Two Japanese web affiliate service provider(ASP) LinkShare Japan and Traffic Gate announced [J] to unite on May 1st, 2010. They will be the largest ASP in Japan.

Behind LinkShare Japan, there is a parent company MITSUI & CO.,LTD., aka Mitsui Bussan, zaibatsu-type sogo shosha (general trading companies) who jointly established LinkShare Japan with US LinkShare.

TrafficGate is a 100% subsidiary of Japan’s e-commerce giant Rakuten. Rakuten bought US LinkShare Corporation in 2005 so both ASP are related via Rakuten.

The new company will keep “LinkShare” brand as a company name, and said to aim Asian market on top of US LinkShare’s activities in north America and Europe under the brand.

None of four involved companies issued English press release on this merger on their sites, as far as I could search.

Tags: Japan, News, USA by Akky Akimoto
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Konami Digital Entertainment released virtual dating simulation game Love Plus[J] for the iPhone/iPod touch on Monday.   There is a series of  three apps corresponding to three heroines starring in the game, which are Love Plus iM (Aika Takamine), Love Plus iR (Rinko Kobayakawa) and Love Plus iN (Nene Anegasaki).

Left: An composite picture demo using augmented reality of Love Plus.   Right: A Collage picture of Steve Jobs who presents the iPad on which Love Plus runs. (source: Yomige 4[J])

Beside playing the game, it allows you to get a shot of you and the heroine as a couple by the iPhone-embedded camera.   Now you can feel as if she were just next to you – but only in the picture unfortunately.

Some GPS-enabled virtual conversation features are expected to be added in the future app updates.

The following video is taken by iPodStyle[J] at Konami’s demonstration party held Monday at Sofmap Mac Collection Akiba[J].

Available only at Japanese AppStore.

See Also:

• New Dating Game Robs Boys Of Loves In Girlfriends

Tags: Japan, Software by Masaru IKEDA
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