Ask Jeeves goes Japanese
25 August 2004
Internet firm Ask Jeeves has unveiled the beta version of a new Japanese language search engine.
Based on the company's flagship Ask Jeeves web search service, Ask.jp has been developed by Ask Jeeves Japan Co Ltd, a joint venture between Ask Jeeves Inc. and Japanese firm transcosmos inc.
The only other major search and portal sites in Japan providing their own search technologies are Google and Yahoo! Japan and the launch of Ask.jp now gives Japanese web users three options for global search technology.
"International expansion is an important component of our corporate growth strategy," said Ask Jeeves CEO Steve Berkowitz. "We are happy that Japanese Web users are now able to take advantage of our unique search experience and the superior relevancy our technologies provide."
Hirotaka Shiokawa, president and CEO of Ask Jeeves Japan, added: "We are excited to make the beta version of Ask.jp available to the general public for the very first time. End-user feedback will enable us to optimise the search experience and deliver the best possible product for the official launch of Ask.jp."
Ask.jp's Japanese-only index contains over 150 million webpages and new pages will be continually added leading up to the formal launch. The company also states that other improvements and new features will be added regularly and expects to offer the first fully functional version, including access to Ask Jeeves' global index, in the first quarter of 2005.
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