There was a time when the only social network that mattered in Japan was Mixi, but these days, after years of stagnation, it is hardly heard of in daily conversation ¡ª being replaced in popularity by rivals such as Gree, Mobage, Twitter, Facebook and most recently Line.
Now, however, Mixi is adding marriage/dating businesses to its basket. Is this simply a desperate move to regain relevance or a fightback challenge that could cure the nation¡¯s low marriage/birth rate?
Since June, a new young president, 31-year-old Yusuke Asakura, has taken control of the company from its founder, Kenji Kasahara, and has set out to change Mixi¡¯s declining popularity by starting several small in-house ventures not directly related to the main social-networking service.
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