Marketing

Rakuten Ichiba, Google team on YouTube shopping experience

Photo: Rakuten

February 27, 2026

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Rakuten Ichiba, a Japan online marketplace, is partnering with Google in Japan to provide an accessible shopping experience where consumers can buy products from Rakuten Ichiba via YouTube videos.

This initiative is made possible by Rakuten and Google's partnership in the YouTube Shopping affiliate program, according to a press release. It marks the first company to have joined the program in Japan.

YouTube viewers will be able to explore Rakuten Ichiba products featured by YouTube creators. When tapping the "View Products" button during a video, product names and prices will be displayed on the same screen. Users can then navigate directly to the product page on Rakuten Ichiba to view details or continue watching the video.

"We are thrilled to partner with Rakuten Ichiba as our first domestic partner for the launch of the YouTube Shopping affiliate program in Japan. YouTube's shopping experience, built on the foundation of creator trust, offers merchants a powerful new channel to reach highly engaged fan communities. We are committed to evolving this new ecosystem — one that drives sales growth for merchants, empowers creators to seamlessly turn their passions and expertise into a business, and provides viewers with a more convenient and enjoyable shopping experience," Naomi Yamakawa, managing director of YouTube Japan at Google, said in the release.