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Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Why Japanese E-Commerce Giant Rakuten Is Betting Big on AI

The e-tailer’s head of fashion Ryo Matsumura sees its recent investments in semantic search and other artificial intelligence features as key to driving sales growth in the country’s lucrative but lagging online luxury market.
A look from the Anrealage show at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo in September 2022. Japanese tech giant Rakuten is title sponsor of the event and sells the brand on its namesake e-commerce platform.
A look from Japanese brand Anrealage at the September 2022 edition of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo where the local tech giant is the event's title sponsor. (Getty Images)

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“We need a revolution,” said Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten’s head of fashion

Further Reading

What’s Behind Japan’s Luxury Boom?

International tourists cashing in on a weak yen, along with resilient domestic spending and retail upgrades, are behind the latest sales spike in the Japanese luxury market.

About the author
Zoe Suen

Zoe Suen is a contributing writer at The Business of Fashion. Suen is a freelance writer, editor, and consultant who writes about luxury fashion and beauty.

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