Coupang Explores Entry into Japan... Service Test Conducted in Tokyo

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Coupang has begun preparations to enter the Japanese market. They are conducting pilot tests of the service in Tokyo to gauge market response.

According to the distribution industry on the 4th, Coupang recently started a pilot operation of the Coupang app service in the Nakanobu area of Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, Japan. The products available for order through this app range from fresh food to industrial goods. Unlike the domestic 'Rocket Delivery,' which delivers the next day after ordering, the delivery person immediately delivers the product upon order. It is analyzed to be a combination of Rocket Delivery and the delivery app Coupang Eats.

This is Coupang's first overseas pilot service. Rumors of Coupang's entry into Japan surfaced earlier in March. At that time, according to major foreign media, SoftBank Group (SBG) Chairman Masayoshi Son stated that he was discussing with Coupang and SoftBank's subsidiary Z Holdings about introducing Coupang's service in Japan. However, SoftBank Group officially denied this, saying, "We talked about providing a service similar to Coupang in Japan," and "We did not mention Coupang's entry into Japan."

Regarding this pilot test in Japan, Coupang stated that since the test is limited to a specific area, there are no confirmed plans or schedules for service expansion or future plans.