10. RAKUTEN – Profile Net Sales: 33,636 million ¥** Ordinary Income: 6,937 million ¥** Net Income: 3,731 million ¥** * ALL Raktuen Divisions ** ALL Rakuten Divisions; Estimated, year ended March-to-March, 2006 fiscal year; based on $1 = ¥132.06 Independent Parent company i-Mode (DoCoMo partnership) EZWeb, Yahoo! Rakuten Auctions, Portal shops Wireless technology 17.3 Million * Subscribers/RA 200 Employees/RA 1997 (RA - 2003) Year founded Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Corporate Headquarters
The wireless Internet has failed to catch on in every part of the world except Japan. WAP: It was supposed to put mobile phone users on the Internet in the U.S. and Europe. However has had a slew of problems, including slow access and even slower adoption. i-Mode service: introduced in Feb. 1999 by Japan’s mobile telecom giant NTT DoCoMo Inc.- and now being used by Tsutaya- has attracted more than 30 million subscribers, or about one-fourth of Japan’s population. Japan has one of the highest mobile phone usage rates in the world--- one mobile for every 2 people----- and the most advanced mobile telecommunications infrastructure. It may take a while for the US