With Amazon expected to bring the Kindle to Japan sometime this year, online retailer Rakuten is looking to get a head start by introducing the Kobo Touch in the country first. The company — which purchased Canada-based Kobo for $315 million — will reportedly be releasing the e-reader in Japan in late July for around ¥10,000 (US$125), and it will be available not only through Rakuten’s online store, but also major electronics shops throughout the country. Further details are expected at the beginning of July. “With Kobo devices, we will be able to export Japanese content,” Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani told The Asahi Shimbun, explaining that around 50,000 titles are expected to be available by the end of 2012. “The Japanese publishing industry will become a huge content industry.”
Rakuten bringing Kobo Touch to Japan in July
After acquiring Kobo for $315 million, Japanese firm Rakuten will now be introducing the Touch e-reader into its home country this summer.
After acquiring Kobo for $315 million, Japanese firm Rakuten will now be introducing the Touch e-reader into its home country this summer.
is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.
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