SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) held its 39th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) on June 26, 2025, at Tokyo International Forum. President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa chaired the meeting, and after reviewing SoftBank’s business progress, strategy and answering shareholder questions, three proposals were approved*.
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One of the four proposals was partially withdrawn.
Accelerating an AI-driven growth strategy
Following the showing of a video that reviewed SoftBank’s business results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 (FY2024), Miyakawa noted that SoftBank will continue to prioritize both growth and shareholder returns. He then gave an update on the company’s growth strategy.
Miyakawa explained that SoftBank’s overarching strategy for growth is structured on a Sovereign Cloud layered on next-generation social infrastructure and AI agents that will be provided as services.
In a Japanese language video demonstration of an AI agent for call center operations, the agent was able to resolve a credit card security issue and converse fluently, even when interrupted. While a conceptual video of the agent was shown at last year’s meeting, “the one shown this year is a real, functioning agent,” he said.
Miyakawa also gave an update on “Cristal intelligence,” an advanced enterprise AI service announced in February this year. “Previously, AI was used for siloed tasks in different divisions – It was like musicians each playing their instruments independently. “Cristal intelligence” will be like a conductor, orchestrating all AI agents to create the best symphonies for businesses,” Miyakawa said.
Miyakawa also noted the importance of Sovereign Cloud and Sovereign AI – AI infrastructure that is fully managed within Japan and not dependent on infrastructure in other nations. “We aim to become a key provider of Japan's next-generation social infrastructure for Sovereign Cloud and Sovereign AI,” he said.
HAPS for next-generation networks that support drones and flying cars
In his presentation, Miyakawa revealed that SoftBank is working with a new partner, Sceye, Inc., to provide pre-commercial HAPS services in 2026. “Originally, commercialization was targeted for 2029, but thanks to significant progress, we’re now able to begin pre-commercial operations in 2026. We plan to first deploy it as a disaster preparedness measure,” he said.
“Until now, telecommunications have focused on connecting devices like smartphones and cars, and a 2D communication framework has been sufficient. In the future, however, 3D communication will be required to support drones and flying cars. Looking ahead, we believe HAPS will become a core infrastructure, and we’re taking the lead in making this a reality,” he added.
Becoming a company that’s indispensable to society
In addition to questions sent in advance, directors answered questions from shareholders at the meeting venue and those watching online. One shareholder asked Miyakawa about how his life experiences shaped his management philosophy.
Miyakawa said, “The goal I strive for is to build a company that is one-of-a-kind and has a meaningful reason for existence. My vision is to transform SoftBank into a company that provides next-generation infrastructure that’s essential for society.”
He added, “My way of thinking comes from my upbringing. I come from a family of a Zen temple with a history of over 1,200 years. It’s lasted as long as it has because it continuously adapted to the times, staying close to people and demonstrating its relevance to society. In the same way, for a company to keep growing, it must consistently show it’s indispensable.”
“I was appointed CEO five years ago, and now I see my role as the culmination of my life’s journey: to lead SoftBank’s sustainable growth and to live up to the expectations of our shareholders,” he said.
Before the close of the AGM, Miyakawa welcomed incoming directors and expressed his appreciation for outgoing directors.
More information on SoftBank’s 39th AGM can be found here.
(Posted on June 26, 2025)
by SoftBank News Editors
