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How AI-RAN Can Transform the Telecommunications Industry in the AI Era

The formation of the AI-RAN Alliance, a new collaborative initiative aimed at integrating AI into cellular technology to further advance radio access network (RAN) technology and mobile networks, was one of the top stories of Mobile World …

Harnessing EdTech to Bring Educational Equality to Rwanda

The Republic of Rwanda has mandated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to accelerate its socio-economic development, and has already made significant progress in integrating it into its society. One symbol of the cou…

Institute for AI and Beyond Leads Discussions at AI House Davos During the World Economic Forum

2024’s World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting was held from January 15-19 in Davos, Switzerland, and this year’s program featured AI House Davos, a new initiative that brought leaders in industry, civil society, government, the investin…

Infrastructure and Governance for the AI Era: SoftBank Corp. Holds its First ESG Briefing

On February 26, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its first Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) briefing for investors. At the event in Tokyo, three SoftBank executives–Junichi Miyakawa (President & CEO), Masato Ikeda, (Vice Pre…

All Aboard! Studio Ghibli Supervised “APM Cat Bus” Set to Run in March

As reported earlier, in September 2023 MONET Technologies Inc.—a joint venture with SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), Toyota Motor Corporation and other Japan-based automotive manufacturers—Toyota Motor Corporation, Hoei Kotsu, Studio Ghibli a…

Harnessing AI to Transform Wireless: Industry Leaders Form AI-RAN Alliance

How can AI innovations be utilized to advance the telecommunications industry, and society at large? To address this challenge, leading technology, industry, and academic institutions came together at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on Feb…

Sit Down but Don’t Pedal: A New Mobility Option Comes to Japan

With its extensive network of rail lines, trams, monorails and buses, Japan is well known for having a wide array of public transportation choices. There is still room for improvement, however, and new and complementary mobility options to…

SoftBank Corp. Accelerates Generative AI Initiatives

As part of its long-term plan to build next-generation social infrastructure, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been making good progress on its initiatives to build a generative AI computing platform and develop Large Language Models (LLMs…

SoftBank Corp. Q3 FY2023 Earnings: Upward Revisions to Full-year Forecasts and Progress on Next-generation Social Infrastructure

On February 7, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the nine months ended December 31, 2023 (Q1-Q3) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (FY2023). At the press conference he…

Water Tech Solution Brings Warmth and Hygiene to Noto Peninsula Evacuees

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been conducting various initiatives to restore communications on the Noto Peninsula following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck on January 1, 2024. Further to it…

How to Prevent the Risk of Hearing Loss When Using Headphones and Earphones

As people use headphones, earphones and earbuds with their smartphones more and more, some are likely to listen to music at high volumes while others may spend several hours each day with earphones in their ears. This kind of regular usage…

SoftBank Corp. Leads Global Efforts to Expand Spectrum Crucial to HAPS Services of the Future

From November to December 2023, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) was there representing Japan, along w…

SoftBank Corp. Joins Partnership with CelcomDigi to Accelerate Digitalization of Malaysia Enterprises

From left: SoftBank VP and Global Business Division Head Kimimasa Kudo, CelcomDigi CEO Datuk Idham Nawawi, Malaysia Minister of Communications YB Fahmi Fadzil and SC-NEX CEO Jun Okawara SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is actively pursuing bus…

Behind the Scenes: SoftBank Corp.’s Initiatives to Restore Communications on the Noto Peninsula

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, on January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, and immediately after that SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been urgently working to restore comm…

SoftBank Corp. and Keio Research Institute at SFC Unveil Virtual Campus Built on Metaverse Platform

Keio Research Institute at SFC (KRIS) and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) established a “Digital Twin Campus Lab” in 2022 and have been collaborating on research and development of next-generation infrastructure, including Digital Twin techno…

SoftBank Corp. Working to Restore Communications in Quake-hit Noto Peninsula with Drone System and Other Means

On January 1, 2024, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. The earthquake and its aftershocks severely disrupted transportation, power and water supplies and communications. In response, SoftBan…

Visitors to Japan from 11 Countries and Regions Can Make Cashless Payments by Using PayPay’s QR Codes

2023 was a banner year for tourism in Japan as COVID-19 subsided and Japan re-opened its borders. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization, visitor arrivals to Japan in December 2023 were 2.734 million, a record high for Decemb…

Energy Saving “Eco-Denki App” from SB Power Takes the World Stage at COP28

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), was successfully held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12, 2023. The Japan Pavilion, hosted by the M…

HAPS Alliance Holds First In-person Only Member Meeting to Accelerate its Mission of Connecting the Unconnected

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), which is developing a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) business to offer telecommunication services from the stratosphere, is also a founding and executive member of the HAPS Alliance, an industry associa…

How SoftBank Corp. is Enabling Safe Truck and Bus Platooning with 5G

In its research and development efforts to realize next-generation networks, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been actively researching Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technologies and working to implement them, as evidenced by a Bus Rapid Transi…

How BOLDLY’s Autonomous Buses are Revitalizing Japan’s Small Communities

Championing its concept of “a world where all things, information and minds are connected,” SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is placing priority on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To do this, SoftBank is working to solve so…

SoftBank Corp.’s HAPS Technologies Showcased at UN-hosted Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023

From October 8th to 12th, 2023, Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023 (IGF Kyoto 2023), the latest in a series of yearly forums hosted by the United Nations, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders to engage in dialogue on all is…

How AGI Differs from Conventional AI

With rapid technological advancements, artificial intelligence, or AI, is now becoming a part of our daily lives. In addition to conventional AI, the term "AGI" is now entering common parlance. At this year’s SoftBank World, SoftBank's lar…

SoftBank Corp. and Cubic Telecom Team up to Redefine the Connected Vehicle Landscape

Technological advancements are transforming different industries, and the automotive industry is no exception. While mechanical hardware continues to be important, advanced software in vehicles is helping owners enjoy a better in-vehicle e…

“Smart Fleet” Vehicle Management Service Utilizes Technology to Prevent Drinking and Driving

It’s a sad fact that people still operate vehicles while intoxicated, and this continues to bring disastrous results for motorists and pedestrians. Japan is also grappling with this problem, and in an effort to prevent accidents, new legis…

SoftBank World 2023 Exhibition Features Latest Technologies that Utilize AI

For the first time since 2019, SoftBank World, SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) largest event for enterprise customers, returned as an in-person event in Tokyo in October 2023. From October 4 to 6, SoftBank World 2023 featured keynotes, pane…

SoftBank Corp. Q2 FY2023 Earnings: Making Good Progress Toward Full-year Forecast and Mid-term Management Targets with Increased Revenue and Profits

On November 8, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the second quarter (April - September, 2023, Q2) and six months ended September 30, 2023 (H1) of the fiscal year ending March…

SoftBank Corp. Initiative to Develop Homegrown LLMs for Japan Kicks into High Gear

As President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa first outlined at the earnings results conference held on August 4, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is carrying out various generative AI initiatives, including the construction of a new generative AI…

SoftBank Corp. Director & Chairman Ken Miyauchi Discusses How Generative AI and the Information Revolution Could Evolve

For the first time since 2019, SoftBank World, SoftBank's largest event for enterprise customers, returned as an in-person event in Tokyo in October 2023. In addition to keynotes, panel discussions and exhibits that ran from October 4 to 6…

Autonomous EV Shuttle “MiCa” Gets License Plates for Japan

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, BOLDLY Inc., an autonomous driving systems development and service subsidiary of SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), brought a new autonomous EV shuttle called “MiCa” from Estonia to Japan for initial demons…

SoftBank Corp., KDDI and Rakuten Mobile Hold Press Conference to Oppose Abolition of NTT Law

In 1984, the NTT Law was enacted to foster a vibrant private sector in Japan's telecommunications industry, which was previously a centralized monopoly under the former state-owned Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation. The NTT…

Rwanda and SoftBank Corp. Achieve World-first Milestone with Stratospheric 5G Connectivity Test

The Government of Rwanda and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced a groundbreaking achievement in the world of telecommunications on September 24, 2023. Both successfully conducted a test of SoftBank's proprietary 5G communications paylo…

SoftBank Corp. President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa Unveils Next-generation Infrastructure Needed to Co-exist with AI

For the first time since 2019, SoftBank World, SoftBank's largest event for enterprise customers, returned as an in-person event in Tokyo. From October 4 to 6, SoftBank World 2023 showcased keynotes and panel discussions from technology lu…

Meet the Robots of Smart City Takeshiba, Part 3: Moving Vending Machine Robots

After spending some time in the country, one thing that many visitors to Japan immediately notice is the large number of vending machines. According to Statista, at the end of 2022 there were close to 4 million vending machines in the nati…

5G and Autonomous Driving Technologies to Power Japan’s First Bus Platooning Trial on Public Roads

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a public transportation system designed to provide a high-capacity bus service that combines the speed and reliability of rail systems at much lower costs. With these advantages, BRT systems are seeing increased …

Supervised by Studio Ghibli, a Vehicle Based on the “Cat Bus” from “My Neighbor Totoro” Now in the Works

“My Neighbor Totoro,” a 1988 Japanese fantasy film animated by Studio Ghibli, counts many fans around the world. Some of the most memorable scenes from the film feature the “Cat Bus” as a key character. Fans will be pleased to know a vehic…

SoftBank Corp. Data Scientist Wins Gold Medal at World’s Largest AI Competition

Masaya Ogino, a data scientist at SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) won a gold medal in the "Feedback Prize - English Language Learning" competition held by Kaggle, the world's largest data science competition platform. The goal of this AI codi…

The Road to Net Zero: SoftBank Corp.'s Network Centers Embrace Renewable Energy

To offer stable communication services to their customers, network centers are indispensable to mobile network operators. However, with the proliferation of AI, 5G, and IoT devices, which are increasing data traffic, power consumption at n…

SoftBank Corp. Earns Japan’s Top Spot on DJSI World Index

In June 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) was selected for inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the first time following a review of the 2022 constituent stocks. What is the significance of being a part o…

SoftBank Corp. and Microsoft Japan Form Strategic Alliance in Generative AI Domain to Accelerate DX in Japan

As President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa mentioned at the earnings briefing for Q1 FY2023 on August 4, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) views generative AI to be the most important technology for the future. Accordingly, SoftBank is working o…

Interview with SoftBank Corp. Head of HR: Reflecting the Values of a Diverse Workforce into HR Policy

In an era that is rapidly changing due to the adoption of new technologies such as IoT and AI, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), as a telecommunications and IT operator, believes it is essential to evolve so it can sustain growth and success. …

Behind the Scenes: Testing a Sub-scale Model Aircraft to Develop a Next-generation Uncrewed Aircraft System for HAPS

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and its subsidiary HAPSMobile recently announced they collected crucial data for the development of a next-generation “Sunglider,” an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed for High Altitude Platform System (H…

SoftBank Corp. and Yamaha Collaborating to Bring Distant Musicians Closer Together

It can be hard for musicians to assemble in a studio when they live far away from each other, and coordinating studio time can also be difficult. Seeing the need to bring musicians in different locations together, Yamaha Corporation develo…

SoftBank Corp. Q1 FY2023 Earnings: Making Good Progress on Full-year Forecasts and Launching Generative AI Initiatives

On August 4, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa presented earnings results for the first quarter (April - June, 2023, Q1) of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 (FY2023). At the press conference held in T…

Company Culture Key to Fostering Skills: SoftBank Corp.’s Google Cloud Partner Top Engineer Award Recipients

The Google Cloud Partner Top Engineer award is given to engineers working for Google Cloud Japan’s partner companies. In 2023, three engineers from SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) received the accolade for the first time. Why did they receive…

Are Two Smartphones Better than One? We Asked SoftBank Corp. Employees

Is it better to have more than one smartphone? Some would say yes, as they can use them separately for work and personal use. And with the emergence of affordable smartphones and others with high-end features, it seems that multiple smartp…

Unlocking Urban Innovation: 'Smart City Takeshiba' Project Revolutionizing Takeshiba District with Real-time Data

As cities become increasingly digitized, innovative technologies are making daily life more convenient than ever before. Smart Cities are driving this trend by leveraging AI, sensor networks and other advanced technologies to improve energ…

How SoftBank Corp. and Keio Research Institute at SFC are Using Digital Twin to Enhance Autonomous Shuttle Bus Operations

Keio Research Institute at SFC (KRIS) and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434)’s Research Institute of Advanced Technology are collaborating on a new project that may serve as a model for automated driving. In May 2023, SoftBank and KRIS announced…

Envisioning the AI Age: Interview with Yasuko Kosaihira, CEO of Findability Sciences’ Joint Venture with SoftBank Corp.

Findability Sciences Inc., a US-headquartered global provider of AI and big data solutions, established a Japan-based joint venture called Findability Sciences K.K. with SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) in 2017. On April 1, 2023, Yasuko Kosaih…

100 Showers with 100 Liters of Water: Water Tech Solution Comes in Handy for Emergencies

After a natural disaster occurs, ensuring the availability of lifelines like water, electricity, gas and communications is of critical importance. In the Turkey-Syria Earthquake of February 2023, the Japan International Cooperation Agency …