Mobile social networks are coming to Japan

Japan is experiencing the hype of mobile social networking. This week, MySpace and Softbank announced plans for a 50-50 joint venture to bring the popular Internet social networking site to Japan.

Next, on the wave of this news, another US company - Gemini Mobile Technologies - announced it would power 3D mobile communities of Softbank's service S! TOWN. The Gemini platform, called eXplo, will enable 3D chatting, shopping, and other S! TOWN community features via cell phones. Gemini also announced that its multimedia messaging software, the HyperScale Messaging Center, and its HyperScale core technology are the engines behind an additional new Softbank Mobile service, Arrange Mail.

On the domestic front, KDDI is about to launch EZ GREE mobile social network, the deployment of which is scheduled for November 17. While the subscription to EZ GREE is free, users will need to have a data plan with KDDI. EZ GREE is a mobile version of the GREE social network site that has been popular for some time in Japan. The mobile version will be linked with other services and applications from KDDI's portal such as EZ News Flash, au My Page, horoscopes and game scores or various test results. Users will also be able to decorate their profiles, messages and mobile diaries with pictures, smilies and frames.

Only NTT DoCoMo remains silent about its mobile social network plans. While it is not too late, they should snap a partnership deal with mixi - the most popular social network site in Japan in order to not be left behind. Once, they have already lost a leadership in mobile music services to KDDI au.