Yahoo! Japan, the new portal tailored specifically to users in the Asian country, has said it will use search technology from Google rather than the Microsoft system set to be employed by its strategic partner Yahoo!.

The site, which is 35 per cent owned by Yahoo!, is currently the most popular search engine in the country, accounting for over half of all traffic.

It announced the deal to use Google’s search and online marketing services alongside the publication of its first quarter results.

The move would not affect its partnership with Yahoo!, it added.

Under the Search Alliance deal, Microsoft’s Bing engine will power search results for the main Yahoo! sites.

In addition, pay per click marketing currently delivered by Yahoo! will be transitioned to adCenter.

International advertisers are expected to have been transferred to the Search Alliance system by early 2012.

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