SoftBank Corp. provides mobile communications, fixed-line telecommunications, and ISP services in Japan. It operates through Consumer, Enterprise, Distribution, Media & EC, Financial, and other segments. The company was formerly known as SoftBank Mobile Corp. and changed its name to SoftBank Corp. in May 2015. It was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Minato, Japan.
SoftBank's PayPay and Seven & i alliance reshapes fintech growth
▲
PayPay–Seven & i capital alliance PayPay, with SoftBank's backing, formed a capital and business alliance with Seven & i to link digital payments with 22,000 convenience stores. This expands SoftBank's fintech reach and customer data, supporting long-term growth.
This is the core new event that directly boosts SoftBank's fintech ecosystem and future earnings potential.
▲
SoftBank invests ¥100 billion in Seven & i SoftBank invested ¥100 billion in Seven & i as part of a ¥300 billion total from SoftBank, PayPay, and Sumitomo Mitsui Card. This deepens ties and aims to accelerate convenience store reforms using AI and robots.
This confirms the financial commitment and strategic integration, strengthening SoftBank's position in retail tech.
▲
SoftBank nears acquisition of SP.LINKS SoftBank is close to buying payments firm SP.LINKS for about $625 million, making it a wholly owned subsidiary. This adds payment processing capabilities and scale to SoftBank's fintech operations.
This is a new acquisition that expands SoftBank's payments business and could drive future revenue.
▼
Kumamoto earthquake disrupts network A strong earthquake in Kumamoto caused communication service disruptions for SoftBank and other carriers. This may lead to repair costs and customer dissatisfaction, but the impact is likely temporary.
This is a new operational risk that could weigh on short-term performance and reputation.
Q3 2026
▲2▼2
SoftBank Corp. expands AI and retail reach, but dilution and quake risks weigh
▲
Seven & i partnership and PayPay alliance SoftBank planned a multi-trillion-yen investment with PayPay in Seven & i, later forming a capital alliance linking PayPay to 22,000 7-Eleven stores and investing ¥100 billion. This expands its payments and retail footprint, potentially boosting long-term growth.
This is a major strategic move that could drive future revenue and market position.
▲
AI advancements and government adoption SoftBank neared a ~$625 million SP.LINKS acquisition, saw its Sarashina AI models adopted by Japan's Digital Agency, and joined Nvidia's Cosmos Coalition for physical AI. These moves strengthen its AI capabilities and credibility.
AI is a key growth area, and government adoption validates its technology.
▼
Dilution risk from share issuance New share issuance may dilute EPS and ROE unless growth offsets it. This could pressure the stock price if investors worry about reduced per-share earnings.
Dilution is a direct negative for shareholders and can cap price gains.
▼
Kumamoto earthquake disruption A Kumamoto earthquake disrupted network services, risking repair costs and customer dissatisfaction, though likely temporary. This event could hurt short-term financials and reputation.
Natural disasters can cause immediate operational and financial setbacks.
News & notes moving9434.JP
United StatesJapanUnited KingdomBelgiumCanadaDenmarkPolandGermany+3
Defense & Geopolitical Fragmentation▲
GA-ASI and SoftBank Corp. Flight-Test Disaster Relief Comms Pod on MQ-9B
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has completed a successful flight test of its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft carrying a new communications payload developed by SoftBank Corp. The Disaster Relief Unit communications pod, integrated onto an MQ-9B and flown by GA-ASI on July 27, is designed to provide disaster relief and recovery communications in areas where cellular service is not available. The pod lets an MQ-9B act as a mobile network relay tower in the sky, establishing connectivity where cellular towers have been damaged by a flood or another natural disaster. GA-ASI President David R. Alexander called the test an exciting achievement for both companies and said the capability should interest many MQ-9B operators for disaster relief and emergency communications. MQ-9Bs are flown by operators in the United Kingdom and Belgium as well as the Japan Coast Guard, and the aircraft has been selected by Canada, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Qatar, Taiwan and India.
SoftBank to Launch Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 in Japan on September 25
SoftBank is set to roll out the new Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 in Japan on September 25, giving Meta Platforms another distribution channel for its AI-powered smart glasses. The Japanese carrier has been steadily expanding its smart-glasses business, becoming the country's first mobile network operator to sell Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2 glasses in June and enlarging its Meta glasses assortment again in August. Alongside the Gen 3 launch, SoftBank will also add Meta Glasses by LISA to its lineup. The wider retail and carrier availability matters to Meta because smart glasses are a prominent piece of its push to extend artificial intelligence beyond smartphones and PCs, and could help it gauge whether AI-powered wearables can become a substantial consumer hardware category. Meta shares closed up 4.5% at $777.59 on Thursday, while SoftBank Group's U.S.-listed shares slumped 7.6%.
Spatial Computing / AR/VR › AI / AR Smart Glasses ▲Demand
Artificial Intelligence › AI Applications & Copilots Demand
META · Demand · Positive SoftBank's Japan launch of Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 adds another distribution channel, expanding retail/carrier availability for Meta's AI smart glasses.
9434.JP · Demand · Positive SoftBank Corp. becomes the carrier rolling out Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 and Meta Glasses by LISA in Japan, expanding its smart-glasses business.
9984.JP · · Neutral SoftBank is the subject launching the Gen 3 glasses, but its U.S.-listed shares slumped 7.6% with no stated cause in the article.
9984.JP · Capital · Negative SoftBank Group's U.S.-listed shares slumped 7.6% even as its carrier unit expands the Meta glasses lineup.
Oracle Sends Force Majeure Notice on Project Jupiter Data Center
Oracle has sent a force majeure notice to Stack Infrastructure, the developer of the massive New Mexico data center known as Project Jupiter, as it seeks to protect itself financially if the facility is delayed. Oracle is the main tenant of the project, which is being developed by Stack Infrastructure, a portfolio company of Blue Owl Capital, and is designed for 2.45 gigawatts of capacity, making it one of the larger facilities tied to the broader Stargate AI infrastructure buildout involving Oracle, OpenAI and SoftBank. According to Bloomberg, Oracle wants to defer payments if the site misses its planned 2028 opening, though it remains unclear whether the notice would release Oracle from any existing financial obligations. About 20 banks provided an $18 billion loan to support development of the campus, meaning any extended delay could affect more than just Oracle's occupancy timeline. The market reaction was immediate: Oracle shares fell about 4% in premarket trading, Blue Owl dropped roughly 4%, Bloom Energy, whose fuel cells are expected to help power the site, fell 5%, and SoftBank shares declined about 6%.
Artificial Intelligence › AI Power & Cooling ▼Demand
ORCL · Capital · Negative Oracle sent a force majeure notice to defer payments if the Project Jupiter data center misses its 2028 opening, signaling financial exposure to the delayed buildout.
Stack Infrastructure · Capital · Negative Stack Infrastructure, developer of Project Jupiter, received a force majeure notice from main tenant Oracle, threatening deferred payments and the project's 2028 timeline.
9434.JP · Capital · Negative SoftBank shares fell about 6% as its Stargate AI infrastructure buildout partner Oracle sent a force majeure notice on the Project Jupiter data center.
OBDC · Capital · Negative Blue Owl portfolio company Stack Infrastructure faces Oracle's force majeure notice on the $18B-loan-backed Project Jupiter data center, threatening the development's financing timeline.
OWL · Capital · Negative Blue Owl Capital's portfolio company Stack Infrastructure received Oracle's force majeure notice on the Project Jupiter data center it is developing.
9984.JP · Capital · Negative SoftBank, a partner in the Stargate AI buildout tied to Project Jupiter, saw shares decline as Oracle's force majeure notice clouds the data center's timeline.
Sceye's Stratospheric Platform Returns to US After Record Flight
Sceye, a U.S. aerospace company, announced the successful return of its Service Test 1 (ST1) mission to the United States after a record-breaking trans-Pacific stratospheric flight from New Mexico to Japan and back. The journey, which lasted 30 days and covered nearly 30,000 km, included operating for over a week in Japanese airspace, where Sceye and partner SoftBank Corp. verified Direct-to-Device connectivity to unmodified devices, HAPS-based communications with drones, and edge computing from the stratosphere. ST1 launched on August 9, 2026, arrived in Japan 13 days later, and re-entered the continental U.S. on September 4, 2026, before landing near Sceye's headquarters in Moriarty, New Mexico. The mission demonstrated mobile broadband services including text, voice, internet, and video streaming, and achieved a world-first by installing a mobile core network and web server on a HAPS, cutting latency by over 40% compared to cloud processing. Sceye's platform, designed to cover an area equivalent to about 500 terrestrial towers, marks a milestone toward commercial deployment of stratospheric infrastructure.
Cloud & Digital Infrastructure › Edge & Content Delivery ▲Technology
Sceye · Technology · Positive Sceye's ST1 mission completed a record 30-day trans-Pacific stratospheric flight and demonstrated world-first HAPS mobile core network and web server capabilities
9434.JP · Technology · Positive SoftBank Corp. partnered with Sceye to verify Direct-to-Device connectivity, HAPS drone communications, and edge computing from the stratosphere
CNCF Adds Nine Silver Members Including SoftBank and Crusoe
The Cloud Native Computing Foundation, or CNCF, has announced the addition of nine new Silver Members, including SoftBank Corp. and Crusoe, as enterprises shift AI workloads from training to inference. The new members span telecommunications, AI infrastructure, cloud hosting, and other sectors, joining nearly 800 members and over 300,000 contributors in the cloud native ecosystem. CNCF executive director Jonathan Bryce said the focus is on getting more from existing infrastructure rather than adding more compute, with open source communities building orchestration and observability layers. The foundation also welcomed Legora as its newest Silver End User Member, a legal AI platform that runs on Kubernetes and other CNCF projects. Silver Members receive benefits valued at over $300,000 USD, including training subscriptions and event discounts.
Legora AB (formerly Leya) · Demand · Positive Legora is welcomed as CNCF's newest Silver End User Member, running its legal AI platform on Kubernetes and other CNCF projects.
9434.JP · Demand · Positive SoftBank Corp. joins CNCF as a new Silver Member, expanding its involvement in the cloud native ecosystem.
Crusoe · Demand · Positive Crusoe joins CNCF as a new Silver Member amid the shift of AI workloads from training to inference.
Sceye and SoftBank Complete Stratospheric Connectivity Demo in Japan
Sceye, a U.S. aerospace company, and SoftBank Corp. have completed a trans-Pacific stratospheric connectivity demonstration, marking a milestone toward commercializing High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS). The Service Test 1 (ST1) mission traveled more than 15,000 km from New Mexico to Japan in 13 days, then provided mobile broadband to unmodified devices via SoftBank's core network, along with edge computing and drone communications. During the flight, Sceye's HAPS operated at about 16.5 km altitude, achieved a station-seeking radius as low as 5 km, and demonstrated onboard data processing with an average round-trip response time of 68 milliseconds, reducing latency by over 40% compared to cloud processing. This was the world's first successful test of a mobile core network and web server installed on a HAPS. SoftBank invested in Sceye in 2025, and the companies aim to develop HAPS as a new form of social infrastructure for 6G and beyond.
OpenAI data center chief exits as four executives leave ahead of 2027 IPO
OpenAI's head of data centers, Chris Malone, departed the company last week, becoming the fourth senior executive to leave ahead of the company's planned 2027 listing, the Wall Street Journal reported. Malone joined OpenAI in March 2025, shortly after the company unveiled Stargate, a joint venture with Oracle and SoftBank to build AI data-center capacity at scale. His exit follows the departures of Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser, Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, and Fidji Simo, who served as second-in-command to CEO Sam Altman. Oracle, a core partner in the Stargate venture, saw its shares edge lower Tuesday on the news. OpenAI has raised its projected spending on computing power to $750 billion through 2030, up from an earlier estimate of roughly $600 billion, and this month signed a 10-gigawatt data-center lease in Ohio with SoftBank's SB Energy, with Nvidia agreeing to provide a guarantee of up to $105 billion to support that lease.
Artificial Intelligence › AI Data Center & Build-out Competition
Cloud & Digital Infrastructure › Hyperscale Cloud (IaaS / PaaS) Capital
OpenAI · Capital · Negative OpenAI's data center chief exit adds to executive departures ahead of its planned IPO, raising governance concerns.
ORCL · Capital · Negative Oracle's shares fell on the news of OpenAI's data center chief exit, raising concerns about the Stargate venture.
9984.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank's involvement in the 10-gigawatt data-center lease with OpenAI highlights its strategic investment in AI infrastructure.
NVDA · Demand · Positive Nvidia's $105 billion guarantee for the Ohio data-center lease signals strong demand for its AI infrastructure.
9434.JP · Capital · Neutral SoftBank Corp. is mentioned only as part of SoftBank Group, with no direct impact specified.
Seven & i raises 300 billion yen from SoftBank and others
Seven & i Holdings has accepted investments of 100 billion yen each from SoftBank, PayPay, and Sumitomo Mitsui Card, totaling 300 billion yen. The aim is to accelerate convenience store reforms by bringing in outside capital, integrating the group's common ID "7iD" into "PayPay ID," and expanding the points-based economic sphere while promoting the use of AI and robot technology. Its domestic convenience store business has lagged FamilyMart and Lawson in growth, and through this partnership the company aims to create a "future-style convenience store."
Nvidia Commits Up to $105 Billion to OpenAI Data Center Campus
Nvidia has agreed to spend as much as $105 billion supporting a data center campus in Pike County, Ohio, that OpenAI will lease. The commitment covers the initial 4.25-gigawatt portion, with Nvidia able to take on further obligations for a second 3.75-gigawatt phase. Backing begins in phases from 2028 to 2030 and runs 20 years. OpenAI has contracted for up to roughly 8 gigawatts, with the first 800 megawatts due online by 2028, and says it starts paying only as capacity becomes available. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang addressed the structure directly in a blog post, writing that OpenAI will pay the lease and that Nvidia secures inputs where it has visibility into demand, responding to concerns about circular financing. Nvidia is separately investing $1.5 billion in SB Energy, the SoftBank-backed developer building and operating the site, and combined OpenAI purchases could reach $600 billion of Nvidia revenue through 2030.
PayPay forms capital alliance with Seven & i to link digital payments and store shopping
PayPay announced a capital alliance with Seven & i Holdings, SEVEN-ELEVEN JAPAN, SoftBank, and LY Corporation to integrate digital payment and physical retail experiences in Japan. The partnership aims to combine PayPay's payment platform and 75 million users with Seven & i's roughly 22,000 SEVEN-ELEVEN stores and customer data to build personalized shopping and digital financial services. The alliance is described as a long-term growth initiative for all partners and a material development for PayPay shareholders.
SoftBank Q1 net profit rises 3.3% to 150 billion yen, full-year forecast unchanged
SoftBank, the domestic telecom subsidiary of SoftBank Group, reported a consolidated net profit of 150 billion yen for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2027, up 3.3% from the same period a year earlier. The company left its full-year consolidated net profit forecast unchanged at 560 billion yen. The consensus estimate of 13 analysts polled by IBES was 567.6 billion yen.
9434.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Corp. reported a 3.3% rise in Q1 net profit, beating the consensus estimate, though full-year forecast unchanged.
Seven & i to Conduct Third-Party Allotment of Around 300 Billion Yen to SoftBank-SMBC Group
Seven & i Holdings has announced it will dispose of treasury shares to SoftBank, PayPay, and Sumitomo Mitsui Card Corporation as allottees. The total amount will be around 300 billion yen. A notification has been filed with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau.
3382.JP · Capital · Positive Raises ~300 billion yen via third-party allotment of treasury shares to SoftBank, PayPay, and SMCC.
9434.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Corp. is a major allottee in Seven & i's ~300 billion yen share placement.
9984.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Group is a major allottee in Seven & i's ~300 billion yen share placement.
Sumitomo Mitsui Card Company, Limited · Capital · Positive Sumitomo Mitsui Card Corporation is a major allottee in Seven & i's ~300 billion yen share placement.
NTT Docomo and SoftBank Restore Communications After Kumamoto Earthquake
NTT Docomo and SoftBank announced on the 30th that communication disruptions caused by the earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture have been restored. In addition to repairing faults in the transmission lines to base stations, normal voice and data communications are now available via the Starlink satellite network and other means.
Mobile Service Disruptions Continue After Kumamoto Earthquake; Convenience Stores and Gas Stations Temporarily Closed
Mobile phone service disruptions and temporary closures of convenience stores and gas stations continued on the 29th following the earthquake that registered a maximum seismic intensity of 7 in Kumamoto Prefecture. NTT Docomo, KDDI, SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile reported that calls and data services remain unavailable in parts of the prefecture due to power outages at base stations and transmission line failures, with no timeline for restoration. Major convenience store operators Seven-Eleven Japan, Lawson, and FamilyMart have temporarily closed a total of over 100 stores in the prefecture due to power outages and worsening road conditions, and are rushing to resume operations while providing relief supplies to disaster victims. According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, 18 gas stations in the affected areas had suspended operations as of 1 p.m. on the 29th, with another 101 stations under status confirmation, impacted by the suspension of shipments from two oil terminals in Yatsushiro City. Japan Post has halted all counter services and Yu-Pack parcel handling in the prefecture, and Nippon Express has also suspended cargo acceptance and collection and delivery across wide areas of the prefecture.
SoftBank nears $625 million acquisition of payments firm SP.LINKS from Blackstone
SoftBank is nearing a deal to acquire Japanese payments services provider SP.LINKS after emerging as the preferred bidder in an auction valuing the company at about ¥100 billion, or $625 million. Under the proposed transaction, Blackstone will sell its 80% stake in SP.LINKS, while Sony Financial Group's banking unit will divest its remaining 20% holding, making SP.LINKS a wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank. The sale process attracted multiple bidders, with SoftBank's telecom unit advancing to the final round alongside a private equity fund. Blackstone had bought its 80% stake in January 2024, when the company was known as Sony Payment Services, and a sale at about ¥100 billion would roughly double the company's value in just over two years. The financial terms have not been finalized and remain subject to change.
Digital Finance & Tokenization › Payments Modernization & Rails Competition
SP.LINKS · Capital · Positive SP.LINKS is being acquired by SoftBank at a valuation of about ¥100 billion, roughly double its value from two years ago.
9984.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Group is acquiring SP.LINKS for about $625 million, making it a wholly owned subsidiary, expanding its payments business.
BX · Capital · Negative Blackstone is selling its 80% stake in SP.LINKS, exiting an investment that doubled in value, but the sale itself is a divestiture.
8729.JP · Capital · Negative Sony Financial Group's banking unit is divesting its 20% stake in SP.LINKS, losing a subsidiary.
9434.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Corp. (telecom unit) advanced to the final round as a bidder, indicating potential involvement in the acquisition.
Seven & i and PayPay to integrate customer IDs, creating a massive points ecosystem with over 100 million registered users
Seven & i Holdings and PayPay are considering integrating their customer IDs. The plan is to merge Seven & i's 7iD into PayPay ID, combining approximately 39 million 7iD registrants with over 74 million PayPay users to create a massive points ecosystem with more than 100 million registered users. PayPay, a subsidiary of SoftBank Group, is working with the group's telecom giant SoftBank and is considering investing several hundred billion yen in Seven & i, with an announcement planned as early as July. The timing of the integration has not been decided and will be adjusted going forward.
Digital Finance & Tokenization › Payments Modernization & Rails ▲Competition
Digital Finance & Tokenization › Digital Banking & Neobanks Competition
3382.JP · Demand · Positive Integration with PayPay expands its points ecosystem to over 100 million users, boosting customer engagement and potential sales.
9984.JP · Demand · Positive PayPay, a subsidiary, is central to creating a massive points ecosystem, driving user growth and transaction volume.
9434.JP · Capital · Positive SoftBank Corp. is working with PayPay on the integration and potential investment, which could enhance its fintech business.
OpenAI plans $30 billion data center mega-project in Georgia
OpenAI is planning a massive data center complex in Effingham County, Georgia, near Savannah, with total costs expected to exceed $30 billion at full capacity. The company has secured 3.2 gigawatts of power from Georgia Power and committed $20 billion locally to secure incentives. Initial capacity is slated to come online in 2028, with full expansion running through 2032. OpenAI is leading the facility's design directly, moving away from exclusive reliance on cloud partners like Microsoft, Oracle, and SoftBank, and plans to open-source the blueprints as standard reference models. The project is part of Sam Altman's broader Stargate infrastructure initiative, though OpenAI recently pulled back from sites in the UK, Norway, and Texas to streamline capital into massive, high-yield hubs ahead of an expected IPO.
Artificial Intelligence › AI Data Center & Build-out ▲Demand
Artificial Intelligence › Build-out, Construction & Engineering ▲Demand
Artificial Intelligence › AI Server OEM & System Integration ▲Demand
Artificial Intelligence › AI Compute Cloud & Neoclouds Competition
OpenAI · Capital · Positive OpenAI is planning a $30 billion data center project, securing power and incentives, and streamlining capital ahead of an expected IPO.
9984.JP · Competition · Neutral OpenAI is moving away from exclusive reliance on SoftBank as a cloud partner, designing its own data center, which could affect SoftBank's cloud business with OpenAI.
9984.JP · Demand · Neutral OpenAI is moving away from exclusive reliance on SoftBank as a cloud partner, potentially reducing SoftBank's business from OpenAI.
MSFT · Competition · Neutral OpenAI is moving away from exclusive reliance on Microsoft as a cloud partner, designing its own data center and open-sourcing blueprints, which could reduce Microsoft's role.
MSFT · Demand · Neutral OpenAI is moving away from exclusive reliance on Microsoft as a cloud partner, which could reduce Microsoft's revenue from OpenAI, but the project may still use Azure.
ORCL · Competition · Neutral OpenAI is reducing reliance on Oracle as a cloud partner by leading its own data center design, potentially impacting Oracle's cloud revenue from OpenAI.
Nvidia Partners with FANUC, Yaskawa, Kawasaki, and Fujitsu to Develop AI for Robots in Japan
Nvidia is collaborating with leading Japanese robotics companies FANUC, Yaskawa Electric, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, along with Fujitsu, to develop AI solutions for robots and industrial systems using Nvidia platforms such as Cosmos, Isaac, Metropolis, and Jetson. Additionally, other companies like Hitachi, Kubota, NEC, Sony, and SoftBank Corp. are set to join the NVIDIA Cosmos Coalition to develop real-world AI models. Meanwhile, Noetra, backed by the Japanese government with Sony as an investor, plans to purchase 27,500 NVIDIA Rubin GPUs to build physical AI infrastructure, with construction expected to start in April 2027 and operations to begin in 2028. Analysts view this partnership as a positive factor reflecting Nvidia's market expansion from AI data centers to physical AI and robotics. While it may not significantly impact short-term revenue, it creates a new long-term AI market.
Japan's Robotics Leaders Join NVIDIA Cosmos Coalition to Build Physical AI
NVIDIA announced that Japan's physical AI leaders are building on its Cosmos, Isaac, Metropolis and Jetson platforms to accelerate intelligent machines across manufacturing, mobility, infrastructure and robotics. The company introduced Cosmos 3 Edge, a 4-billion-parameter model for on-device vision reasoning and robot policy deployment on Jetson Thor platforms, and new Metropolis libraries for agentic vision AI development. Japan's physical AI ecosystem leaders including AIRoA, FANUC, Fujitsu, Hitachi, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kubota, NEC, SoftBank Corp., Sony Group Corporation and Yaskawa Electric intend to join the NVIDIA Cosmos Coalition to help build open frontier physical AI models. Fujitsu is exploring a collaborative control platform for physical AI with FANUC, Yaskawa Electric and Kawasaki Heavy Industries integrating NVIDIA technologies, while other Japanese manufacturers and physical AI leaders such as Enactic, Honda R&D, GROOVE X, Mitsui & Co, OMRON, Shimizu Corporation and Telexistence are building on NVIDIA's physical AI stack.
NVDA · Technology · Positive NVIDIA's Cosmos, Isaac, Metropolis and Jetson platforms are central to the article, with new model and library launches.
6506.JP · Technology · Positive Yaskawa Electric is named as a leader joining the coalition and is part of a collaborative control platform with Fujitsu, FANUC, and Kawasaki integrating NVIDIA technologies.
7012.JP · Technology · Positive Kawasaki Heavy Industries is named as a leader joining the coalition and is part of a collaborative control platform with Fujitsu, FANUC, and Yaskawa integrating NVIDIA technologies.
6954.JP · Technology · Positive Fanuc Corporation intends to join the NVIDIA Cosmos Coalition and is exploring a collaborative control platform for physical AI integrating NVIDIA technologies.
6701.JP · Technology · Positive NEC is listed as a leader joining the NVIDIA Cosmos Coalition to build open frontier physical AI models, leveraging NVIDIA's platforms.
6702.JP · Technology · Positive Fujitsu is exploring a collaborative control platform for physical AI with partners integrating NVIDIA technologies.
Japanese Enterprises and Startups Build Industry-Specialized AI Using NVIDIA Nemotron Open Models
NVIDIA announced that leading Japanese enterprises, startups, and research institutions are building industry-specialized AI models and applications with NVIDIA Nemotron open models, data, and libraries. The Institute of Science Tokyo developed its Swallow family of open foundation models using NVIDIA Nemotron datasets and the NVIDIA NeMo software stack, enhancing Japanese language and reasoning performance. SoftBank Corp.'s SB Intuitions trained its Sarashina series of generative AI models using NVIDIA Nemotron, with Sarashina3 mini selected by Japan's Digital Agency for specialized use cases. Stockmark released a specialized Japanese-language document-understanding model based on the NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Nano Omni model. Japanese enterprises including avatarin, ENEOS Holdings, Hitachi, and NTT DATA are building Japanese-language AI applications with NVIDIA Nemotron for remote-presence robotics, enterprise agents, and specialized medical and contact centers. Sakana AI is integrating NVIDIA Nemotron into its Fugu model-routing platform to dynamically select the best model for each task in agentic AI workflows.
NVDA · Demand · Positive NVIDIA's Nemotron open models are being adopted by multiple Japanese enterprises and startups, driving demand for its AI software and hardware.
Sakana AI · Technology · Positive Sakana AI is integrating NVIDIA Nemotron into its Fugu model-routing platform to dynamically select the best model for each task, enhancing its AI capabilities.
avatarin Inc. · Technology · Positive avatarin is building Japanese-language AI applications with NVIDIA Nemotron for remote-presence robotics, leveraging advanced AI models.
Stockmark · Technology · Positive Stockmark released a specialized Japanese-language document-understanding model based on the NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Nano Omni model, showcasing its AI development.
9434.JP · Technology · Positive SoftBank's SB Intuitions trained its Sarashina series of generative AI models using NVIDIA Nemotron, and its model was selected by Japan's Digital Agency.
5020.JP · Technology · Positive ENEOS Holdings is building Japanese-language AI applications with NVIDIA Nemotron, indicating adoption of advanced AI technology.
Nvidia touts AI collaboration with Japanese firms as CEO Huang visits Japan
US semiconductor giant Nvidia issued a statement on the 16th, coinciding with CEO Jensen Huang's visit to Japan, highlighting that Japanese companies, startups, and research institutions are using its open models and other technologies to build AI models and applications, accelerating development tailored to Japan's language and industries. The statement cited examples of SoftBank subsidiaries, Hitachi, NTT Data, and AI venture Sakana AI leveraging Nvidia's technology. Additionally, Vice President Deepu Talla said on the 15th that the partnership with Toyota Motor is expanding, extending collaboration from the automotive field into robotics and smart cities, and explained that at Toyota's Woven City test site, an AI-driven urban mobility system and intelligent transportation system are being developed using Nvidia's platform. Talla noted that Japan has the industrial base, developer ecosystem, and strong appetite for AI to lead the world in this field, and said Nvidia has been collaborating across all industries and sectors to help Japanese companies build their own 'Japan AI,' revealing that specific announcements are planned for this week.
Robotics & Physical AI › Robotics AI & Embodiment Software ▲Technology
Robotics & Physical AI › Autonomous Vehicles & Robotaxi ▲Technology
Artificial Intelligence › Foundation Models & Research Labs Competition
Artificial Intelligence › AI Applications & Copilots Demand
NVDA · Demand · Positive Nvidia highlights collaborations with Japanese firms using its AI technology, indicating strong demand for its products.
Sakana AI · Demand · Positive Sakana AI is highlighted as using Nvidia's technology to build AI models, indicating strong demand for Nvidia's products.
7203.JP · Technology · Positive Toyota's partnership with Nvidia is expanding into robotics and smart cities, using Nvidia's platform.
6501.JP · Technology · Positive Hitachi is cited as using Nvidia's technology to build AI models, benefiting from the collaboration.
9434.JP · Technology · Positive SoftBank Corp. is mentioned as using Nvidia's technology for AI applications.
9984.JP · Technology · Positive SoftBank subsidiaries are leveraging Nvidia's technology for AI development, enhancing their capabilities.
Seven & i Holdings is considering selling a sizable stake to SoftBank and PayPay, a move that could end its standalone strategy and bring new technology, payments and customer reach into the business. The retailer may issue several hundred billion yen in new shares, according to Bloomberg. SoftBank, PayPay and Sumitomo Mitsui are reportedly aiming to reach an agreement this summer, although talks remain fluid and could still fall apart. The partnership could connect Seven & i with PayPay rewards and SoftBank's mobile customer base, potentially lifting store visits and spending, while also supporting automation, AI-driven logistics and lower operating costs. However, new shares would dilute earnings per share and return on equity unless the partnership generates enough growth to offset the impact.
SoftBank and PayPay to Invest Several Trillion Yen in Seven & i
It has come to light that SoftBank and PayPay are considering an investment in Seven & i Holdings. The investment amount is expected to be on the scale of several trillion yen, aiming to expand their points-based economic ecosystem through a capital partnership with the largest convenience store operator.
Japan's five mobile carriers delay launch of 060 numbers
NTT Docomo, KDDI, SoftBank and two other mobile carriers announced on the 8th that they are postponing the introduction of phone numbers starting with 060. The launch had been planned for July or later, but system adaptations such as on-device display are taking longer than expected. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications is urging the carriers to start the service within this fiscal year. As the number of mobile users grows, the existing 090, 080 and 070 number ranges are running low. To prepare for number exhaustion, the ministry revised regulations in December 2024 to make the 060 prefix available.
SoftBank's Son Rejects Musk's Space Data Center Push
SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son has pushed back against Elon Musk's idea of building data centers in space, arguing that the AI race could be won by companies that secure massive computing power on Earth first. Speaking at SoftBank Corp.'s annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, Son said orbital data centers may help reduce electricity costs, but power remains only a small part of total data center expenses compared with hardware such as chips. He noted that any potential power savings could be offset by the high cost of transporting equipment into space, maintenance demands and communication delays. While describing Musk as a remarkable agent of change, Son said SoftBank would focus on building formidable data center capacity on Earth, adding that he who strikes first wins as the next few years may matter far more than what could happen a decade from now. The comments come as SoftBank has committed about $65 billion to OpenAI and pledged to direct hundreds of billions of dollars into data centers and related infrastructure worldwide.
Artificial Intelligence › AI Compute Cloud & Neoclouds ▲Capital
9984.JP · Capital · Positive Son reaffirms SoftBank's massive AI infrastructure investment strategy, committing $65B to OpenAI and hundreds of billions to data centers.
OpenAI · Capital · Positive SoftBank's $65B commitment to OpenAI signals strong financial backing and strategic partnership.
9434.JP · Demand · Positive SoftBank Corp. (the telecom unit) may benefit from increased demand for terrestrial data center services as parent focuses on Earth-based AI infrastructure.
Japan
