OREANDA-NEWS. NTT DOCOMO, INC. and Laox Co., Ltd., a Japan-based tax-free retailer, announced today that they have reached a basic agreement to jointly offer benefits tailored to overseas visitors shopping at Laox stores throughout Japan.

The first initiative, scheduled to launch in October, will be discounts offered at Laox stores to customers of China Mobile Communications Corporation and KT Corporation of South Korea who use DOCOMO's international roaming services while travelling in Japan.

Customers who roam on the DOCOMO mobile network in Japan will be validated for the discounts when they shop at any Laox shop nationwide.

DOCOMO, China Mobile and KT concluded their Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement in January 2011, aiming initially to expand usage of their respective international roaming services. The partnership with Laox is based on a joint decision to target overlapping customers, in this case overseas mobile users who visit tax-free shops in Japan. This is the first time for the three mobile companies to collaborate with a third-party company.

Going forward, DOCOMO and Laox will continue to strengthen their support for foreign shoppers through possible tie-ups with additional partners, such as foreign mobile carriers and companies offering products or services to foreign visitors in Japan. Also, both companies will offer specialized information useful to foreigners during their stays in Japan, language support by leveraging mobile-translation technologies, marketing initiatives supported with big data, and more.

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO provides innovative, convenient and secure mobile services that enable smarter living for each customer. The company serves over 65 million mobile customers in Japan via advanced wireless networks, including a nationwide 3G network and one of the world's first commercial LTE networks. Leveraging its unique capabilities as a mobile operator, DOCOMO is a leading developer of cutting-edge technologies for NFC mobile payments, mobile GPS, mobile TV, intuitive mobile assistance, environmental monitoring, smart grids and much more. Overseas, the company provides technical and operational expertise to eight mobile operators and other partner companies. NTT DOCOMO is listed on the Tokyo (9437) and New York (DCM) stock exchanges.

About Laox

Laox, a pioneer of tax-free retail sales in Japan, has one of the most extensive networks of general tax-free stores in the country. Through sales of original Japanese products and meticulous service, the company aims to achieve maximum customer satisfaction and increased global awareness of the high quality represented by "Made in Japan." Laox is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (8202).