More than 400 Internet users joined the event on Friday evening in Tokyo. Tokyo-based blog marketing agency Agile Media Network (AMN)[J] held Japan’s first conference having a number of tech start-ups in comprehensive perspective, titled WISH2009 (Web Innovation SHare)[J]. More than a dozen of innovators had opportunities to present their works, and Japanese tech media… Continue reading Event Wrap-up: 400+ Geeks Applaud Web Innovators At WISH2009
Category: Japan
Live Event: WISH2009 Is Just Ahead
As we reported here on Asiajin last week, Japan’s web industry’s showcase event in mid-summer, WISH2009 will be held in Tokyo today. Live streamcast starts at 7pm J.S.T. or 10am U.T.C. Kindly stand-by to witness a flood of tech innovations.
IVP Fund Invests In China’s Largest Mobile SNS
Infinity Ventures LLP[J], a Tokyo-based independent venture capital unit investing in tech start-up companies, announced today it had invested approximately USD2.1M (JPY200M) in WAPTX (registered in Cayman Islands) running China’s largest mobile SNS called tx.com.cn(天下网)[C] (pronounced as tiān-xià-wǎng). The service owns 9 million users as of July 2009, and Tokyo-based mobile SNS company DeNA announced… Continue reading IVP Fund Invests In China’s Largest Mobile SNS
Unidentified “Floating” Objects Are Introduced In Osaka This Summer
In commemorating the series of water-oriented events which are now underway in Osaka, NTT Facilities, a property management company of NTT Group, developed two solar-powered and UFO-shaped water purifiers, which are to be installed in Dotonbori[Wikipedia]-canal running through the center of the city, and in a moat around the Osaka Castle. That machine is a… Continue reading Unidentified “Floating” Objects Are Introduced In Osaka This Summer
Mixi ex-CTO Helps Singaporean Mobile Startup Xsago
Batara Eto, who suggested to make a Japanese social network to his boss in late 2003 and programmed Japan’s biggest social network Mixi, let the company (E-mercury) to change their primary business and rename (to “Mixi”, of course) with the huge success, then left his CTO job in 2007 [J], is reported to invest to… Continue reading Mixi ex-CTO Helps Singaporean Mobile Startup Xsago
Herbivorous-type Boys Scouter: What Animal Are You?
Motion Portrait, a Tokyo-based tech start-up and expert in image processing, and Gigno System Japan, a mobile app developer and a subsidiary of Tokyo FM Broadcasting[J], jointly introduced a new mobile service called “Herbivorous-type Boys Scouter （草食男子スカウター[J])“, which allows you to measure how aggressive you are for girl hunting. Author’s Note: Herbivorous-type boys or 草食系男子… Continue reading Herbivorous-type Boys Scouter: What Animal Are You?
Top 20: Japan’s most valuable web companies
About a year ago, I wrote an article on Asiajin that contained a list of Japan’s most valuable web companies by market capitalization. A lot has happened since then (thanks to the exchange rate we now have 12 large-cap companies instead of six, for example), so let’s see how the list looks today. I am… Continue reading Top 20: Japan’s most valuable web companies
UGC Song Parody: Freedom Of Expression Or Libeling Her?
Noriko Sakai, who used to be a popular J-pop idol in late 1980s and is now an actress starring on several TV commercial films, was arrested on a suspicion of possessing illegal stimulants last weekend. She has an enormous number of her fans in Asian nations, especially Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and several… Continue reading UGC Song Parody: Freedom Of Expression Or Libeling Her?
If The Shoguns Were Alive Today, Which Would Be Their Favorites?
Softbank Mobile released new five line-ups of luxury-textured and japan-lacquered covercase for iPhone 3GS/3G, which imitate an “inro” or a feudal pillbox used in Japan’s turbulent age. The list price is JPY 99,800 for each, which is approximately USD 1,050. The line-ups were designed on the concept of what kind of iPhone case the five… Continue reading If The Shoguns Were Alive Today, Which Would Be Their Favorites?
Flipnote Hatena Strikes Back To USA, Plus Europe Assisted By Nintendo Fame
Hatena, known by a million geekiest loyal users and the most popular social bookmarks service in Japanese [J], announced that their joint project with console game giant Nintendo “Flipnote Hatena” launches in North America on 12th, in Europe on 14th August (both in local time). Flipnote Hatena is a CGM service on where users draw… Continue reading Flipnote Hatena Strikes Back To USA, Plus Europe Assisted By Nintendo Fame