A Tokyo-based conglomerate of PC manufacturing and e-commerce retailing, MCJ(Mouse Computer Japan) announced it would shut down the company’s avatar SNS service Cafesta[J] at the end of this month. The service earns 600,000 unique users and 80 million pageviews in a month. Cafesta was launched by Powered.com (merged to KDDI in 2006), an ISP and… Continue reading White Elephant From The Internet Bubble? Seven-yo Avatar SNS Is Shut Down
Month: May 2009
NEC Biglobe + Nifty + IIJ = A single huge ISP (by 2011)
Japan’s biggest business publication, The Nikkei, is reporting a major shake-up in Japan’s ISP industry. According to the paper, a total of three ISPs in the country, namely NEC Biglobe [JP], Nifty and Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) are in talks to join forces by 2011. Supposedly, a basic agreement is expected to be reached within… Continue reading NEC Biglobe + Nifty + IIJ = A single huge ISP (by 2011)
Virtual consolation service confirms you’re cool, a real man and loved
I have never heard of a site like this before and have massive doubts about every single aspect of it. But Japanese media claim that Homerare Salon, launched in December last year, is a huge success. So what does it do? Homerare Salon, which roughly translates to “salon in which you will be praised”, basically… Continue reading Virtual consolation service confirms you’re cool, a real man and loved
Seasonal Celebration At Shrine For Akihabaran Soil And Soul
A shrine located in the Akihabara electric district and was built more than a millennium ago, Kanda-Myojin celebrates its annual biyearly festival in the town, and live streamers are shooting the people who thank the local deity, pray for peace in the town and carry portable shrines on their shoulders. As of this writing, the festival… Continue reading Seasonal Celebration At Shrine For Akihabaran Soil And Soul
McDonald’s Japan Confuses “Wiki” and “Pedia”
McDonald’s Japan opened a new web campaign for its strategic product quarter pounder, which they desperately wanted to sell even by hiring buyers. The campaign site is named “Quarter Pounder Wiki“, on where there are several keywords are displayed in cloud style. By clicking each keyword, you can see fun contents. But how can this… Continue reading McDonald’s Japan Confuses “Wiki” and “Pedia”
Giant Partnership of Game and Ad Sets Off New Wave Of Video Broadcast
Coincidentally I write up several stories featuring video services using media other than terrestrial TV broadcast system in this Japan’s serial holidays season. Nintendo and the world’s largest advertising agency Dentsu started Friday a video broadcast service on a 3D virtual world designed for Nintendo’s game platform Wii. The new service is named “Wii no… Continue reading Giant Partnership of Game and Ad Sets Off New Wave Of Video Broadcast
Japanese Government Proposes Pandemic Tracking System By Cellphone GPS
Japan’s Ministry of Affairs and Communications (MIC) calls several projects starting in 2009 as part of the ICT Standard Development Project. Among the three big categories [J], one of the 11 themes in the “Cyber District” operation is “Cellular phone Lifelog”, which targets to draw up the rules for time-space data utilization. In particular, as… Continue reading Japanese Government Proposes Pandemic Tracking System By Cellphone GPS
Promotion Character Battle: Digital Deer vs. Analog Bear
Since Tsuyoshi Kusanagi stepped down from the role promoting digital terrestrial TV service (see this for more details), NAB, the National Association of Commercial Broadcasters in Japan, were forced to introduce a new promoter, which is Chide-jika[J], punning the words of digital TV and deer. In opposition to the deer’s activity, users of Japan’s largest… Continue reading Promotion Character Battle: Digital Deer vs. Analog Bear
Lunarr Closes Company With Its Two Unique Web Services
An unique web startup founded and run by a successful Japanese entrepreneur in Portland, Oregon, declared its end of services this month. Notice LUNARR will be discontinuing our Elements and Themes services as of Sunday, May 10th, 2009. You may continue to use both services until that date, at which time your LUNARR Terms of… Continue reading Lunarr Closes Company With Its Two Unique Web Services
Web Chat Service Lingr Shutting Down
A web based chat service Lingr announced its closing down at the end of May 2009. We’re sad to announce that Lingr will be shutting down on May 31, 2009. It’s been great pleasure that so many wonderful people have joined and gotten to know each other here at Lingr. We want to give our… Continue reading Web Chat Service Lingr Shutting Down