What ASAHI Net does

ASAHI Net, Inc. (株式会社朝日ネット, TSE Prime: 3834) is a Japanese independent internet service provider founded in 1990 and headquartered in Tokyo, with a customer service center in Nagasaki. The company operates three core lines of business: (i) the ASAHI Net ISP brand, offering fiber-optic, WiMAX, LTE, and WiMAX +5G connectivity to approximately 654,000 individual residential subscribers and 53,682 corporate clients, delivered over NTT East and NTT West last-mile infrastructure; (ii) v6 Connect, an IPv6 IPoE roaming service operated as one of the few Virtual Network Enabler (VNE) platforms in Japan, partnered with 10 telecommunications carriers; and (iii) manaba, a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) deployed at 88 Japanese universities and supporting roughly 768,000 student accounts, integrated with Shibboleth and AD/LDAP for federated identity.

The underlying technology stack combines conventional network and cloud infrastructure (VMware vSphere, Ansible-based Linux provisioning, AWS/GCP for technical verification, Shibboleth and AD/LDAP for identity) with proprietary IPv6/IPoE network engineering and a purpose-built cloud LMS. ASAHI Net holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification (since 2010), PrivacyMark certification, and the Internet Connection Service Safety/Security Mark, and has been awarded the RBB TODAY Broadband Award for 11 consecutive years.

The business model is overwhelmingly subscription-recurring: monthly ISP fees from residential and corporate users, annual university contracts for manaba, and recurring B2B revenue from v6 Connect carrier roaming. Reported churn is exceptionally low at 0.66%, reflecting high customer stickiness. Go-to-market combines a direct sales team for enterprise/corporate accounts, digital self-service acquisition for consumers, and channel partnerships with NTT and UQ Communications for network and mobile distribution. The company employs approximately 214 people and reported average employee age of 40.2 years. No parent company controls ASAHI Net; in 2000 the firm became fully employee- and officer-owned, listed on the TSE First Section in 2007, and migrated to the TSE Prime Market in April 2022.

Name

ASAHI Net

Legal name

株式会社朝日ネット (Asahi Net, Inc.)

Website

https://asahi-net.co.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ASAHI Net is a Japanese independent internet service provider operating an ISP serving 654,000 residential and 53,700 corporate subscribers, the v6 Connect IPv6 roaming platform for telecom carriers, and the manaba cloud LMS deployed at 88 universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Services and Telecommunications

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Telecommunications (517), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Service Provider OSS/NMS (Carrier Network Management) (HDAFAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) & On-Demand Connectivity (HDABALAE)

Keywords

• Internet service provider
• Broadband connectivity
• IPv6 roaming services
• Cloud learning management
• Fiber optic internet

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. ISP Subscription Services: Monthly subscription fees for internet connectivity services (ASAHI Net) serving 654,000 individual members and 53,682 corporate clients with very low churn rate of 0.66%
2. IPv6 Connectivity (v6 Connect): Recurring subscription revenue from v6 Connect IPv6 service with partnerships across 10 telecommunications operators for network expansion
3. Educational Platform (manaba): Subscription-based LMS services for universities and educational institutions, serving 88 universities with approximately 768,000 student accounts

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ASAHI Net provides internet connection services (fiber optic, mobile, and broadband) to residential and corporate customers across Japan as an Internet Service Provider. It also operates v6 Connect, an IPv6 roaming service delivered to other telecommunications carriers as one of Japan's few Virtual Network Enabler (VNE) operators. In addition, the company runs manaba, a cloud-based learning management system serving universities and educational institutions for digital learning support.

Product overview

ASAHI Net operates a multi-product portfolio centered around three core services: ASAHIネット (internet connection services including fiber optic, mobile, and broadband), v6 コネクト (IPv6 connection roaming service for carriers), and manaba (educational support/LMS platform). The company functions as an independent ISP and VNE operator, providing end-user internet connectivity alongside B2B network services and cloud-based educational tools. The ASAHIネット service encompasses various connection methods (fiber, WiMAX, LTE), while manaba serves educational institutions with learning management capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• v6 コネクト: IPv6 internet connection roaming service for telecommunications carriers
• manaba

Products and services

• ASAHI Net Internet Connection Service (ASAHIネット) Internet Service Provider (ISP) service offering fiber optic, mobile, and broadband internet connections to residential and corporate customers across Japan. Recognized for high network quality and customer support.
• v6 Connect (v6コネクト) IPv6 internet connection roaming service provided to other telecommunications carriers. Offers native IPv6 IPoE connections and supports IPv6 interoperability across multiple telecom operators.
• manaba Cloud-based educational support service (LMS) for universities and educational institutions in Japan. Provides learning management and portfolio functions supporting pre-class, in-class, and post-class learning activities.
• AsahiNet Hikari (ASAHIネット 光) Fiber optic internet connection service providing high-speed optical connectivity (光コラボレーション) for residential and business customers.
• ASAHI Net WiMAX +5G High-speed mobile broadband service provided in partnership with UQ Communications, offering 5G connectivity with fixed IP address options for mobile and home use.
• ASAHI Net LTE Mobile internet connection service providing LTE connectivity for mobile devices.
• ASAHI Net WiMAX2+ Mobile WiMAX broadband service offering high-speed wireless internet access.
• AsahiNet Managed Router Service (ASAHIネット おまかせルーター) Managed router service providing automatic router configuration, setup, and ongoing management for residential and business customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.66% cancellation rate indicating high customer retention and satisfaction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NTT EastcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Network infrastructure partnership enabling ASAHI Net ISP services to be delivered across NTT East's telecommunications network in eastern Japan. Critical infrastructure partnership for broadband service delivery.
• NTT WestcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Network infrastructure partnership enabling ASAHI Net ISP services to be delivered across NTT West's telecommunications network in western Japan. Critical infrastructure partnership for broadband service delivery.
• UQ CommunicationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Mobile telecommunications partnership for distributing ASAHI Net services or IPv6 connectivity through UQ Communications mobile network infrastructure.
• 10 Telecommunications Operators (v6 Connect)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Partnership network of 10 telecommunications operators enabling IPv6 roaming and connectivity services through ASAHI Net's v6 Connect platform. Enables interoperability and network expansion across multiple carriers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BBIX: SoftBank Group's IX and network services arm, including IPv6/IPoE and interconnection services. Comparable to ASAHI Net's v6 Connect offering for other carriers and ISPs.
• @nifty: Japan-focused ISP providing fiber and mobile broadband to consumers and small businesses, originally a Fujitsu-related brand. Competes head-to-head with ASAHI Net in residential and SMB connectivity.
• So-net (Sony Network Communications): Sony-owned Japanese ISP and FTTH provider using NURO and au infrastructure. Comparable to ASAHI Net in consumer fiber broadband, mobile resale, and target segments.
• Biglobe: Long-established Japanese consumer and SMB ISP offering fiber, mobile, and related services. Comparable to ASAHI Net in customer segments, subscription model, and reliance on NTT last-mile infrastructure.
• Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ): Leading independent Japanese ISP and network services provider serving enterprise and consumer customers. Closest direct peer to ASAHI Net given its mix of consumer broadband, corporate connectivity, and network services for carriers.
• Japan Network Enabler (JPNE): One of the few authorized Virtual Network Enabler (VNE) operators in Japan, providing IPv6 IPoE connectivity to carriers. Direct peer to ASAHI Net's v6 Connect business.

Emerging players

• Canvas (Instructure): Global cloud-based learning management system competing for university customers worldwide, including in Japan. Most relevant LMS competitor to manaba on features, brand, and international footprint.
• Moodle: Widely adopted open-source LMS used by universities globally, including in Japan. A meaningful emerging alternative to manaba, particularly for cost-sensitive or technically capable institutions.

Broad incumbents

• NTT East / NTT West: Incumbent Japanese fixed-line operators providing the wholesale FTTH infrastructure that ASAHI Net resells. Both partner and broader-market incumbent; their retail and wholesale moves directly shape ASAHI Net's economics.
• KDDI: One of Japan's largest telecom carriers offering au mobile, FTTH (au Hikari), and enterprise services. Overlaps with ASAHI Net in consumer fiber and corporate connectivity but at vastly larger scale and with owned infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ASAHI Net