Softbank's Son mulls Fuji TV tie-up | 日本のニュースを英語で読むならジャパンタイムズウィークリー


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Softbank's Son mulls Fuji TV tie-up

Masayoshi Son

Softbank Corp. President Masayoshi Son hinted March 26 that he would consider a business tie-up with Fuji Television Network Inc. and welcomed the deal that made the group's investment unit the TV broadcaster's largest shareholder.

"I'm interested in a partnership between Internet and TV. . . . I will look into (the possibility of the tie-up with Fuji TV) if there is merit and such momentum gathers steam," Son said in Fukuoka, where he was to attend the season-opening game for the Softbank Hawks professional baseball team.

Softbank Investment Corp., a Softbank group venture capital company, became Fuji TV's largest shareholder March 24, with a stake of 13.88 percent, through a stock loan deal.

The deal involves Softbank Investment borrowing 353,704 Fuji TV shares held by Nippon Broadcasting System Inc. It is viewed as the latest effort by Fuji TV to fend off any possible hostile takeover bid by Takafumi Horie's Internet services provider Livedoor Co.

Son said he had not been involved in the deal to buy the stake.

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