Telecommunications and internet group Softbank and China-headquartered ride hailing service Didi Chuxing yesterday invested ¥5.2bn ($50.1m) in Didi Mobility Japan, a Japan-based joint venture for the two companies.
Founded in 2018 with funding from Japan-based SoftBank and overseen by Stephen Zhu, a Global Corporate Venturing Rising Star in 2018 and 2019, Didi Mobility Japan provides an on-demand mobility service in collaboration with the country’s taxi operators and relevant ministries and agencies.
Didi Mobility Japan’s platform uses artificial intelligence and machine learning-equipped technology to forecast demand for vehicle dispatch.
The company had begun a taxi ordering service in the city of Osaka in the first year of its operation, and now runs its activities in 14 Japanese prefectures including Fukuoka, Hokkaido, Kanagawa, Okinawa and Tokyo.
Didi Mobility Japan initially targeted Chinese tourists in Japan, providing an automatic translation tool to facilitate communication between passengers and drivers and supporting payments through China-originated apps such as Alipay and WeChat Pay.
The funding will be used to strengthen the company’s ties with SoftBank’s group companies such as mobile payment service PayPay in a bid to enhance local users’ mobility experiences. In addition, it will work on innovative products to boost sales in the country, improve its marketing strategy and develop a Japan-focused app.
