targets and efficiently proceed with survey planning and sample collection design.
(2) Number of work panel monitors: In addition to the abundant number of work panel monitors, sufficient population can be secured, and the quality control by a single panel is thorough, avoiding duplication of respondents and expecting accurate results.
(3) Accurate advance proposal: Rakuten Insight's sales representative referred to past similar survey data before placing an order and provided a specific prospect of sample collection. This gave me confidence that I would have the sample size I needed.
(4) Prompt response: The survey was conducted on a schedule that was in time for an important meeting in three weeks.
(5) Efficient aggregation and analysis tools: I had the image of being able to use online aggregation tools and efficiently report survey results internally.

https://insight.rakuten.co.jp/knowledge/usecase/usecase001/
 

Seit mehr als 20 Jahren jagen Sie erfolglosen Online-Verkaufsmarktplätzen hinterher und verstehen davon nichts. Rakuten ist zu gesund um zu sterben und zu krank um sich vom Krankenlager zu erheben. Das ist seit mindestens 2019 so. Rakuten-Bank ist ihr einziger Lichtblick, der den chronisch defizitären Online-Handel subventioniert. Die VermittlerFunktion von Rakuten zu ausgesuchten Shops ist doch umständlich. Die potentiellen Kunden sollen sich erstmal registrieren, bevor sie auch nur einen gesuchten Artikel zu sehen bekommen. Dann sieht er auch nur die Artikel des angewählten Shops und muss zwischen verschiedenen Shops hin- und herwackeln. Das günstigste Angebot von Amazon oder Ebay wird kaum dabeisein. Ob es reicht, als Ausgleich für die umständliche Handhabung und das eingeschränkte Angebot, den Kunden mit ein paar Prozent Cashback zu ködern, ist mehr als fraglich.
Nachdem Amazon, Alibaba, JD.com und Tencent längst in einer anderen Liga spielen, zischen jetzt auch noch Shein und Temu an Rakuten vorbei. Da bleiben nur noch „Japan first“  und verbesserte Handelsbeziehungen zu Südkorea als schwache Hoffnungen. Was will Rakuten aber in Deutschland?

Ihre Treue zu Verlierern ehrt Sie, aber verwechseln Sie das nicht mit Treue zu Jesus. Nur den ewigen Werten lohnt es, unverbrüchlich treu zu bleiben.