Google has just wrapped up a successful test for advertising via mobile phones in Japan, according to Bloomberg. The Japanese mobile phone market, more robust and advanced than the US market, is often used to test mobile technologies.

If Yahoo Japan’s most recent attempt at starting a joint venture and taking a position in an online bank succeeds, it could be a testing ground for establishing an online payment service.

Feedster will launch the Japanese version of its RSS and blog search engine soon, according to Feedster President Chris Redlitz. Feedster recently received funding to do so from Japanese investment firm Mitsui and Co., and the move will also help another future transition into the Chinese market by the end of the year at the earliest.

Japan’s government is a little jealous of the money being made by Google and plans to meet with 20 companies to discuss creating a rival search engine.

Technophile Japanese buyers of portable media players may have received a break as a government committee declined to support a proposed tax.

Pages on the Yahoo Japan web site will display wanted posters for five suspects sought by Japan’s National Police Agency.

The Japanese government will roll out mobile Voice over Internet Protocol and blazing 15Mbps connections by 2007.

The comparison site Become.com will take on Japan’s Transcosmos Corp as a partner in the battle for search and shopping Internet users.

Now here’s a good idea, and one that we may hope to see from Yahoo on the other side of the Pacific. Yahoo Japan Corp launched a pilot service allowing local users to update its map service to be sure its accurate, according to Kyodo News.

If Kazuma Yabano stays out of trouble for four years, his 22-month prison sentence will simply go away.

Yahoo welcomes Apple to the digital music business in Japan by utilizing the time-tested “first one’s free” marketing strategy.

The oft-rumored iTunes Japan has been launched, and with it comes the release of the Rolling Stones back catalog.

Since being supplanted by IBM’s BlueGene/L, Japan’s technology ministry has been searching for a way back to the top.

According to the Kyodo News, Japan is working on a computer that runs faster than Tom Cruise from reality. In fact, it’ll be 73 times faster than the world’s current speed demon, IBM’s American Blue Gene/L, or so says a very confident group of Japanese scientists.

Last Friday evening, MSN took their search toolbar to the International community by releasing an updated version, which increases the amount of language support given to foreign countries.

A major Japanese music label claims it has signed an agreement with Apple to provide it with music content.

As Google tightens its grip on the world of search (and the world itself), the company continues to embrace the international side of search. Every time they release a major product, it doesn’t take too long for them to introduce it to the rest of the world.

With no iTunes competition in Japan, Sony has been able to move ahead in the flash memory-based player category.

The software company disclosed the latest version of its automotive-grade software platform in Yokohama.

Advance Micro Devices filed suit in Tokyo High Court against processor powerhouse Intel for some $50 million. The suit accuses Intel of paying massive amounts of moolah to Japanese computer companies to keep them from using AMD chips.

During his visit to Japan, Bill Gates discussed technology issues with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.