The state-backed Cool Japan Fund will invest about USD 50 million in Indonesian ride-hailing startup Gojek, seeking to add Japanese content to the multi-service company’s new video streaming offering and promote Japanese cuisine.
Gojek operates one of Southeast Asia’s largest online platforms. The company said it has 155 million downloads for its services ranging from ride-hailing and food delivery to mobile payments.
Part of Cool Japan’s infusion will go toward Gojek’s video and music streaming service for mobile users. The public-private fund hopes to tap the popularity of Japanese anime and horror movies in Indonesia. It will help bring existing programs to Gojek’s service and work with the startup to produce original Japan-related content locally.
The fund’s investment also will help Japanese restaurants in Indonesia set up shop at Gojek’s Go-Food Festival locations. These offline sites feature the food delivery service’s top-selling merchants.
The new investment marks the biggest in Southeast Asia for Cool Japan, which aims to encourage overseas demand for Japanese products and services.
Go-Jek’s Japanese investors also include trading house Mitsubishi Corp. and automaker Mitsubishi Motors, which have provided capital to the ride-hailing business.
This article first appeared on Nikkei Asian Review. It’s republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei. 36Kr is KrASIA’s parent company.