Retail in Asia

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Rakuten, Rakuten Edy receive 2014 IT Award

The Japan Institute of Information Technology’s IT Award was given this year to Rakuten Inc. and Rakuten Edy Inc.

Rakuten received the IT General Award for its collaboration with Toshiba Corporation in running the “Rakuten Kirei-do-Navi” service, a basal thermometer service, and Rakuten Edy received an IT Special Award (Marketing Award).

The IT General Award awarded to Rakuten is given to companies, groups, institutions and others that are recognized as having realized the strategic development of business activities and produced results through the effective combination of management and IT, and which are considered to be a model for the future.

Japan Institute of Information Technology highly appraised “Rakuten Kirei-do-Navi” for information on the menstrual cycle of its users that is useful for both health and beauty. The service gathers and analyzes users’ basal temperature data, utilizing a thermometer that combines practicality with a design that is easily acceptable by women.

Meanwhile, Rakuten Edy received the IT Special Award (Marketing Award) in recognition of its unique features and for its use of pioneering technology to achieve results.

Rakuten Edy jointly developed and operated an application with TF Payment Service Co., Ltd. that allows smartphones to be used as payment settlement terminals for the first time in Japan.

This made it possible to introduce settlement services that are not dependent on location or physical infrastructure, allowing small retailers and service providers to easily introduce e-money services in a short period of time.