You start with a technical coding test at codility.com, there was 1 question with 60 minutes to complete the task. It wasn't too challenging and there's plenty of practice challenges on the website that you can do prior to taking the test. I highly suggest it, in order to get a feel for how the website works, what parameters they may check for in their test cases etc.
After that you get a video interview, you're told the questions in advance so you can prepare for them. The video interview is a pre-recorded interview so you're not actually taking to a person on the other side just yet.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
What is your greatest strength and how you leverage your strength for peak performance?
I applied through college or university. The process took 3 weeks. I interviewed at Rakuten (Pune) in Apr 2012
Interview
I applied through college campus interview process and the complete process finished in 3 weeks.
Interview process for freshers is not very difficult. They focus more on the communication skills and learning skills of the candidate rather than a particular language. If you know some Japanese then it is always good.
1st Interview - Paper Test & some coding questions
2nd Interview - Technical questions and easy coding questions
3rd Interview - Situation questions and communication skills questions
4th Interview - They check how loyal you can be towards the company
Overall interview process is not very difficult if you know the basics of what you are doing.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Questions about your college projects and mainly some questions on String problems.
I applied online. The process took 1 day. I interviewed at Rakuten (Tóquio) in Feb 2015
Interview
The process constists in a Codility online test and a pre-recorded video presentation.
There is normally interviews after this, but I did not pass the first step. It is not clear to me why I did not pass the first round since I believe I perfectly solved the (easy) programming test on Codility. I think it is more the fact that I mentioned I changed my job several times in a few years, or anything on my resume that was not to their taste.
They did not explain why I have been pushed aside except mentionning that they were impressed by my credential and experience although they have had a competitive pool of candidates (probably a standard formula to reject someone).
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
* Codility: Find the sum of the area of two possible overlapping rectangles.
* Pre-recorded video questions: They will be given to you in advance, so you will be able to prepare. But basically, why rakuten, what can you bring to rakuten, your work and skills, etc. pretty standard stuff.