The nation's second-largest telecommunications carrier DDI Corp., known as KDDI, said Wednesday it has formed a joint venture with advertising agency Hakuhodo Inc. and three other firms to run ads on its mobile-phone Internet services.
The venture, a1 adnet Corp., is capitalized at 490 million yen, with KDDI holding a stake of 51 percent and Hakuhodo a 35 percent interest, KDDI said. The remainder is held by three firms, including another advertising agency, Asatsu-DK Inc., which has 8 percent.
The new firm, to open for business next February, will provide advertising services on KDDI's EZweb mobile-phone Internet service.
"We can deliver ads in a timely manner because consumers always carry mobile phones with them," Aiichiro Sonoda, president of a1 adnet, told a news conference.
KDDI is the result of an Oct. 1 merger of telecom players DDI Corp., KDD Corp. and IDO Corp.
KDDI's rival, NTT DoCoMo Inc., has already formed a similar venture with Dentsu Inc., the nation's largest ad agency.