US-based online community provider Passenger has entered the Japanese market through a partnership with online survey and panel provider Rakuten Research, which is headquartered in Tokyo.

Founded in 2005, with offices in Los Angeles, Palo Alto and New York City, Passenger develops online communities to provide real-time customer insight. At the end of last year, the firm released an app allowing members access to research communities from an iOS mobile phone.

Rakuten Research - led by CEO Manabu Mori (pictured) - is part of Internet services giant The Rakuten Group. The group also includes ‘B2B2C’ ecommerce site Rakuten Ichiba through which the research arm conducts analysis.

As part of the partnership agreement, Rakuten Research has exclusive rights to offer Passenger’s social research platforms in Japan, after which it plans to introduce the new service across other Asia Pacific areas.

Web sites: www.rakuten.co.jp and www.thinkpassenger.com .

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