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McDonald's, Rakuten announce partnership to improve customer convenience

May 30, 2017 (Japan Today) - McDonald's Japan and Rakuten Inc on Monday announced that the two companies have formed a partnership around the Rakuten Point Card service to improve customer convenience by enabling Rakuten Point Card cardholders to use their card at approximately 2,900 McDonald's restaurants across Japan from June 1.

Collaboration between McDonald's Japan and Rakuten began in December 2008 with the introduction of Rakuten's e-money service, Rakuten Edy, at all McDonald's restaurants nationwide, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy a wider variety of payments methods beyond cash and allowing the restaurants to provide a quicker and smoother service. Through the new partnership, customers who present their Rakuten Point Card or their Rakuten Point Card app when paying at McDonald's restaurants in Japan can earn one Rakuten Super Point for every 100 yen (tax included) spent. Rakuten Super Points can be used in the various Rakuten Group services as well as for payment at McDonald's restaurants in Japan and other partner stores.

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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