T-POINT service launched at "TAP-i by Mainichi Shimbun + Sponichi"

2012.08.01 Press Releases
Mainichi Shimbun Co., Ltd. / Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.

—Earn T-points by reading the news on your tablet or smartphone!—

Mainichi Shimbun Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yutaka Asahina; hereinafter "Mainichi Shimbun") and Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (Tokyo Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Muneaki Masuda; hereinafter "CCC"), which operates Japan's largest common point service "T-POINT" *1, will launch the T-POINT service on the paid digital media "TAP-i by Mainichi Shimbun + Sponichi" (hereinafter "TAP-i") from September 1, 2012.

"TAP-i" is a new kind of news and information service provided by Mainichi Shimbun and Sports Nippon Newspapers for iPad, iPhone, and Android OS-equipped tablets and smartphones.
The catchphrase is "Touch the news." This magazine features a wealth of vibrant photographs from a variety of genres, including general news, sports, entertainment, and science. You can zoom in on images by "tapping" (lightly tapping) with your fingertip, or turn pages by "swiping" (sliding) your finger. It's like actually "touching" the news. It also has a voice-over news reading function, and video news featuring a CG female newscaster named "Ai-chan" is also popular.
"TAP-i" has already been used by over 200,000 people (cumulative number of downloads of the free dedicated app) in just two months since its launch.

Prior to the point accrual for "TAP-i" starting in September, the Mainichi Shimbun Company will begin offering points on the internet's "TAP-i General Information" site (http://www.mainichi.co.jp/tap-i/) from August 1st. We will begin accepting applications for the "Daily ID Only Course," which is eligible for T-POINT rewards. When applying, you will need to register a valid T-CARD number. To receive points starting in September, you must have signed a contract and registered your T-CARD number during August.

The domestic smartphone and tablet market is expanding rapidly, and smartphones in particular are becoming mainstream, with shipment volumes now exceeding those of regular mobile phones. Mainichi Shimbun and CCC are collaborating with the T-POINT service, whose members are 60% in their 20s and 30s, a demographic particularly interested in digital content, to fully convey the appeal of "TAP-i."

[Overview of T-POINT service on "TAP-i"] 
■Service launch month: September 1, 2012 (Saturday)

*Registration of T-CARD numbers will begin on August 1, 2012 (Wednesday).

■T-POINT eligible course: "TAP-i Daily ID Only Course" (900 yen per month)

*This course requires prior subscription through the "TAP-i General Information" website on your computer.
*Points will not be awarded for other courses or application methods.

■T-POINT awarded: 4 points every month

*Double points campaign (8 points awarded) until December 2012
*Points cannot be awarded during the free trial months.

*1 The common point service "T-POINT" was launched in October 2003 and has grown into a point service with 40.93 million members as of the end of June 2012, representing one in three people in Japan (active members who have used a T-CARD in the past year, and unique members who hold multiple cards are counted as one person). The T-POINT Alliance includes 88 companies and approximately 47,000 stores, where you can use T-POINT in a wide range of areas closely related to your daily life, including TSUTAYA, FamilyMart, ENEOS, Gusto, Alpen, Camera Kitamura, Gyukaku, Yahoo! Shopping, ZOZOTOWN, and corporate employee benefit programs.
*The company names and product/service names mentioned in this press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Documents related to this matter

T-POINT service launched at "TAP-i by Mainichi Shimbun + Sponichi"

Inquiries regarding this matter
Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Representative: Ando
TEL: 03-6800-4464