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DD NTT DoCoMo Seeks Expanded Use of Phones

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/J/JAPAN_NTT_DOCOMO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAUL...

TOKYO (AP) -- NTT DoCoMo Inc., Japan's biggest mobile phone company, said Tuesday it will pay 9 billion yen ($76.9 million) for a 2 percent stake in the nation's second-largest convenience store chain to expand the use of new mobile phones that function like credit cards.

The deal will allow users of DoCoMo's new credit card payment service "Osaifu-Keitai," or wallet phone, to use their mobile phones to pay for goods at 100 outlets of Lawson Inc., Tokyo-based DoCoMo said in a statement.

The service will be expanded to all Lawson's 8,300 stores nationwide by March 31, 2007.

DoCoMo, which has 50 million subscribers, is banking on the new service to drum up new revenue as it fends off tougher competition and falling phone rates.

The company said it will buy about 2.09 million shares in Lawson on April 14.

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