Tokyo, 11 April, /AJMEDIA
Gakken Holdings Co Ltd (Hiroaki Miyahara, President and Representative Director) has acquired GPlusMedia Inc from Fuji Media Holdings Inc, effective April 1.
GPlusMedia, a pioneer media company targeting the international community in Japan and abroad, operates several leading English websites such as Japan Today, which publishes news from Japan and abroad, GaijinPot, which offers job and lifestyle information for foreigners in Japan and global readers who are interested in Japan, and Savvy Tokyo, a platform for women and families focusing on what’s new in lifestyles, food and fun. GPlusMedia also operates Real Estate Japan, which provides English information and support for foreigners on the rental/sale of apartments.
The Gakken Group provides a wide range of services, including home study materials, development of cram schools and Gakken Classrooms as well as educational materials for schools. In the medical and welfare fields, Gakken Group develops senior residences and group homes for people with dementia. In recent years, Tokyo Global Gateway, Chikyu-no-arukikata, IC-NET and others have joined the Gakken Group. The company’s publishing business includes children’s books, study aid books, dictionaries, books on travel, science, medicine, gardening, cooking, child-rearing, hobbies, sports, educational and puzzle magazines.
Commenting on the acquisition of GPlusMedia, Gakken President Miyahara said: “I believe that GPlusMedia’s current service and business model, built on the desire to help foreigners living and expecting to live in Japan — to keep them informed, to make their lives as good as possible and to build a foundation for them to live and work — is the result of its tireless efforts. The pillars of the Gakken Group’s mid-term plan, Gakken 2023, are DX (digital transformation) and global expansion. DX and global expansion in the education and welfare industry are exceedingly difficult challenges. It is a very meaningful challenge, and we are very encouraged that GPlusMedia will join us in this endeavor.”
GPlusMedia CEO Kevin Holdaway said: “We are looking forward to the opportunity of working together with the Gakken Group to both grow and develop GPlusMedia as the go-to English media for foreigners in Japan, as well as support Gakken with their DX and globalization efforts. With Gakken’s support we will continue to expand our efforts in supporting the foreign community and assisting internationalization in Japan.”
