A Japanese startup has made inroads to the Malaysian market by promoting the giving of e-gifts — a practice it believes is an important way for people to engage in today's hyper-connected age.

For its first foray into a Southeast Asian market, Tokyo-based Giftee Inc. teamed up with the operator of a conveyor-belt sushi bar in Malaysia, which has a population of around 30 million people.

In Malaysia the online gifting service provider launched a campaign with local sushi restaurants, to send e-vouchers via social media that enable customers to eat sushi for 3.18 ringgit (about ¥90) a plate, according to company officials.