Alibaba.com Service To Include Japanese "Export-To-China"

Business-to-business e-commerce company Alibaba.com Ltd (1688.HK) subsidiary Alibaba.com Japan plans to begin offering its "Export-to-China" Chinese-language online storefront service to Japanese enterprises on January 12, 2009, reports Sina. Alibaba.com and Softbank are trying to build a new system to allow financial and legal transactions to be made online, said Softbank president Masayoshi Son at a joint press conference with Alibaba chief executive Jack Ma.

Alibaba.com began offering international companies a free six-month trial of Export-to-China valued at $699 in August, but Alibaba.com Japan was not included in the service. Alibaba already brings together some 50,000 suppliers in China with wholesale buyers in Japan, reports the AFP. Alibaba.com Japan was established as a joint venture between Alibaba and Softbank in May.