Business | Feb 07

Japan's SoftBank Group logs $5.9 bn loss as tech investments tumble

TOKYO, Feb 07 (business-standard.com) - Japanese investor SoftBank Group reported Tuesday that it sank into a deep loss for the October-December quarter, slammed by the global plunge in technology shares.

SoftBank Group Corp. racked up a 783 billion yen (USD 5.9 billion) loss for the fiscal third quarter, a reversal from the 29 billion yen profit recorded the same period a year ago.

SoftBank invests in hundreds of companies, including mobile carrier SoftBank, web services provider Yahoo, vehicle-for-hire company Didi and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. It also runs the Vision Fund that includes other global investors.

SoftBank Group recorded nearly 512 billion yen (USD 3.9 billion) in losses on investments during the quarter, as prices of its shareholdings and funds nose-dived, it said.

Various uncertainties have slammed Japanese companies recently, such as soaring material costs and rising interest rates. Tensions such as the war in Ukraine have also added to what tends to work as negatives for SoftBank's sprawling portfolio of investments. ...continue reading


MORE Business NEWS

Four victims of imposter scams have sued the Japan unit of US IT giant Meta for damages, saying the operator of Facebook and Instagram has failed to verify the authenticity of social media ads. (NHK)

Mitsuko Tottori, the first female president of a major airline in Japan, discusses her strategies for promoting diversity within Japan Airlines during a recent interview.

The inaugural meeting of a national expert panel focused on mass-producing hydrogen fuel cell trains, viewed as viable alternatives to diesel engines in rural areas, was held recently, as part of the initiative to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

POPULAR NEWS

The Cabinet Office's Government Public Relations Office recently stirred controversy with a social media post showcasing an overly lavish depiction of school lunches, leading to a public outcry over the authenticity of the meals presented.

Tokyo's Shinagawa district welcomes a new landmark with the grand opening of the Gotanda JP Building on Friday, April 26, featuring a dog-friendly hotel by Hoshino Resort, co-working spaces, and a vibrant culinary scene.

Starting this Saturday, 'SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024' begins a month-long showcase of Japan's advanced technologies, featuring attractions such as self-driving carts styled as futuristic floats and projection mapping installations, all available to the public for free.

Japanese company Smile-Up, the former talent agency known as Johnny & Associates, says it has sent a letter of protest to Britain's public broadcaster BBC over its program on sexual abuse by its late founder. (NHK)

A private organization has revealed that approximately 40% of the national municipalities, totaling 744, could potentially disappear by 2050 due to declining populations.

FOLLOW US