All About SoftBank

SoftBank Corp. FY2022 Earnings: Revenue and Operating Income Exceed Forecasts, Long-term Vision Shows Path to to Provide Next-generation Social Infrastructure

On May 10, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the full fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2023 (FY2022). At the press conference held in Tokyo, Miyakawa began his presentatio…

SoftBank Corp. Welcomes 455 New Employees at Company Entrance Ceremony

In Japan, April brings cherry blossoms, a new academic year, and a new fiscal year for businesses. It’s also a time when newly hired employees enter companies en masse. As part of an established hiring norm, many companies in Japan activel…

SoftBank Corp. Joins Consortium to Transform Hiroshima University into a Smart Campus

On February 15, 2023, a ceremony was held to commemorate the establishment of the “Hiroshima University Smart City Co-Creation Consortium.” Inspired by the Government of Japan’s Society 5.0 concept and its Vision for a Digital Garden City …

Explained: Telecom and IT Operator SoftBank Corp.’s Group Structure

With many companies using or associated with the “SoftBank” name, it can be difficult to understand how SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) fits into the picture. Here’s a quick primer to clarify SoftBank Corp.’s position. SoftBank Corp.’s parent…

SoftBank Corp. Q3 FY2022 Earnings Summary: Consolidated Revenue and Profits Rise

On February 3, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the nine months ended December 31, 2022 (Q3) of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2023 (FY2022). At the press conference he…

How Can Companies Build Resilience by Incorporating Sustainability into Their Operations?

Formulated in 2015 by the United Nations, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 objectives to be achieved by 2030. With the world now at the halfway point before the 2030 deadline, many considerable challenges remain, in…

SoftBank Corp. Participates in Natural Capital Credit Consortium to Help Revitalize Japan’s Carbon Credit Market

On December 15, 2022, a press conference was held in Tokyo to announce the establishment of the Natural Capital Credit Consortium ("NCCC"), an alliance that brings companies, municipalities, and academic researchers together to revitalize …

On This Day: SoftBank Corp.’s Forerunner Launches World’s First Global Standard 3G Service

J-PHONE’s initial 3G lineup (from left): the V-N701 by NEC, the V-NM701 (Nokia 6650) and the V-SA701 by SANYO Electric 20 years ago on December 20, 2002, J-PHONE Co., Ltd. —an antecedent of SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) mobile communicati…

SoftBank Corp. and Group Company ASKUL Team Up to Help Small Businesses Solve their Problems with Digital Solutions

ASKUL Corporation President & CEO Akira Yoshioka and SoftBank Corp. Representative Director & COO Yasuyuki Imai unveil “Biz-Raku,” a new business for small and medium-sized enterprises As reported by SoftBank News in May 2022, SoftBank Cor…

SoftBank Corp. Q2 FY2022 Earnings Summary: Gain on PayPay Consolidation Drives Upward Revision of Full-year Profit Forecasts

On November 4, 2022, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the six months ended September 30, 2022 (Q2) for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2023 (FY2022). At the press conference h…

In Conversation: SoftBank Corp. Chairman Ken Miyauchi Discusses How to Embrace Technological Change with Bain & Company Japan’s Chairman Shintaro Okuno

Different forces at play behind major corporate transformations: changes in population and human resources, intensified global competition, ESG demands, among other factors. The pace of change is not expected to abate anytime soon. To set …

SoftBank Corp. and Singapore’s Carro Team Up to Digitally Transform Japan’s Used Car Market

Around the world, the automotive industry and its customers are grappling with a number of challenges, such as a supply chain squeeze and high prices. Japan’s automotive market is no exception. In recent years, the country has seen lower v…

SoftBank Corp. Sets Net Zero Target for 2050

As reported in June 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to virtually zero by the year 2030 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. On August 31, 2022, SoftBank announced an additional targe…

SoftBank Corp. Q1 FY2022 Earnings Summary: Accelerating the “Beyond Carrier” Strategy with a New Financial Business Segment

On August 4, 2022, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the first quarter (June - April, Q1) of the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2023 (FY2022). At the press conference held in Toky…

SoftBank World 2022: SoftBank Corp. Seizes Opportunity to Speed up Japan’s Digital Transformation

In delivering the keynote speech at this year’s SoftBank World in Tokyo, Junichi Miyakawa, President & CEO of SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), pulled no punches. At the online event for enterprise customers, he noted Japan continues to lag be…

SoftBank Corp. Sets Up Virtual Shop in ZEPETO, Asia's Largest Metaverse Platform

On June 23, 2022, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) opened Japan's first virtual mobile carrier store with shop crew avatars that can serve customers* in ZEPETO, Asia’s largest metaverse platform that has approximately 300 million users. * Acco…

SoftBank Corp.’s 36th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders: Evolving into a Provider of Next-generation Infrastructure

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its 36th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on June 23, 2022, at Tokyo Portcity Takeshiba. President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa chaired the meeting, which was attended by approximately 50 shareholder…

SoftBank Corp.’s External Directors Discuss Board Effectiveness and Succession at Small Investor Meeting

How can conflicts of interest between SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and its parent company SoftBank Group Corp. be managed and prevented? What do external directors consider when faced with a decision on succession planning? What is exactly…

SoftBank Corp. FY2021 Earnings Summary: Continued Growth Forecasted After Record Sales and Profits

On May 11, 2022, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2022 (FY2021). At the press conference held in Tokyo, Miyakawa also gave forecasts for th…

SoftBank Corp. and Konica Minolta Team Up to Digitally Transform Japan with AI-powered Imaging Analytics

In recent years Japan has been coming to grips with various challenges, such as a shrinking workforce and an increase in natural disasters driven by climate change. Digitalization and digital transformation (DX) are garnering attention as …

SoftBank Corp. Raising Funds Through a Social Loan to Expand 5G Network and Promote a Digital Society

As part of its 5th Science and Technology Basic Plan, in 2016 the Government of Japan proposed an aspirational vision, called Society 5.0, that it defined as "a human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution …

How SoftBank Corp. is Making its Network Disaster-resilient

Eleven years ago on March 11, 2022, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck the Tohoku region of Japan. In the aftermath of this tragic event, many valuable lessons were learned, including how mobile phones are a lifeline that people use to…

Bridging the Digital Divide from the Sky: SoftBank Corp.’s NTN Network Solutions

NTN, short for “Non-Terrestrial Networks,” is a term that refers to communication networks that use objects in the sky or space, such as High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS)-based networks in the stratosphere or satellite-based networks. …

On This Day: SoftBank 4G Launched

Ten years ago today, on February 24, 2012, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) launched “SoftBank 4G” services in Japan. After the first generation of mobile phones was introduced the 1980s, a new mobile communication standard has been introduced…

Merging Data to Create Added Value: Interview with SoftBank Corp.’s CTO

At SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), ongoing technology research is key to advancing new business areas related to AI, robotics, as well as the core telecommunications business. To learn more about this and SoftBank’s vision for future technol…

Q3 FY2021 SoftBank Corp. Earnings Summary: On Track to Achieve Full-year Targets with Best-ever Sales and Profits

On February 3, 2022, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the nine months ended December 31, 2021 (Q1-Q3) in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (FY2021). Continued progress toward …

On This Day: Yahoo Japan Corporation Established

Launched in 1996, “Yahoo! JAPAN” was Japan’s first commercial Internet search engine 26 years ago, on January 31, Yahoo Japan Corporation was established. Formed as a 60:40 joint venture between the current SoftBank Group Corp.—the parent …

Solving Local Problems with Digital Solutions: “Setouchi Tech LAB” Opens in Hiroshima Prefecture’s Fukuyama City

On December 1, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) opened its “Setouchi Tech LAB” in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. The facility was established as a base to promote digital transformations (DX) in the city and surrounding region. Fuk…

One Year After SoftBank Corp.’s HQ Relocation: What’s the Purpose of Coming to the Office?

Approximately a year has passed since SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) completed its relocation to its new headquarters in Tokyo Portcity Takeshiba, a state-of-the-art smart building. Over that time, the way SoftBank employees work has greatly…

Bridging the Digital Divide: SoftBank Corp.’s First Sustainability Bond to Raise Funds for HAPS Business

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced in November 2021 that it is planning to issue its first-ever Sustainability Bond before the end of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. Expected to be worth approximately 30 billion yen (about 250 m…

Why was Junichi Miyakawa Chosen to be SoftBank Corp.’s CEO? External Director Atsushi Horiba Explains

How is a CEO selected at a major company? What does the board take into consideration for succession planning? While the reasons may not always be apparent in many cases, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) External Director Atsushi Horiba, spoke…

Three Years Ago: SoftBank Corp. Lists on the Tokyo Stock Exchange

On December 19, 2018, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) debuted on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. At a press conference following the listing ceremony, Ken Miyauchi, President & CEO at the time and now Chairman, spoke enthusiast…

SoftBank Corp. Wins Nikkei SDGs Management Award for Social Value

On November 24, 2021, Nikkei Inc., a major business publisher in Japan, held its third annual Nikkei SDGs Management Awards ceremony to recognize leading companies that contribute to the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Devel…

On This Day: Railway Telecommunication is Established

35 years ago today, Railway Telecommunication CO., Ltd. was established. Why is this fixed-line telecommunication provider significant to SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434)? Railway Telecommunication merged with JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD. in 1989, …

Q2 FY2021 SoftBank Corp. Earnings Summary: On Track to Achieve Full-year Targets

On November 4, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its earnings results briefing for the second quarter (Q2) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (FY2021). President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa noted that consolidated revenue increased …

On This Day: World’s First Mobile Phone with a Fully-integrated Camera Launched in Japan

21 years ago today, one mobile phone changed the course of history.On November 1, 2000, the Japan-based J-PHONE Group—an antecedent of SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) mobile business—launched the J-SH04, a mobile phone with the world’s firs…

SoftBank Corp. Unveils Program to Help Students Develop AI Literacy and Skills

While AI is becoming indispensable to many aspects of modern life, employers are struggling to find people with the necessary AI skills. Japan is not alone in facing this conundrum. Although the number of AI software system developers in t…

SoftBank Wins Two CEATEC AWARD 2021 Category Awards for its Non-Terrestrial Network Solutions and Smart City Platform

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) won two CEATEC AWARD 2021 Category Awards on October 18, 2021, the day before the full launch of CEATEC ONLINE 2021. CEATEC is one of the largest international exhibitions of IT technology and electronics in As…

SoftBank World 2021 Keynote: SoftBank’s DX Initiatives Aim to Get Japan Competing Internationally Again

A recent survey conducted by a group company of SoftBank Corp. found that more than 80 percent of respondents in Japan working in over 25 industries did not know the meaning of DX, and only 23 percent of companies queried said they were en…

New Video Shows Actions SoftBank Corp. is Taking to Achieve the SDGs

September 17 to 26, 2021 is Global Goals Week, an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), achieving the SDGs is a top management p…

More Than a Telecom Carrier: SoftBank Corp.’s New Brand Movie Shows its Bold Vision for the Future

Since assuming the post of President & CEO of in April 2021, Junichi Miyakawa has been communicating his vision to transform SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) from a telecommunications carrier into to digital transformation (DX) company. To eff…

Making 5G Fast and Comfortable: SoftBank Corp. Devises Measures to Counter the ‘Packet Loss’ Phenomenon

Since it launched commercial 5G services in March 27, 2020, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has made significant progress in rolling out 5G smartphones and services. As of writing, SoftBank now has over 10 million subscribers signed up to 5G …

SoftBank Corp. to Build and Operate Hub for Start-ups and Innovation in Aichi Prefecture

On September 7, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and Japan’s Aichi Prefecture held a press conference in Tokyo to introduce their new facility that promises to nurture a world-leading start-up ecosystem and center of innovation. The Pref…

SoftBank's Executive Briefing Center: A Brand New Approach to Marketing Technology

To market more of its products, services and technologies, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has taken a leaf out of literature. It has adapted the writer’s Golden Rule of Show, Don’t Tell and come up with the counter-intuitive Show, Don’t Sell.

Q1 FY2021 Earnings Summary: SoftBank Corp. Makes Good Progress Toward Achieving Full-year Targets

On August 4, 2021, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its earnings results briefing for the first quarter (Q1) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (FY2021). President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa noted that both consolidated revenue and oper…

SoftBank Corp.’s 35th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders: Aiming to be the Corporate Group Needed Most by People Around the World

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its 35th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on June 22, 2021, and Junichi Miyakawa, who assumed the post of President & CEO in April this year, chaired the meeting for the first time. As with the…

SoftBank R&D: Understanding and Creating New Technologies to Lay the Foundation for Future Businesses

Constantly taking up new challenges and continuing to evolve are key to SoftBank’s DNA. Going beyond the boundaries of a telecommunications carrier, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is committed to pioneering transformative services, and resea…

SoftBank Corp. Announces Plan to Reduce Carbon Emissions to Zero by 2030

Under the United Nations Climate Change Convention to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs), the Japanese government has set bold targets to tackle climate change. The government’s targets include pledges to reduce GHGs by 46% by the year 2030 ve…

FY2020 Earnings Summary: New CEO Junichi Miyakawa Pledges to Focus on Revenue Growth and New Business Creation over Next 10 Years

SoftBank Corp. will brief on its earnings results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021 at 4:00pm on May 11 (JST). Click here for live streaming info. Please check it out!

New CEO Junichi Miyakawa Talks About His Mission to Make SoftBank Corp. the Most-needed Technology Company in Japan

Junichi Miyakawa, SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) new President & CEO as of April 1, 2021, spoke to SoftBank News to outline future areas of focus and his vision for the company.