— Ch. 1 · Founding And Early Identity —
Line Corporation.
~2 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
On the 4th of September 2000, a new Japanese internet company opened its doors under the name Hangame Japan. This entity emerged as part of Hangame, an online game community site owned by South Korean NHN Corporation at that time. The initial focus was on bringing gaming culture to Japanese users through this digital platform. By August 2003, the organization changed its identity and began operating as NHN Japan. This rebranding marked the first major shift in how the company presented itself to the public market.
Strategic Mergers And Acquisitions
In 2007, Naver established another subsidiary called Naver Japan to manage the search engine operations within the country. That same year, Livedoor became a target for acquisition when Naver Japan purchased it in 2010. Three distinct entities now existed under the broader umbrella: NHN Japan, Naver Japan, and Livedoor. In 2012, these three groups merged into a single new subsidiary also known as NHN Japan. This consolidation created a unified structure before the final rebranding occurred. The process brought together different operational histories into one corporate framework.Global Expansion And IPOs
On the 1st of April 2013, the company officially changed its name to Line Corporation and began trading under that title. Later that year, parent company NHN split into two separate organizations: Naver Corporation and NHN Entertainment Corporation. The latter entity then formed a new subsidiary named NHN Japan Corporation. By July 2016, Line Corporation held initial public offerings on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. These listings allowed the company to raise capital from international investors while expanding its reach beyond domestic borders. The dual listing strategy signaled confidence in global growth potential.