FAST and Rakuten Announce Joint Venture of Mobile Search in Japan

Business Wire, August 24, 2007

Companies combine expertise in search and advanced mobile markets to provide innovative search and mobile advertising services

NEEDHAM, Mass. & OSLO, Norway -- Rakuten, Inc.(JASDAQ code:4755), a leading Internet Service Company in Japan, and Fast Search & Transfer[TM] (OSEAX: FAST.OL) (FAST[TM]), the leading global provider of enterprise search technologies, have announced a definitive agreement to form a joint venture to develop and provide mobile search and advertising service in Japan.

The new entity, Rakuten FAST Mobile Search, Inc., will be an equal joint venture with total capital and capital reserve of 800 million yen. This joint venture will combine FAST's technological leadership and expertise in the mobile and advertising markets with Rakuten's strong customer base of 38 million members and valuable services. By partnering to develop innovative search capabilities for the mobile market, Rakuten and FAST are delivering on the rapidly growing demand for these services and capitalizing on the business opportunities of this emerging market.

Mobile search services will initially be rolled out to Rakuten mobile sites this year, and subsequently be offered to third parties on an OEM basis. The companies will collaborate to further advance the development of additional mobile business and technology innovation.

"In order for us to continually enhance customer service and loyalty, generate new revenue and optimize content, it is essential that we partner with an innovative search company like FAST," said Mr. H. Mikitani, President and CEO of Rakuten. "It allows us to deliver the information that our members want, which will enable us to maintain a competitive edge in an aggressive market."

"As mobile and internet worlds continue to merge, the demand for effective mobile search, E-Commerce and mobile advertising services on mobile devices is growing at an explosive rate," said Dr. John M. Lervik, co-founder and CEO of FAST. "Savvy mobile innovators like Rakuten are taking advantage of their established relationships with their customers, understanding what they want, and delivering on those needs before they have to go elsewhere. By combining our expertise, Rakuten and FAST can establish best practices for mobile search and expand that model into new markets, increasing our profitability."

About Rakuten, Inc.

Rakuten, Inc., is the leading Internet service company in Japan, bringing a wide range of services to consumers in E-Commerce, Portal and Media, Travel, Credit and Payment , Securities, and Professional Sports.

In the E-Commerce business, the company provides the largest on-line internet shopping mall in Japan and an on-line auction service. The company also operates an internet portal service, on-line hotel and air reservation services, an on-line brokerage service and a personal financial service all through the company's websites. Moreover, Rakuten is the proud owner of a professional baseball team -- the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.

Rakuten is a listed company on the JASDAQ(code:4755).

About FAST

FAST is the leading global provider of enterprise search technologies powering some of the world's best known companies. FAST helps its customers deliver applications and services that connect their users to the right information, the right products, and the right people. By making search a central part of business infrastructure, FAST's customers leverage search to drive business results. FAST's solutions are used by more than 2,600 global customers and partners, including America Online (AOL), Cardinal Health, CareerBuilder.com, CIGNA, CNET, Dell, Factiva, Fidelity Investments, Findexa, IBM, Knight Ridder, LexisNexis, Overture, Rakuten, Reed Elsevier, Reuters, Sensis, Stellent, Tenet Healthcare, Thomas Industrial Networks, T-Online, US Army, Virgilio (Telecom Italia), Vodafone, and Wanadoo.

FAST is headquartered in Norway and is publicly traded under the ticker symbol 'FAST' on the Oslo Stock Exchange. For further information about FAST, please visit www.fastsearch.com.

(c) 2007 Fast Search & Transfer ASA - Fast Search & Transfer, FAST and are trademarks of Fast Search & Transfer ASA. The FAST logo and FAST ESP, are registered trademarks of Fast Search & Transfer ASA. All rights reserved.