Special Feature: The LINE Business

Following the business integration with LINE Corporation on March 1, 2021, the Z Holdings Group became one of the largest Internet business groups in Japan. The following profile focuses on the business activities and strengths of LINE Corporation.

Profile of LINE

CLOSING THE DISTANCE
Our mission is to bring people, information and services closer together.

LINE was conceived as a mobile messaging service shortly after the massive earthquake that devastated Japan on March 11, 2011. After the tragedy, it became apparent that there was a fundamental need for a global communication tool that could strengthen human relationships. Just a few months later in June, we launched the LINE messaging app.
With this approach, LINE has grown into a social platform with hundreds of millions of users worldwide, having a particularly strong focus in the rapidly advancing continent of Asia. Rather than settle for globally standardized services based on a generic approach, we believe that it is essential to respect the culture and norm of each individual country in order to engage users on a very deep level and evolve in each region. We call it culturalization and it’s at the heart of everything we do.
In the world we strive to create, users will have seamless online and offline access to all the people, information and services they need in their daily lives – LINE is the gateway. Our journey to evolve into a Smart Portal will continue, as we will meet all needs that our users face in a constantly changing mobile universe.

Business Evolution

LINE is continually evolving into a life platform providing 24/365 support for all aspects of life.

First developed as a messenger app to bring people closer together, LINE has progressively evolved into a Smart Portal with an expanding range of features that enhance the convenience of life by linking people, information, and services. The content business, including stickers and games, was initially the main source of revenue, but the mainstay now is the ads business, which is targeted toward 173 million LINE users in four main countries and regions. Going forward, LINE also aims to expand its financial business, including payments, banking, securities, and loans.

Growth Strategy

Smart Portal/Super-App Concept

LINE aims to create a Smart Portal as a gateway that will meet all needs by seamlessly linking people, information, services, businesses, and brands, whether online or offline through the LINE app.