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Tag: Japan

  • The Seiko Dream Square opens in Tokyo

    The Seiko Dream Square opens in Tokyo

    Seiko Watch Corporation has opened an interactive hub of its watchmaking to allow visitors to “look, feel and experience” the rich history and heritage of the brand. The Seiko Dream Square is a new four-story retail complex in the heart of the watch brand’s birthplace in Tokyo’s Ginza district and showcases its heritage of watchmaking since 1881 with a museum, showrooms and entertainment areas.

    The aim of the new retail complex is to become a “point of destination” for visitors as well a centre for communicating the brand’s story globally said the watchmaker in a statement.

    It features a small museum on the first floor in the image of the symbolic Wako clock tower’s interior, a historic symbol of Seiko and a proud landmark of Ginza in which Seiko founder Kintaro Hattori placed its headquarters.

    On the other levels, visitors can shop Seiko’s leading collections, Prospex, Presage, Lukia, and Astron, with each displayed in a “refined setting” based on the particular brand’s unique identity.

    Commenting on the opening, Seiko Watch Corporation chairman and chief executive, Shinji Hattori said: “A Seiko watch is not merely an industrial product. It can be a partner to one’s life journey and story. It is our dream that Seiko Dream Square be the place where visitors from around the world would want to find this particular partner.”

  • Japan offers most overseas jobs for Vietnamese workers

    Japan offers most overseas jobs for Vietnamese workers

    Japan is expected to receive more Vietnamese workers this year, having become the most attractive labor export market in 2018. Last year marked the first time Japan became the most popular destination for Vietnamese migrant workers with over 68,700 people finding jobs there, beating Taiwan with nearly 60,400 people and South Korea with over 6,500, according to statistics released by the Department of Overseas Labor.

    The department’s deputy director, Nguyen Gia Liem, said the Japanese market’s rise in popularity was due to the implementation of a new law that allows migrant workers to stay for five years instead of three.

    Furthermore, Vietnam was the first country to sign with Japan a memorandum of cooperation on the latter’s technical intern training program, which came into effect last June.

    In 2018, a total of 13 Vietnamese businesses were also licensed to directly bring Vietnamese citizens to Japan to work as caregivers. The long language and skill training required, however, limited the number of Vietnamese citizens taking this route last year.

    However, Liem asserted: “These establishments would help increase even further the number of Vietnamese laborers going to Japan.”

    Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Doan Mau Diep, has said the ministry will reduce the number of labor export firms. The move follows last October’s request by Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Vietnam shut down bad labor export agencies and reduce costs for people wanting to work abroad.

    “The country currently has 2,000 companies taking workers overseas, which is too many, causing companies to compete with each other for contracts, and they collect high fees,” Diep said.

    The ministry would also review current regulations on overseas students to prevent this system from being abused as many Vietnamese citizens wanting to work in Japan have been using student visas in recent years to reduce cost and time spent on language and skills training.

    Last year, Japanese authorities already reviewed and suspended multiple companies for taking Vietnamese workers to Japan under the guise of international students.

    Diep also warned that citizens wanting to work overseas need to use legal labor export firms and not use tourist visas, as happened in the recent infamous case in Taiwan.

    “If going on a worker’s visa the fees can be expensive, such as about VND80 million [$3,400] for Taiwan. The travel route meanwhile only costs flight tickets and visa fees so many still choose to travel then escape to work, but they will face many risks,” he said.

    A Vietnamese migrant worker can make $1,000 to $1,200 a month in Japan and South Korea, four times the average monthly salary in Vietnam, which was VND6.5 million ($290) last year.

    A total of over 142,800 Vietnamese laborers went to work overseas in 2018, a six percent increase compared to the previous year.

    With this number, which includes about 50,300 female workers, 2018 became the fifth consecutive year in which the number of Vietnamese working overseas exceeded 100,000 people.

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  • Toyota fined W817 million for false advertising

    Toyota fined W817 million for false advertising

    Korea’s antitrust watchdog said Tuesday that it has fined Toyota Motor Korea 817 million won ($729,000) for deceptive advertising of its RAV4 sport utility vehicle (SUV). Toyota Motor Korea advertised that its RAV4 obtained a top safety pick in five test categories, including the driver’s side small overlap front and roof strength, from the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in 2015.

    In 2016, the RAV4 earned the Top Safety Pick Plus rating from the independent nonprofit organization that aims to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage from motor vehicle crashes, according to the Fair Trade Commission.

    The commission said that RAV4 models sold in the United States in 2015 and 2016 were equipped with a bracket, or shock absorber, that allowed it to get the top rating.

    The same SUV model sold in Korea during the same period was not equipped with the bracket, but Toyota Motor Korea advertised the RAV4’s earning the Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.

    “Toyota Motor Korea concealed and omitted that there was a difference between RAV4 models sold in the United States and Korea,” the commission said.

    It said the advertisement could mislead Korean consumers into believing that RAV4 models sold in Korea had all the safety features covered by the Top Safety Pick rating.

    Toyota Motor Korea said it cannot give an immediate comment on the issue and that it is reviewing the commission’s decision.

    Toyota is the second foreign automaker to be fined this year. BMW Korea was fined 14.5 billion won last week for manipulating documents on emissions.

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  • Berjaya Land to build Four Seasons Resort in Okinawa for US$1b GDV

    Berjaya Land to build Four Seasons Resort in Okinawa for US$1b GDV

    Berjaya Land Bhd’s (BLand) subsidiary Berjaya Okinawa Development Co Ltd will develop the Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Okinawa in Japan, which has an estimated gross development value of US$1 billion (RM4.1 billion), in partnership with hospitality company Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. BLand’s parent Berjaya Corp Bhd founder and executive chairman and BLand major shareholder Tan Sri Vincent Tan said the project has a development cost of US$400 million (RM1.64 billion).

    Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Okinawa will have 120 hotel rooms, 120 residences and 40 villas. The project is expected to take four years to complete.

    Tan said Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Okinawa is another iconic project in Japan for the Berjaya group, emulating the success of Four Seasons Hotel and Hotel Residences Kyoto, which was launched in December 2016.

    “We think it will be the most valuable and expensive hotel in Okinawa. It will have the highest rate, just like Four Seasons Kyoto where the average rate is US$1,500 per night, but Okinawa will be slightly less. It will be good for BLand and BCorp,” he said at the hotel management agreement signing ceremony.

    He added that four-star hotels in Okinawa average at US$700-US$800 per night while the better ones are priced at US$1,000, viewing that Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Okinawa will do well there.

    “I’m confident that Okinawa will be an outstanding successful project for Berjaya,” said Tan.

    The project will comprise 30 acres out of the 100 acres of beachfront land owned by BLand along the western coast of the island of Okinawa.

    “We have another 70 acres. We can build many more hotels on that land and Okinawa is a good market. We can do shopping mall, residences, three- or four-star hotels,” added Tan.

    This is BLand’s second partnership with Four Seasons but Tan said both parties are also in talks on future projects in Japan and other cities.

    Four Seasons operates 111 hotels and resorts, 41 residential projects in major city centres and resort destinations in 47 countries, and with over 50 projects under planning or development.

    “We have plans to grow our footprint in Japan such as Osaka, Hakone, leisure destination in Hokkaido, including Niseko. It’s a country that we continue to focus on, not only growth but also operating existing assets there,” said Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts senior vice-president for development Asia Pacific Christopher Wong.

    When asked if Four Seasons Resort and Private Residences Okinawa will also be put for sale, like the Four Seasons Kyoto, Tan said it is possible, adding that every thing is up for sale with the right price.

    On the divestment of the Four Seasons Hotel in Kyoto, Tan said it is talking to several parties for a better price and is expected to be finalised in the next three months.

    On the plan to carve out the hotel assets from BLand and to list the hotel business in Singapore, Tan said it is not finalised yet, but it could include Malaysian hotel assets.

    “We will list those that we’re not selling. We have a few hotels that we’re not selling like Berjaya Times Square Hotel and Ansa Kuala Lumpur. Those that we want to hold for long term, mostly are the Malaysian hotels,” he added.

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  • 7-Eleven parent sales surges: Report

    7-Eleven parent sales surges: Report

    Japanese retail giant Seven & I has reported a 15.8 per cent increase in net sales for the nine months to November. Profit rose by a less impressive 2.9 per cent. The 7-Eleven parent said its overseas convenience store business achieved an impressive 15.7 per cent increase in operating profit year on year.

    At home, its Ito-Yokado superstore managed to reduce its operating loss to ¥200 million (US$1.85 million), however its York-Benimaru supermarket division and Sogo & Seibu department stores both struggled, the latter losing ¥937 million ($8.6 million).

    Seven & I’s net sales totalled ¥4.11 trillion ($38 billion).

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  • Uniqlo sales performs well globally, not in hometown

    Uniqlo sales performs well globally, not in hometown

    Fast Retailing Group has reported a decline in revenues for Uniqlo Japan against broader successes internationally in its first quarter. A sharp profit decline on sluggish sales of seasonal ranges during a warm winter in Japan has given rise to disappointing results in the Uniqlo brand’s home territory. Uniqlo Japan posted revenues of ¥246.1 billion (US$2.27 billion), a decrease of 4.3 per cent year on year, with first-quarter profit before taxes of ¥111 billion ($1.03 billion), down 5.7 per cent; and profit attributable to owners of the parent firm of ¥73.4 billion ($678.4 million), down 6.4 per cent. Online sales expanded favourably in the market, however, showing an increase of 30.9 per cent.

    Uniqlo International saw an operating profit far exceeding that of Uniqlo Japan, with revenues at ¥291.3 billion (2.69 billion) up 12.8 per cent. Uniqlo Greater China and Uniqlo South Korea both reported higher sales and profits despite the dampening effect of the warm winter. Uniqlo Southeast Asia & Oceania continued to report significant revenue and profit gains.

    The report said Fast Retailing’s consolidated business estimates for the financial year ending August 31 remain unchanged from the initial forecasts released last October, predicting an 8 per cent expansion in revenue and 14.3 per cent increase in operating profits.

  • Starbucks’ Lucky Bags entice customers in Korea

    Starbucks’ Lucky Bags entice customers in Korea

    Lee Min-joo, a 43-year-old cram school teacher, made it a point to be at the Starbucks outlet near her house last Thursday at 6 a.m. She wasn’t there for the coffee – she was waiting to buy a limited edition “Lucky Bag.” Lee said she has bought Starbucks Lucky Bags for nine years in a row. She confessed that two years ago, she was in line at 5:30 a.m.

    “I am a collector of diverse Starbucks products,” Lee said. “And I always get curious as to what’s in the bag.”

    This year, Starbucks’ Lucky Bags are bigger than ever.

    Lucky Bags were the most-searched term on the internet in Korea last Thursday and social media was abuzz with people posting pictures of the products they got in their Lucky Bags.

    Four stores near Seosomun, central Seoul, were sold out before 10 a.m.

    Lucky Bags are mystery bags sold at a given price, 63,000 won ($56) this year. The products contained in the bags are unknown to the customers who buy them. The value of the goods inside exceed the selling price.

    Starbucks introduced its Lucky Bags in 2007 and they have become the chain’s unique annual New Year’s ritual in Korea and Japan.

    One of the reasons Starbucks’ Lucky Bags sell out so quickly is their limited supply.

    The total number of Lucky Bags prepared in Korea is 17,000 and each store only get 15 or so -there are over 1,200 Starbucks in Korea.

    In 2016 the bags sold out in just five hours nationwide. In 2017, that time was shaved down to 4 hours and 40 minutes.

    Each customer is only allowed to buy one Lucky Bag.

    Lucky Bag devotees have now become a tribe with their own nickname. They call themselves “Sudeok,” which combines the first Korean syllable of the chain’s name as pronounced by Koreans, “Su,” with “deok,” a shortened version of deokhoo, Korea’s own version of otaku, Japan’s term for a person with obsessive interests.

    The Sudeoks who purchase Lucky Bags even swap items to get the items they really want.

    In 2007, the Lucky Bags were sold for 28,000 won and the price has continued to climb. The value of the things inside is said to be more than 100,000 won.

    The bags often have tumblers, water bottles and coffee mugs, as well as gift coupons. This year, 1,000 Lucky Bags contained four additional free coupons.

    “It’s a good marketing strategy that combines a limited edition appeal and the emotional appeal of winning a jackpot,” said Lee June-young, a professor who studies consumer trends at Sangmyung University.

    But not every Lucky Bag fan is satisfied with their haul.

    On social media, one disappointed fan posted a message reading, “It is not a Lucky Bag, it is an unlucky bag.” Another wrote, “The only lucky one is Starbucks.”

    “I have been buying the Lucky Bags for three years, but this year I decided not to because of the 60,000 won price tag,” said Lee Hyun-jeong, a 29-year-old office worker.

  • Rimowa opens in Tokyo first stand-alone store in Japan

    Rimowa opens in Tokyo first stand-alone store in Japan

    Rimowa Japan has opened its first standalone store in Tokyo. The luxury luggage brand’s new 900sqm outlet in Ginza features a minimalist decor focused on a spiral staircase backed by a backdrop of basketweave, recalling a traditional Japanese craft design aesthetic. Rimowa Japan says the store is equipped to perform simple repairs, with staff speaking both English and Chinese, to cater for the tourist market.

    A heritage brand founded in Cologne, Germany, more than a century ago, the brand is primarily known for its aluminium and polycarbonate suitcase lines. LVMH owns a controlling 80 per cent stake in the brand.

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  • China, Japan boost Brunello Cucinelli revenue growth

    China, Japan boost Brunello Cucinelli revenue growth

    Italian luxury house Brunello Cucinelli reported a leap in revenues for the 2018 fiscal year, with all geographic regions recording sales growth, particularly Greater China and Japan. For the year ending December 31, 2018, Brunello Cucinelli said total revenues increased 8.1% to €553 million, (+10.7% at constant exchange rates), compared to €511.7 million in 2017.

    The Solomeo-based company saw a significant rise in sales at 8.8% in the international markets and 4.2% in the Italian market, according to a press release published on the Italian stock exchange on Monday.

    By region, Greater China witnessed the biggest increase with an incredible 28.5% sales growth, followed by the Rest of the World region, up 10.7%, which was lead by Japan and the Middle East. Sales in Europe increased 8.5% and the U.S. saw growth of 3.9%.

    By distribution channel, Brunello Cucinelli’s retail sales gained 6.3% globally, with wholesale monobrand and multibrand up 19.4% and 9%, respectively.

    Capital expenditure for the twelve months was approximately €45 million, with “the objective of keeping the brand image extremely high in both the physical and digital channels,” said the company.

    Net debt narrowed €15 million, a slight improvement compared to 2017.

    “Another year has come to an end in a splendid manner, both in terms of numbers and from the standpoint of the general image of the brand at a global level,” said Brunello Cucinelli, Chairman and CEO.

    “We continue to support, believe in and invest in our beloved Italy, perceiving the great value this represents at a world level for the country’s creativity, quality and craftsmanship.”

    Following the stellar results, which included the sell out of the past winter collections, followed by strong spring/summer 2019 orders, the brand said it expects “another year ahead of gracious growth in line with 2018.”

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  • F&B procurement startup lures Japanese investor

    F&B procurement startup lures Japanese investor

    Kamereo, a Vietnamese sourcing platform for restaurants, has raised $500,000 in seed funding from Japan’s Genesia Ventures and Velocity Ventures Vietnam. Japanese Taku Tanaka, founder of Kamereo, said the newly acquired money would be used to upgrade the platform’s service offerings and strengthen the customer care team. “We use technology to solve the buying and sourcing problem, and restaurants can focus on their core business to bring the best culinary experience to customers. In future we will expand our services to other sectors and regions.”

    From his experience, Tanaka, who moved to Vietnam in 2015 as CEO of a pizza chain, found that procurement operations were mainly labor-intensive and inefficient.

    “We believe that technology can solve this problem, providing solutions to reduce the cost of personnel in a transparent and accurate manner,” he said.

    The Ho Chi Minh City-headquartered business-to-business procurement platform, established last June, now has more than 4,000 product categories, 120 partner suppliers and 200 registered restaurants.

    While Kamereo will focus its resources on Vietnam for now, it is planning a series A round of funding involving a few million U.S. dollars in late 2019 or 2020 to expand in Southeast Asia.

    The funding came amid a technology startup boom in Vietnam’s F&B market where delivery platforms such as GoViet and Grab battle for market share down the supply chain.

    A report published last October by Vietnam Research said Vietnamese spend more than a third of their income on food and beverages ahead of education and utilities.

    Global research firm Nielsen also considered F&B one of the most attractive industries, with the potential to become a major player in the Vietnamese economy, citing findings from one of its studies which found food and beverages were two of the 10 most bought products online in 2017.

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  • New Michael Kors to increase focus on Asia

    New Michael Kors to increase focus on Asia

    With the completion of its acquisition of Versace, global fashion group Michael Kors Holding has successfully transitioned into its new identity as Capri Holdings Limited. The group, which now owns Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo and Versace, hopes to leverage its brands to grow group revenue to US$8 billion, while increasing its exposure to the Asia pacific region from 11 per cent to 19 per cent.

    The group also notes an effort to reduce its exposure to the American market, from 66 per cent to 57 per cent, in the long term.

    “We have now created one of the leading global fashion luxury groups in the world,” Capri chairman John D. Idol said.

    However, considering the past performance of these brands, one cannot be certain whether this merged entity can turn them around says IBISWorld senior industry analyst Kim Do, though “Capri Holdings seem confident in their ability to do so.”

    “While many are concerned about the company diffusing its newly acquired brands, similar to that of its own, this is unlikely as, similar to Jimmy Choo’s agreement with Kors Holdings, Donatella Versace will continue to remain the creative director [of] her namesake brand, leading the brand’s creative vision,” Do said.

    “However, while it is likely that Versace will be pushed into new avenues of revenue (such as a stronger focus on Asian markets) it will likely not include mass-retailers – which is how Michael Kors expanded previously.”

    According to Do, IBISWorld expects Capri to hold off on further acquisitions for the time being, and will most likely focus on growing the three brands it now hold in its portfolio.

    In November 2018, the group saw total group revenue decline 32 per cent to $189.76 million (US$137.6 million), from $279.81 million (US$202.9 million) the year prior, which GlobalData Retail managing director Neil Saunders called “disappointing”.

    “Although overall revenue growth looks robust, it continues to be flattered by the acquisition of Jimmy Choo, which has yet to annualise out,” Saunders said.

    “In short, after slowly climbing the steep hill of recovery, Michael Kors now appears to be rolling back down in reverse.”

    Saunders also said the acquisition of Versace could prove to be a distraction that limits the group’s abilities to fix the core problems within it’s main brand.

    In November 2018, the group saw total group revenue decline 32 per cent to US$137.6 million, from US$202.9 million the year prior, which GlobalData Retail MD Neil Saunders called “disappointing”.

    “Given Michael Kors’ relative lack of success with its own label, we do not see the group being able to [easily] undertake the retooling required to generate superior results.”

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  • Ramen Cubism makes debut in Hong Kong

    Ramen Cubism makes debut in Hong Kong

    Japanese celebrity chefs Hayashi Takao and Matsumura Takahiro are launching a new international noodle soup restaurant brand called “Ramen Cubism”. The brand’s flagship opens in a chic basement venue in Hong Kong’s Wellington Street tomorrow. It is the collaborators’ first overseas venture, launched in partnership with Hong Kong’s Bird Kingdom Group, of Lai Chi Kok’s D2 Place. It marks the first collaboration between Chef Hayashi and Bird Kingdom Group, slated for international expansion with branches across the region – including their hometown of Osaka, Macau (within the next quarter) and Mainland China.

    Ramen Cubism introduces Chef Hayashi’s signature ramen creations to Hong Kong, following the success of his Osaka restaurant that regularly attracts long queues of as many as 100 diners.

    Pictures gallery below (5 images) :

    Equally renowned as a ramen master and recipe developer, Chef Matsumura has previously established eight noodle brands in Osaka, including the newly-opened “The Most Hopeful Ramen Bar in the World”.

    In celebration of its launch, Ramen Cubism features Chef Hayashi’s new exclusive Hong Kong recipes, limited to 200 servings a day during opening time.

    “Ramen Cubism promises to be a magnet for lovers of this beloved specialty,” said Bird Kingdom Group CEO Eric Ting. “We look forward to building a new generation of followers in Hong Kong and worldwide for this traditional high quality and flavourful comfort food”.

  • Knows deeper Japanese lifestyle guru Marie Kondo

    Knows deeper Japanese lifestyle guru Marie Kondo

    Marie Kondo is the queen of organization. Her book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing,” reveals her instructions for organizing your space in one sitting, and then never having to do it again. Her methods have garnered a significant social media following with the hashtag #konmarimethod, and also landed her a spot on Time’s 2015 “Top 100 Influential People” list.

    Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant and author. She has written four books on organizing, which have collectively sold millions of copies and have been translated from Japanese into languages including Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Indonesian, French, German, Swedish and English.

    Ever since Netflix released Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on New Year’s Day, Twitter has been awash with Kondo memes.

    Marie follows the the Japanese way of living based on minimalism, and she applies to all objects in house.

    Marie is growing popularity on the web; however, some of her statements divide the internet.

    In the digital age, while experts maintain that influencer marketing is fading out, and some others opt for micro-influencers, Marie seems to belong to a complete new category that aims to make people’s life better through reducing possessions instead of accumulating goods.

    We are looking forward to see what’s next for influencer marketing.

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  • Omotesando Koffee Coffee Shop Opens in London

    Omotesando Koffee Coffee Shop Opens in London

    Popular Japanese coffee shop Omotesando Koffee has opened in the central London district of Fitzrovia on Rathbone Square. Serving coffee in a manner inspired by Japanese tea ceremony, the cafe features a cubic bar design where each customer is served by a single barista in ritualistic fashion. The approach has inspired a cult following in the brand’s home territory, and has been followed by a sister brand in Tokyo that offers gourmet bean selections in cloth bags.

    While Omotesando’s original location has closed due to poor building maintenance, it reopened in Hong Kong in 2016, followed by launches in Tokyo and Singapore. The London location aims to provide a unique coffee experience in an otherwise generally homogeneous market.

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  • Vietnamese Airbnb startup raises $3 mln from venture capitalists

    Vietnamese Airbnb startup raises $3 mln from venture capitalists

    Vietnamese homestay platform Luxstay has raised $3 million from CyberAgent Ventures and other foreign investors in its bridge round. Representatives of Luxstay, the Vietnamese homestay booking start-up, said the total capital raised could rise to $5 million as negotiations are still ongoing with interested investment funds. CyberAgent Ventures (CAV), a Japan based investment firm specializing in incubation and investment in early-stage companies, played a leading role in directing the structure and execution of this funding round, the third for the firm after the seed and pre- Series A rounds.

    This is also the second time the firm has injected capital in Luxstay, after its initial investment in the company’s pre-Series A round in early 2018.

    Dzung Nguyen, CyberAgent managing director for Vietnam and Thailand, believes that the “sharing economy” is a development trend in many business areas, and it will impact both tourism and real estate markets.

    “We believe the Luxstay model capitalises on this trend, and will create a major impact on the market in the coming time,” he said.

    According to Luxstay, there may be millions of townhouses, condominiums and holiday villas that are willing to participate in the short-term accommodation market.

    Therefore, the company has targeted having several hundred thousand properties participating in its home-sharing platform over the next 5 years.

    The founder of the application, Nguyen Van Dung, said that with the current development speed and market potential, Luxstay will focus on accumulating resources to speed up technological development towards building an effective ecosystem to lead this new industry.

    The startup plans to find new investors for its next Series A round in mid-2019 with a potential scale of $10 million.

    Launched in 2016, Luxstay now has a network of nearly 10,000 properties across the country. This is a short-term rental booking platform for apartments, villas and other homestay accommodations positioned in the mid and high-end segments of Vietnam’s real estate market.

    A pioneer in building a platform allowing Vietnamese homeowners to participate in the rental market, the company has created new accommodation facilities for increasing numbers of youth and professionals who travel for work or leisure.

    Luxstay had also received much attention from foreign funds in its previous venture rounds. According to Crunchbase, an online database on investment activity, Luxstay raised $500,000 in its seed round in June 2017 from Vietnam-based ESP Capital and Japanese Genesia Ventures.

    Another $2.5 million was raised in May 2018 in its pre-Series A round from CyberAgent Ventures (Japan), Genesia Ventures (Japan), ESP Capital (Vietnam) and Nextrans (South Korea).

    In September 2018, the startup became a Vietnamese strategic partner of Rakuten Travel, the tourism branch of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten. Y1 Venture and other firms were also involved in the bridge round.