June 1, 2012

  • GMO Pepabo, Inc.

paperboy&co.
Press Release
                  
Paperboy&co. Establishes New Ebook Company, BookLog, Inc.
 
Tokyo – June 1, 2012 – GMO Internet Group company paperboy&co. Inc. today announces the division of the company that operates Japan's leading book club community, BookLog, and ebook publishing and sales platform, Puboo has been spun off into new company, BookLog, Inc.  
 
Having identified growth potential in the ebook market, paperboy&co. established online book review and recommendation community, BookLog in October 2009, and in June of the following year launched Puboo, an ebook self publishing platform that allows users to create, publish and sell ebooks. Both services quickly developed a large user base and today have a combined total of over 500,000 users (as of 5/2012).
BookLog, Inc. was established with the objective of giving the company more flexibility to operate and grow its services in a rapidly expanding market. The new company will manage BookLog, Puboo and ebook related business.
 
Outline of New Company
Company Name
BookLog, Inc. (http://booklog.co.jp)
Location
Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya ku, Tokyo, JAPAN
Capital
50 million yen
Investment Ratio
paperboy&co. Inc. 100%
CEO
CEO Kengo Yoshida
Business Description
Book review community site, ebook publishing and sales platform management, ebook advertising
 
Going forward the new company will seek to build stronger partnerships with between BookLog and ebook sellers. Already a function that allows readers to add ebook and magazine product information to BookLog is available on BookLive (BookLive, Inc.), Fujisan.co.jp (Fujisan Services, Inc.), GALAPAGOS STORE (Sharp, Inc.), and Honto (2Dfacto).* The new function connects users with new content both digital and in print.   
At the same time, BookLog, Inc. will focus on offering new self-publishing opportunities including a feature that will allow readers to decide how much they pay for an ebook using a “Donation” function (set to launch this summer), together with more new ways for users to buy and sell ebooks.
The company aims to boost combined membership of both services to 1 million users in the next fiscal year.
*1 (in alphabetical order)

Media Inquiries
paperboy&co. Inc.
GMO Internet
 
About GMO Internet Group
GMO Internet Group is one of the most comprehensive providers of industry-leading Internet services worldwide. As well as domain registration, web hosting, ecommerce, and payment processing businesses that each hold the top share in their respective markets in Japan, services operated by the group include Internet advertising, search engine marketing and research. Global online security brand GlobalSign and major Japanese online securities brokerage, GMO CLICK Securities are also group members. In 2011 a new Social Media & Smartphone Platform segment was established bringing together group initiatives in social apps development, flash marketing and Android apps distribution. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
 
paperboy&co. Inc.
Company Name
paperboy&co. Inc. (JASDAQ: 3633)  http://www.paperboy.co.jp/
Location
Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya ku, Tokyo, JAPAN
CEO
Kentarow Sato
Business Description
-Web Hosting –Ecommerce solutions –Community business
Capital
JPY120.62 million yen (5/2012)
 
GMO Internet, Inc.
Company Name
GMO Internet (TSE First Section Code: 9449) http://www.gmo.jp/en
Location
Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya ku, Tokyo, JAPAN
CEO
Masatoshi Kumagai
Business Description
- Web Infrastructure & Ecommerce – Internet Media
- Internet Securities – Social Media & Smartphone Platform
Capital
 JPY3 billion
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