Alibaba.com Limited and SOFTBANK Corp. have formed a joint venture company called Alibaba.com Japan. The new company will take over the operation of Alibaba.com’s existing Japanese-language website which connects small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Japan with buyers and suppliers around the world. SOFTBANK has been a strategic investor in the Alibaba Group for many years.

Founded in 1999 in Hangzhou, China, Alibaba.com is the world’s leading B2B e-commerce company. It has built a global community of close to 30 million members from over 240 countries and regions.

Alibaba.com Japan is the first B2B online marketplace for global trade that localizes language and content for a Japanese audience. Initially, Alibaba.com Japan will focus on cross-border trade for imports from China and around the world into Japan. Later, it will expand its focus to exports from Japan and domestic B2B trade in Japan as well.

Japan has more than 4 million SMEs, which account for 25% of the country’s export value and 63% of its import value. Since 2006, China has surpassed the US to become Japan’s largest trading partner. Alibaba.com Japan will promote trade between China and Japan, as well as help Japanese businesses open up new trade channels worldwide. (JCN Newswire)

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