Rakuten - Wikipedia Rakuten Group, Inc [a] (楽天グループ株式会社, Rakuten Gurūpu kabushikigaisha; pronounced [ɾakɯ̥teɴ], lit 'Optimism') is a Japanese technology conglomerate based in Tokyo, founded by Hiroshi Mikitani in 1997 Centered around the online retail marketplace Rakuten Ichiba, its businesses include financial services utilizing Fintech, digital content and communications services such