Google' s search engine will feature on NTT DoCoMo handsets, giving it access to 48 million new mobile Internet users in Japan in its push for overseas growth.

DoCoMo, Japan's largest mobile operator, said on Thursday the tie-up on Internet searches, e-mail and other services, will help it retain users in a competitive market and raise advertisement revenue while cutting development costs.

The two firms, which also plan to launch a Linux-based mobile handset in Japan, aim to reap joint advertising revenues of 10 billion yen "as soon as possible," they said.

Google has already partnered with Japan's No. 2 mobile phone company KDDI Corp. DoCoMo and KDDI together control over 80 percent of Japan's mobile market.

Under Thursday's agreement, DoCoMo handsets will provide Google search results for mobile and PC Websites via the top-page of its Internet portal site.

The two firms will discuss ways to make it easier for DoCoMo users to access Gmail, the video-sharing site YouTube, and Picasa Web albums, they said.