Kota
Joined Rakuten Group in July 2017, mid-career
Department: Entertainment Service Development Department (ESDD)
Commerce & Marketing Company
Position: Application Engineer
Place of birth: Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Hobbies: Photography, photography trips
Hello everyone. Greetings from the R-Hack Editorial Office.
MIP, or Most Impressive Person, is a quarterly internal award given within the Development Department of Rakuten Group's Commerce & Marketing Company. The award recognizes individuals who have made the most significant contribution to the organization.
In this interview, we spoke with Kota, who led the successful transition of Rakuten TV (Japanese only), Rakuten DRAGON (Japanese only), and R Channel (Japanese only) to a new video streaming platform.
――Please introduce yourself.
Hello, my name is Kota, and I'm in charge of the video streaming side of things in the Entertainment Service Development Department (ESDD). I've mainly been a backend engineer for Rakuten TV (Japanese only) since I joined Rakuten Group in July 2017. Since 2023, I’ve been part of the Streaming Architecture Group within ESDD, specializing in video distribution and support across various services.
My hobby is photography. When I have some extra time, I also like to go on trips to take photographs.
――Can you tell us more about the Streaming Architecture Group?
The Streaming Architecture Group is a relatively new group, founded in 2023. Previously, each service had its own team with its own knowledge and expertise in video distribution. The Streaming Architecture Group consolidated all of that into one place. Our goal is to become the go-to team for anything related to video distribution.
――Could you tell us more about your specific responsibilities?
The Streaming Architecture Group supports the launch of video distribution services, tests, and investigates issues when problems arise. We are the behind-the-scenes force that supports video streaming across services. Among our small group, we also have members from overseas.
――Could you give us an overview of the project that led to you receiving the MIP award?
In June 2023, It was announced that the video streaming platform used by Rakuten TV (Japanese only), Rakuten DRAGON (Japanese only), and R Channel (Japanese only) would be shut down in a year's time. So, we had to find a new video streaming platform and migrate all services in a year in order to allow video playback to continue as normal.
This project required selecting a new video streaming platform and testing whether it would align with the technical requirements of each service. Support for the implementation and development of each service was also essential and included numerous elements. We worked with the front-end and back-end development teams, and the product manager (PdM) of each service. With so many people involved, it was crucial to keep the entire project moving forward in a well-coordinated way.
――How did you go about first selecting a new video streaming platform?
Choosing the video streaming platform involved several meetings in English with vendors outside Japan, in addition to meetings with domestic vendors.
Since each service has its own unique features and usage cases, it was a challenge to gather and organize all the necessary information. That said, the process gave us a valuable opportunity to develop an understanding of each service.
――So careful review of a variety of video streaming platforms from Japan and abroad ultimately led to choosing one that best fit the requirements of all the services.
What challenges did you face in the migration process?
Since we had to decide on the video delivery infrastructure within a short time frame, there wasn’t enough time for detailed feature checks, which led to numerous technical challenges. This was partly because the video streaming platforms we selected were relatively new as well.
――How did you solve those technical challenges?
We worked closely with everyone involved to find solutions, including the vendors. We also made sure to share the resolved issues with everyone. This helped us move forward with development efficiently, and as a result, we didn't run into any major issues. Ultimately, the migration of all the services went smoothly.
――It sounds like close collaboration with the vendor and your team was essential to ensuring a smooth, on-time transition.
How did you feel when you received the MIP?
This was a long-term project that took over a year, and there were a lot of people involved, so I was thrilled that it paid off.
In the latter half of the project, we were concerned about what kinds of issues might arise and worried we might not finish in time. It was a huge relief that all the services were successfully migrated.
Despite being a newly formed team, we had to tackle a huge project right out of the gate, but I think it gave us an invaluable experience. We ran into difficult and complex challenges at times, but we overcame them by working together. It was a fruitful project because we were able to build good relationships not only within the company, but also with the vendors with whom we worked on those tough problems.
――What challenges or visions would you like to tackle at Rakuten Group going forward?
Now, we are often approached for consultation on how to handle and distribute videos, not just within ESDD, but also by other departments. I'd like to further enhance my knowledge and skills so that I can accurately respond to the needs for video distribution within the company.
Our team doesn't often operate in the spotlight, but we hope to continue supporting Rakuten Group's services.
Come work with us!
The Entertainment Service Development Department (ESDD) is seeking talented individuals to join our team in developing new services, managing daily operations, and driving continuous improvements. Recruitment is open for a variety of positions, including engineers and product managers. We look forward to receiving your application!
