Japan’s biggest, and the world second largest e-commerce company Rakuten, which is also known by its active overseas activities in last years as a Japanese originated web company, announced its partnership with China’s leading, and the world third largest search engine company Baidu. [pdf]
According to the release, Rakuten and Baidu agreed to establish a joint venture operate a B2B2C (Business to Business to Consumer) in China market. Rakuten will invest 4.3 billion yen (about 48 million USD) in the first 3 years. Ownership will be 51 % Rakuten, 49% Baidu.
It still needs to be authorized by Chinese government, but they are seeing it will come in the latter half of this year.
Rakuten is exceptionally active among successful Japanese big web companies, who bought US Linkshare in 2005, opened foreign branch in Luxenbourg Europe in February 2008, starts e-mall in Taiwan in 2008 and bought local e-commerce company in Thailand in 2009.
See Also:
Rakuten’s Release [J, pdf]
Rakuten’s Release in English – not direct translation of Japanese release [pdf]
