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Mercari Japan Launches New App in the U.S., Expanding Mercari’s Existing Marketplace Ecosystem

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U.S. customers can now discover deals on Japanese collectibles more easily through a dedicated new app for shopping items from Japan.

TOKYO, June 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mercari, Inc. of Japan (“Mercari Japan”) today announced the launch of Mercari Japan, a new standalone app available in the United States. Mercari Japan is a cross-border shopping platform that enables U.S. customers to easily discover great deals and shop with confidence from Japan’s online marketplaces, Mercari and Mercari Shops.

The new Mercari Japan app is provided by Mercari Japan and is available separately from the U.S. marketplace, which is provided by Mercari, Inc. of the United States (“Mercari”). With the Mercari Japan app, American shoppers gain a dedicated experience for discovering and shopping items from Japan, while the existing U.S. marketplace remains a go-to destination for domestic buying and selling. As part of this launch, the Mercari x Japan feature, currently available through the existing U.S. marketplace, will be phased out as users transition to the Mercari Japan app for a more seamless international shopping experience with added value.

Background of the launch of the Mercari Japan app

Mercari x Japan was introduced by Mercari as a feature within the existing U.S. marketplace, giving U.S. users a way to discover and purchase items from Mercari, Japan’s largest marketplace. The feature resonated with anime fans, Japanese fashion enthusiasts, and collectors, underscoring growing demand in the U.S. for authentic and hard-to-find products from Japan. The new Mercari Japan app, provided by Mercari Japan, builds on that momentum with a dedicated cross-border shopping experience.

Driven by the growing global popularity of Japanese culture, demand for authentic and hard-to-find products from Japan has surged. U.S. customers shopping across borders, particularly for rare and higher-priced items, increasingly value fast and hassle-free delivery. Mercari Japan is designed to meet those needs with a dedicated cross-border shopping experience.1

The cross-border e-commerce market between Japan and the U.S. continues to expand. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, purchases of Japanese products from the U.S. are expected to reach approximately JPY 1.6 trillion in 2024, up 8.0% from the previous year.² In addition, the U.S. media and entertainment market is the largest in the world, exceeding JPY 90 trillion, and related categories are also expected to continue growing.³ ⁴

Mercari Japan’s cross-border transaction business has grown rapidly, with gross merchandise value (GMV) increasing more than 15-fold over the past three years to exceed JPY 90 billion annually.⁵ With the launch of Mercari Japan, Mercari Japan aims to become the leading cross-border marketplace for entertainment and hobby items from Japan.

1. Results of US market research and user surveys conducted by Mercari Japan

2. “FY2024 E-Commerce Market Survey Report”, METI (only available in Japanese)
(https://www.meti.go.jp/press/2025/08/20250826005/20250826005-a.pdf)

3. “Survey Results on the Size of the Media and Entertainment Market in Japan and the World and Overseas Sales of Japanese Content in 2024” (only available in Japanese) (https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000045.000007447.html)

4. “Anime Merchandising Market Report, 2024”, Grand View Research. The market is projected to grow from approximately 10.8 billion USD in 2024 to approximately 18.7 billion USD in 2030.

5. Mercari Japan FY2025.6 Q4 Financial Results Presentation Materials, page 36
(https://pdf.irpocket.com/C4385/hGOm/QABk/Snp2.pdf)

Overview of the Mercari Japan app

Mercari Japan makes it easy for buyers in the U.S. to shop for items from Mercari and Mercari Shops in Japan. By reducing barriers such as language, payment, and purchasing complexity, the app helps users discover great deals on authentic and rare products from Japan.

– Feature 1: Direct access to Japan’s largest marketplace 

The Mercari Japan app gives international buyers access to a vast selection of rare and unique items from Mercari, Japan’s largest marketplace with more than 4 billion total listings, as well as inventory from Mercari Shops. This extensive selection creates a sense of discovery while shopping.⁶

In December 2025, Mercari began offering items from Suruga-ya, a leading Japanese gaming and collectibles retailer known for its extensive inventory and expertise in authenticity verification, helping users shop with even greater confidence.

– Feature 2: Mercari centrally manages the shipping process

From payment to package tracking, the entire purchase experience is managed seamlessly in the new Mercari Japan app. Before final shipment, Mercari Japan inspects every item, and buyers can easily find in-app tracking to monitor delivery status and location, helping make cross-border shopping more transparent and reliable.

– Feature 3: Lower-cost alternative to conventional cross-border purchases

Users of the new Mercari Japan app can buy items directly from Mercari in Japan, avoiding intermediary proxy services and associated fees.

– Feature 4: Shipping protection service included with all purchases

The new Mercari Japan app includes shipping protection service for all items, giving shoppers added peace of mind in the event an item is damaged during international shipment.

– Feature 5: A seamless shopping experience that breaks down barriers of language and currency

In addition to real-time translation powered by AI, the Mercari Japan app supports payment in USD through U.S. payment services. Users can purchase items easily without the stress of language or currency differences.

– Features planned for future implementation

Looking ahead, Mercari Japan plans to roll out new features designed to help improve the security of international marketplace transactions and drive further growth in collectibles and gaming categories.

Authentication: an optional service where items are authenticatedAuction style listings and pre-order item featureFeatures incorporating entertainment and gaming elements

6. Mercari Reaches 4 Billion Cumulative Listings (only available in Japanese)
(https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20240911_4billion/)

Campaign Overview

To celebrate the launch of Mercari Japan, we will be running a promotion for customers in the United States.

Campaign Period: June 18, 2026 – July 5, 2026
Details: Customers are eligible for a maximum of three coupons

30% OFF first purchase coupon for new customers only (maximum discount: $25)25% OFF trading cards category only coupon (maximum discount: $20)20% OFF sitewide coupon (maximum discount: $15)

With the launch of the new Mercari Japan app in the U.S., Mercari Japan is creating a dedicated destination for American shoppers to discover, browse, and buy items from Japan.

Overview of Mercari Japan
Company Name: Mercari, Inc.
Location: Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6125, Japan
Main Business Activities: Planning, development, and operation of the Mercari marketplace app
Representative: Shintaro Yamada

For information about using the Mercari logo and icon, please see the page below.
https://about.mercari.com/en/press/press-kit/mercari/

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SOURCE Mercari, Inc.

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Coreline Soft and Mint Medical Announce Partnership to Advance AI-Enabled Lung Cancer Screening

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HEIDELBERG, Germany and SEOUL, South Korea, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Coreline Soft and Mint Medical today announced a partnership to advance AI-enabled lung cancer screening, following more than six months of technical collaboration and integration work. Through this collaboration, Coreline Soft’s AI imaging platform AVIEW has been integrated into mint Lesion, Mint Medical’s flagship platform for structured reporting and standardized imaging data management, to support clinical lung cancer screening workflows.

The partnership supports an end-to-end workflow connecting AI-powered pulmonary nodule detection, multi-disease analysis, structured reporting, longitudinal nodule tracking, and multi-site reading management. While initially focused on Germany, where LDCT-based lung cancer screening entered statutory health insurance reimbursement in April 2026, the collaboration is designed to scale across international markets where structured and operationally rigorous screening programs are emerging.

Background: Why Germany, Why Now

Germany’s national screening framework requires double reading by independent institutions, CAD software utilization, longitudinal follow-up, quality assurance, and GDPR-compliant multi-site data management. In this context, AI’s role has evolved from optional decision support to operational necessity. What hospitals now require is not simply a high-performing algorithm, but an integrated workflow that connects detection, structured reporting, and follow-up into a reliable, scalable system. This collaboration is built to meet that requirement — and to serve as a replicable model for other national programs adopting similar standards.

“With the integration of Coreline Soft’s AI solution into mint Lesion, we are specifically addressing the requirements of lung cancer screening and enabling scalable, quality-assured workflows, longitudinal follow-up, and optimized interaction with AI results. Coreline Soft contributes an established and clinically validated solution that complements our structured reporting workflows very well. The partnership also allows us to bring the full workflow to our markets in a consolidated way and provide hospitals with seamless access.”
— Onur Özek, Managing Director, Mint Medical

“Coreline Soft has developed AI that goes beyond pulmonary nodule detection, analyzing findings related to lung cancer, COPD, and coronary artery calcification from a single chest CT through opportunistic analysis. Mint Medical’s mint Lesion platform connects those AI-derived findings to structured reporting and longitudinal patient management, which is exactly what Germany’s national screening infrastructure demands. When detection, structured reporting, and follow-up management are joined in a single operational flow, AI becomes the infrastructure that transforms how a healthcare system operates.”
— Jin-Kook Kim, CEO, Coreline Soft

Coreline Soft’s AVIEW has been applied in over 2.5 million real-world clinical reads across hospitals in 19 countries, and is the adopted AI solution in major lung cancer screening initiatives including HANSE (Germany), IMPULSION (France), and RISP (Italy).
Through the mint Lesion platform, partner technologies are incorporated directly into the radiologist’s reading process, supporting standardized data collection from medical images. The open environment allows radiologists to utilize AI-augmented third-party applications while documenting findings in a structured format.
The integration of AVIEW into mint Lesion is designed to enable AI-detected lung nodule findings to be incorporated into structured reporting workflows, supporting Lung-RADS classifications, volume doubling time (VDT) calculations, and follow-up planning. This helps reduce manual workload and improve consistency across multi-site lung cancer screening operations.

About Coreline Soft
Coreline Soft is a medical AI company that develops and commercializes AI-powered chest CT imaging software. Its flagship AI platform, AVIEW, simultaneously detects pulmonary nodules, quantifies emphysema, and assesses coronary artery calcification from a single low-dose chest CT — delivering multiple clinical insights without additional imaging.

About Mint Medical
Mint Medical, a Snke company, is a global leader in software solutions for structured reporting and data-driven radiology. Its flagship platform, mint Lesion, streamlines the diagnostic workflow in clinical routine and research by transforming medical images into high-quality, reproducible data. Mint Medical provides a vendor-neutral ecosystem that integrates advanced, AI-augmented solutions from third-party partners — including automated lesion detection and segmentation — directly into the radiologist’s reading process. By bridging the gap between imaging findings and standardized clinical criteria, Mint Medical enables the precise, longitudinal assessments essential for the advancement of precision medicine.

Media Contacts
Coreline Soft
General Inquiries
Email: global.mkt@corelinesoft.com

PR Inquiries
Youna Kim, PR Manager
Email: youna.kim@corelinesoft.com

Subject Matter Expert
Franck Ruiz, Marketing Management
Email: franck.ruiz@corelinesoft.com

Mint Medical
Media Inquiries
Corina Leibli, VP MarCom
Email: corina.leibli@mint-medical.com
Phone: +49 6221 32180-21 (CET+1)

Subject Matter Expert
Dr. Sigrid Auweter, Product Management
Email: sigrid.auweter@mint-medical.com

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Mobility Technology Firm KPIT Expands its Vietnam Presence with New Center and University Partnerships

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Partnering with leading universities and creating 100+ job opportunities, KPIT signals long-term commitment to Vietnam’s technology talent ecosystem.

HANOI, Vietnam, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KPIT Technologies, a global technology partner to the Automotive and Mobility ecosystem, announced an expansion of its Vietnam presence with the inauguration of a new technology center in Hanoi and strategic collaborations with two leading universities. With over 25 years of specialized expertise in mobility, experience across 2000+ vehicle production programs, and software powering 20+ million vehicles on the road, this marks an important step in KPIT’s long-term commitment to Southeast Asia and its vision to help shape the future of Mobility.  

A strategic base for Southeast Asia’s Mobility growth

The global mobility industry is focusing on strengthening its competitive advantage by reducing vehicle costs, improving manufacturing efficiency, faster release of vehicles and features, and differentiated consumer experiences. Southeast Asia is emerging as an important region in the mobility value chain. For KPIT, Vietnam represents both a strong local opportunity and a strategic gateway into a fast-evolving regional ecosystem. The new technology center will serve as a hub for engineering, innovation, and collaboration, supporting mobility programs across Southeast Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

KPIT’s growing presence in Vietnam reflects its strategy of being close to the markets where mobility is being reimagined. The company already works with Mobility leaders across Germany, Japan, USA, China, India and other markets.

The Vietnam center has already employed several local engineers and will add 100+ positions in the near future.

Building a long-term talent ecosystem and job opportunities in Vietnam

As part of its long-term vision for the country, KPIT has also signed Memorandums of Understanding with Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST- is Vietnam’s first and leading technical university, known for its strong academic tradition, quality faculty, and research achievements); and VinUniversity (VinUni is a private, not-for-profit university built to international standards, with strategic collaborations with Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania). These partnerships are aimed at strengthening industry-academia collaboration, developing next-gen Mobility talent, and creating huge job opportunities for students and young professionals in Vietnam.

Commenting on the expansion, Sachin Tikekar, President & Joint MD, KPIT Technologies, said, “Vietnam is an important long-term market and talent hub for KPIT in Southeast Asia. We see strong potential in its talent, energy, and pace of innovation, with both homegrown and global vehicle makers continuing to invest in the country. With our new technology center and partnerships with leading universities, we are committed to building local talent, creating high-quality jobs, and establishing a meaningful long-term presence in the region.” 

About KPIT

KPIT is reimagining mobility to create a cleaner, smarter, and safer world. With 25+ years of expertise, KPIT is transforming Software and AI-Defined Vehicles. www.kpit.com 

Media Contact

Sunil Ravish
Sr. Director – Marketing, Media Relations
sunil.r@kpit.com 

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2997180/KPIT_Vietnam_office_inauguration.jpg

 

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Vibefam Raises US$1 Million to Build an AI-Powered Operating System for Fitness Businesses

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SINGAPORE and NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Vibefam, the all-in-one operating system for fitness businesses, announced the completion of a US$1 million seed funding round led by a Singapore-based family office with a strong track record of backing category-defining technology companies. In addition to capital, the investor brings deep operating insight and a network built through years of supporting founders and working alongside leading venture investors.

Today, Vibefam powers more than 700 fitness locations worldwide and serves over 500,000 end users. The platform supports a diverse range of fitness businesses, including Pilates studios, yoga studios, strength and conditioning gyms, dance academies, martial arts schools, and boutique fitness brands.

The investment will accelerate Vibefam’s mission to help fitness businesses launch, operate, and scale through a unified platform that combines operations, payments, customer engagement, and growth solutions within a single platform.

The funding comes at a time when fitness operators are increasingly seeking intelligent operating platforms that unify operations, payments, and customer engagement, replacing fragmented technology stacks and legacy software platforms.

“Fitness businesses deserve technology that works as hard as they do,” said Serene Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of Vibefam. “Many operators still juggle multiple disconnected systems to manage bookings, payments, customer communication, marketing, and reporting. We’re building a platform that brings everything together, helping businesses operate more efficiently while delivering better experiences to their customers.”

The newly raised capital will primarily be invested into artificial intelligence and embedded financial services, two areas the company believes will fundamentally reshape how service businesses operate.

In July 2026, Vibefam will launch Vibe AI, a messaging-native customer engagement platform that allows members to interact with fitness businesses through natural conversations. From answering enquiries and recommending classes to completing bookings and re-engaging inactive customers, the platform helps businesses deliver instant service at scale without increasing administrative workload.

The company is also expanding its embedded finance capabilities through a growing network of financial partners, enabling eligible businesses to access funding directly within the Vibefam platform to support expansion, hiring, equipment purchases, and working capital needs. By leveraging operational data already available on Vibefam, eligible businesses can gain faster access to growth capital with significantly reduced paperwork and approval times.

“We believe the future of business software will be proactive, intelligent, and deeply embedded into the daily operations of every business,” Lim added. “The opportunity extends far beyond managing bookings and payments. We’re building infrastructure that helps fitness businesses acquire customers, automate operations, access capital, and make better decisions every day.”

The funding will support continued product development, strategic hiring, and the expansion of Vibefam’s AI and embedded finance capabilities as the company continues its evolution into a comprehensive operating system for fitness businesses.

About Vibefam

Vibefam is an AI-powered operating system for fitness businesses. The platform helps gyms, studios, and wellness operators manage scheduling, memberships, payments, customer engagement, reporting, and growth from a single platform. Today, Vibefam powers more than 700 fitness locations worldwide and serves over 500,000 end users.

Vibefam is also backed by leading early-stage investors including Hustle Fund and Ignite Asia, alongside strategic investors and operators from the fitness and wellness industry who bring deep expertise in building and scaling consumer and service businesses.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vibefam-raises-us1-million-to-build-an-ai-powered-operating-system-for-fitness-businesses-302800222.html

SOURCE Vibefam

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