Willcom, Baidu to provide info services to Chinese visitors to Japan

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Japanese mobile provider Willcom Inc will provide information services for Chinese visitors to Japan in cooperation with Baidu, China’s largest search engine. As a first step, the Japanese personal handy-phone system operator will start leasing its handsets to Chinese tourists and business travelers by the end of this year. The two companies will also cooperate in launching Chinese-language call center operations.

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The number of Chinese visitors to Japan reached an all-time high of 943,400 last year, but there is only a limited amount of information available for Chinese people visiting Japan, they said.

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In the future, the two companies plan to provide shopping and restaurant information in Chinese via Willcom’s handsets.

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A Baidu official said it is considering distributing Chinese-language content on the PHS network if relations with its Japanese partner further strengthen.

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Baidu started full-fledged web search services for Japanese users in January.

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With the partnership, Baidu aims to expand its operations in Japan, while Willcom hopes to popularize its PHS mobile network system in other Asian countries, including China.

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