Ryozanpaku Launches i-mode Pachinko Service in Japan
Ryozanpaku International, Inc., announced today that it has successfully established itself as an authorized Docomo i-mode content provider in Japan. Japanese consumers can now access the latest news and information on the Pachinko industry directly from their mobile phones. In April 2004, Ryozanpaku entered into a service and revenue sharing agreement with MS Communications Co., Ltd. Under the agreement Ryozanpaku is an authorized Docomo i-mode content provider and is permitted to deliver its proprietary content over the Docomo i-mode network.
For a monthly access fee of 300 Yen, Japanese Pachinko players can download Ryozanpaku’s current information on the Pachinko market directly to their mobile phone handsets. The information includes reviews of new Pachinko machines, latest news on the Pachinko industry, and playing tips from professional Pachinko players.
“We’re excited about partnering with MS Communications and NTT Docomo,” said Tatsuya Ejiri, CEO of Ryozanpaku. “Over 10,000 i-mode customers signed up for our service in May and again in June. We expect the number of subscribers to reach 40,000 before the end of the year.”
“Our customers have traditionally relied on our newsletters and magazines to follow the latest developments in the Pachinko industry and improve their playing techniques,” said Yasuhiro Inooka, Ryozanpaku Vice President. “That’s why this ability to access the same information from a mobile phone adds a new level of convenience to which our customers have responded with great enthusiasm.”
About Ryozanpaku International, Inc.
Ryozanpaku International, Inc., develops, publishes, and distributes magazines, instructional videos and other materials for gamers on winning strategies for the Pachinko industry in Japan.
The Company’s subsidiary, Ryozanpaku Co., Ltd., has long held a major role in Japan’s $260 billion gaming industry. Since its 1979 founding as a gaming instruction company, Ryozanpaku Co., Ltd., has become the best-known, most reputable, and leading provider of training products and services for the Pachinko board game and its companion Pachislo slot machines throughout Japan.
Ryozanpaku’s revenues have grown rapidly since 2000, when it expanded its operations from manuals to include a popular monthly magazine, an online membership program, and a national gaming school. For more information, visit www.ryozanpaku.com
About MS Communications Co., Ltd.
An established player in the distribution of all types of mobile phones and data lines in Japan, MS Communications Co., Ltd., provides comprehensive telecommunication services that allow customers to deploy IP-based solutions, broadband networks, and seamless systems. MS Communications is a joint venture between Mitsubishi Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Co., Ltd.
About NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo is the world’s leading mobile communications company, with more than 48 million customers. The company provides a wide variety of leading-edge mobile multimedia services. These include i-mode(R), the world’s most popular mobile Internet service, which provides e-mail and internet access to over 41 million subscribers, and FOMA(R), launched in 2001 as the world’s first 3G mobile service based on W-CDMA. In addition to wholly owned subsidiaries in Europe and North America, the company is expanding its global reach through strategic alliances with mobile and multimedia service providers in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. NTT DoCoMo is listed on the Tokyo (9437), London (NDCM), and New York (DCM) stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.nttdocomo.com