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Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile Establish "Rakuten AST" Joint Venture to Build D2D Satellite Communications Network in Japan

ASTS
  • Rakuten Group & AST SpaceMobile established Rakuten AST, Inc. on November 6, 2026, to build a sovereign direct-to-device satellite network in Japan.
  • The joint venture secured approximately USD 1 billion in funding from Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications (MIC) via the J-LEO project.
  • Rakuten AST will deploy mid-band LEO satellites supplied by AST SpaceMobile to enable smartphone connectivity without specialized hardware.
  • Operations for the new network are scheduled to commence by March 2029 to ensure disaster-resilient & uninterrupted communications.
  • The new company will be majority-owned by Rakuten Group (51%) with AST SpaceMobile Japan Holdings II holding 49%.
  • Rakuten AST plans to extend services globally through AST SpaceMobile subject to regulatory approval beyond the Japanese market.
  • Rakuten Mobile intends to integrate AI-driven spectrum management & edge computing for IoT & industry-specific solutions.
  • Commercial-environment testing of the satellite-to-mobile service is planned to begin within 2026 under the strategic partnership.