GMO Internet Founded and Launched the GMO-Z.com Lao as a Joint Venture with Laos Subsidiary AMZ: The first local subsidiary in Laos to expand Internet infrastructure business in Laos

　Tokyo, Japan – November 19, 2019 – GMO Internet (https://www.gmo.jp/en/ ) today announces that it has established and launched the GMO-Z.com Lao Co., Ltd. (GMO-Z LA) as a joint venture with Laos subsidiary AMZ Group Sole Co., Ltd. (AMZ) through Singapore subsidiary GMO-Z.com Pte. Ltd.
GMO-Z LA is the first local company to provide a one-stop high-quality Internet infrastructure service for Lao PDR using the know-how of Internet infrastructure service development and operation cultivated by GMO Internet Group.

[Background of the establishment of the joint venture and the new businesses in Laos]

　In Laos, with a population of about 7.14 million^*1, the development of the environment in which people use the Internet has progressed. The Internet penetration rate has increased by 4 points to 21.9% year-on-year, and the penetration rate of mobile phones (including smartphones) has increased by 2.5 points to over 55% year-on-year ^*2. Other countries also support Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Under such circumstances, Laos has a plan to upgrade telecommunication and IT infrastructure and train IT personnel by 2030^*3, which leads to more demand for appropriate environment and systems.
　GMO Internet Group is a business group that comprehensively develops Internet business, supporting the development of the Internet in Japan with the technological strength the group has cultivated through developing and offering its services. As of today, businesses in the Internet Infrastructure segment each hold top share in their respective markets in Japan^*4. GMO Internet has been driving the new businesses abroad since 2011 - mainly in South East Asia where the Internet market is expanding - to apply its accumulated knowledge of development and operation of Internet infrastructure services in Japan.
　AMZ, a general trading company based in Japan, Thailand, and China, has launched its business in Japan as a trading company and is now headquartered in Vientiane, Laos. It is engaged in various businesses in Japan and other neighboring countries, such as travel, consulting, and trading, and have a proven track record.
GMO Internet and AMZ established a joint venture GMO-Z LA in Vientiane Special City in Laos and started the business to help ICT utilization in Laos by combining their strengths.

*1 *2 Source: https://www.itu.int/net4/ITU-D/idi/2017/index.html
*3 Source: MPT Vision 2013, development strategy of posts and telecommunications sector for 10 years (2016-2025)
*4 Source: GMO Internet’s earnings announcement for the third quarter of the fiscal year ending December 2019

[Outlook for the future]

　GMO-Z LA will provide domain registration services, hosting services, cloud server services, and electronic certificate services that support Lao and Lao currencies for Lao businesses. GMO-Z LA plans to further localize various services of GMO Internet Group and develop them for Laos.

[Overview of "GMO-Z.com Lao Co., Ltd."] (URL: https://z.com/la/ )

[About AMZ Group Sole Co., Ltd.]

　AMZ's goal is to become the No. 1 general trading company in Laos, with the following five pillars of business: intra-industry trade; consumer goods; real estate; insurance, leases, and finance; IT and energy; and agriculture. AMZ operates lots of services through a joint venture with the top-level operating companies. It offers information, network, and capital that are required to develop a wide variety of businesses in ASEAN.
　AMZ's business is based on official approval in Laos, and its current position is unmatched by any other company. AMZ offers its value-added services, e.g. managing the information, logistics, tax, and political risk.

GMO Internet Group

　GMO Internet Group is an Internet service industry leader, developing and operating Japan’s most widely used domain, hosting & cloud, ecommerce, security, and payment solutions. The Group also includes the world’s largest online FX trading platform, as well as online advertising, Internet media, and cryptocurrency related services. GMO Internet, Inc. (TSE: 9449) is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit https://www.gmo.jp/en/