KDDI Partners With Google For Mobile Phone Search Service

TOKYO -(Dow Jones)- Japanese mobile telephone network operator KDDI Corp. said Thursday it would incorporate Google's search engine into its internet mobile phone service from July.

The partnership with search engine giant Google will allow users to search content on both mobile phones and personal computers, the first search service of its kind in Japan.

Japan's mobile phone service providers have been looking for new ways to boost revenue in the maturing Japanese market, such as improving their mobile internet services.

The news of the partnership with Google boosted KDDI's shares, which had been flagging before the announcement in part of a wider market sell off over fears for the outlook for the global economy. KDDI shares ended Thursday 4% higher at Y731,000 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

-By Jamie Miyazaki, Dow Jones Newswires; +81 3 5255 2955; jamie.miyazaki@dowjones.com
-Edited by Shawn Schroter

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 18th May 2006