SoftBank Corp.

  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Korean
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
Site Search
Japanese Page

History

1981 - 1990

Sept. 1981 SOFTBANK Corp. Japan (Yombancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) established. Commenced operations as a distributor of packaged software.
May 1982 Entered publishing business, launching Oh! PC and Oh! MZ, monthly magazines introducing PCs and software by manufacturer.
July 1990 Changed trade name to SoftBank Corp.

1991 - 2000

Jan. 1992 Established SoftVenture Capital Co., Ltd. (currently SBI Holdings, Inc.)
Mar. 1994 Established SOFTBANK Holdings Inc. in the U.S. to gather information on U.S. Internet-related companies with a view to strategic investment.
July 1994 Registered with Japan Securities Dealers Association.
Dec. 1994 Acquired events division from Ziff Communications Company of the U.S through SOFTBANK Holdings Inc.
Apr. 1995 Invested in Technology Events Division of the Interface Group in the U.S., which was operating COMDEX, the world largest PC fair.
Jan. 1996 Established Yahoo Japan Corporation through joint investment with Yahoo! Inc. in the U.S.
Feb. 1996 Acquired Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, U.S. publisher of PC WEEK magazine, provider of leading-edge information on the PC industry, through SOFTBANK Holdings Inc.
Apr. 1996 Acquired additional shares of Yahoo Inc. (U.S.) through SOFTBANK Holdings Inc. (U.S.) and became its primary shareholder.*1
May 1996 Relocated corporate headquarters to Nihonbashi-hakozakicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo.
June 1996 Formed a partnership with The News Corporation Limited, an Australian company, in JSkyB (currently SKY PerfecTV!), a digital satellite broadcasting business.*2
Nov. 1997 Yahoo Japan Corporation registered with Jasdaq Securities Exchange (currently Osaka Securities Exchange JASDAQ (Standard)).*3
Jan. 1998 SoftBank Corp. listed on the First Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
June 1998 Established E*TRADE Japan KK with joint investment from E*TRADE Group, Inc. in the U.S. (currently E*TRADE Financial Corporation).*4
Dec. 1998 Established SOFTBANK America Inc. (U.S.)
Apr. 1999 Spun off the publishing business into a separate company and introduced the holding company system.
June 1999 Agreed with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. to establish Nasdaq Japan.
July 1999 SoftBank Technology Corp. registered with Japan Securities Dealers Association (currently JASDAQ).
Oct. 1999 Converted to pure holding company.
Apr. 2000 Introduced the management company system in each business segment.
Aug. 2000 Vector Inc. listed on NASDAQ Japan (currently JASDAQ).
Sept. 2000 Invested in the Nippon Credit Bank, Limited. (currently Aozora Bank, Ltd.)
Dec. 2000 SOFTBANK INVESTMENT CORPORATION listed on NASDAQ Japan (currently JASDAQ).

2001 - 2010

Sept. 2001 BB Technologies Corporation (currently SoftBank BB Corp.) launched commercial service of Yahoo! BB comprehensive broadband service.
Feb. 2002 SOFTBANK INVESTMENT CORPORATION listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Mar. 2002 Club iT Corporation (currently Broadmedia Corporation) listed on the NASDAQ Japan (currently JASDAQ).
Apr. 2002 Announced donation of broadband infrastructure and related services to schools, libraries and other public facilities throughout Japan to promote the e-Japan strategy by the government.
Launched full-scale demonstration experiments of Yahoo! BB Mobile, an ultra-high-speed wireless Internet access service.
BB Technologies Corporation (currently SoftBank BB Corp.) launched commercial IP telephony service BB Phone.
Jan. 2003 Merged BB Technologies Corporation, SOFTBANK Networks Inc., SOFTBANK EC HOLDINGS CORP. and SOFTBANK COMMERCE CORP. to form SoftBank BB Corp.
July 2003 SoftBank BB Corp. established the Broadband Association to provide a forum for interaction among companies in various industries and conduct promotional and educational activities concerning broadband.
Sept. 2003 Sold all shares of Aozora Bank, Ltd. to Cerberus NCB Acquisition, LP.
Oct. 2003 Yahoo Japan Corporation listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Nov. 2003 Decided to offer Yahoo! BB in Hachijojima in Tokyo, as part of measures to bridge the digital divide caused by geographical constraints.
Dec. 2003 SoftBank BB Corp. launched a service using the 050 number for BB Phone.
Jan. 2004 An attempted extortion occurred relating to customer information of SoftBank BB Corp.
Mar. 2004 SoftBank BB Corp. established the Privacy Management Advisory Board and the Technical Advisory Board.
M.P.Technologies, Inc. (currently Intea. Holdings, Inc.) listed on the Mothers Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
July 2004 Acquired shares of JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD (currently SoftBank Telecom Corp.), converted company to subsidiary, and entered fixed-line telecommunications business.
Oct. 2004 SoftBank BB Corp. and Yahoo Japan Corporation announced the launch of Yahoo! BB hikari, a new comprehensive broadband service using optic-fibers.
SoftBank BB Corp. used Ms Aya Ueto as its new promotion talent.
SoftBank BB Corp. filed a lawsuit demanding the suspension of “Draft Plan for IMT-2000 Frequency Allocation in the 800MHz Frequency Band” by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
Dec. 2004 Decided the SoftBank Group's new logo based on the corporate identity.
Decided the name of the new professional baseball team as Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS, a change from Fukuoka Daie Hawks.
JAPAN TELECOM CO., LTD (currently SoftBank Telecom Corp.) launched OTOKU Line direct connection fixed-line voice service.
SoftBank Technology Corp. listed on the Second Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Jan. 2005 Acquired shares of Fukuoka Daiei Hawks Corp. (currently Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS Corp.) and converted company to subsidiary.
Feb. 2005 Made Cable & Wireless IDC Inc. its subsidiary. (Cable & Wireless IDC Inc. merged with Yahoo Japan Corporation in February, 2009, with Yahoo Japan Corporation as the surviving entity.)
Mar. 2005 Relocated corporate headquarters to Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo.
GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc. listed on the OSE, Hercules Market (currently JASDAQ).
Apr. 2005 BB Mobile Corp. obtained a license for experiment stations of 1.7GHz from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
May 2005 BB Mobile Corp. obtained a license for W-CDMA experiment stations of 1.7GHz from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Started demonstration experiments of the method.
Aug. 2005 Basic agreement reached with Alibaba.com Corporation (China) (currently Alibaba Group Holding Limited), and Yahoo! Inc. (U.S) to establish a strategic partnership in China.
Dec. 2005 Started operation of TV BANK CORPORATION through a joint investment with Yahoo Japan Corporation.
Revised SoftBank Group Charter in accordance with reinforcement of the governance and compliance system of the SoftBank Group.
Mar. 2006 Agreed with Vodafone Group Plc (UK) on acquisition of Vodafone K.K.
SoftBank Technology Corp. listed on the First Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Apr. 2006 Acquired shares of Vodafone K.K. (currently SoftBank Mobile Corp.) through public tender offer, converted company to subsidiary, thereby entering the mobile communications business.
May 2006 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched first AQUOS mobile phone, SoftBank 905SH.
Aug. 2006 Sold all shares of SBI HOLDINGS, INC.
Sept. 2006 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched installment sales of handsets (Super Bonus).*5
Oct. 2006 Changed the information of business attribution of the SoftBank Corp. on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to transportation and information communications.
Company name of JAPAN TELECOM., LTD. changed to SoftBank Telecom Corp.
Company name of Vodafone K.K. changed to SoftBank Mobile Corp.
Jan. 2007 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched White Plan, a new price plan for mobile communications services.
Feb. 2007 SOFTBANK Players Corp. established Odds Park Banei Management Corp. an entrusted company of Banei Horse Racing operation.
Apr. 2007 Japan Cyber Educational Institute, Ltd. opened Cyber University.
ITmedia Inc. listed on the Mothers Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
June 2007 Carview Corporation listed on the Mothers Section of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Nov. 2007 SoftBank BB Corp. launched SoftBank SELECTION to sell products such as accessories for mobile phones and software for PC.
Apr. 2008 Invested in Oak Pacific Interactive (China) (currently Renren Inc.), an operating company of one of the biggest SNS site in China, Ren Ren.
May 2008 Made Alibaba.com Japan its joint venture and started operation in a full-fledged manner.
June 2008 SoftBank BB Corp. and SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched White Call 24, service to provide free domestic calls for all day between SoftBank mobile phone and BB Phone, an IP phone.
SoftBank Telecom Corp. and SoftBank Mobile Corp. started providing White Line 24, an FMC service for corporate users.
July 2008 SoftBank Mobile Corp. released iPhone 3G.
Mar. 2009 SoftBank Telecom Corp. and SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched White Office, an FMC service for corporate users.
Apr. 2009 SoftBank Mobile Corp., SoftBank BB Corp. and SoftBank Telecom Corp. unified their service brand logo.
Mar. 2010 Executed Framework Agreement on the Revitalization of WILLCOM, Inc.
SoftBank Mobile Corp. terminated the second generation mobile phone service.
May 2010 SoftBank Mobile Corp. released iPad.
Established a joint venture, Ustream Asia with Ustream, Inc. (U.S.)
June 2010 Unveiled “SoftBank's Next 30-Year Vision.”
July 2010 Launched SoftBank Academia.
Sept. 2010 Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS won the 2010 Pacific League Championship of Professional Baseball.
Dec. 2010 Completed company split and increase/decrease of capital, etc. of WILLCOM, Inc.

2011 - to date

Feb. 2011 Invested in Synacast Corporation (China) (currently PPLive Corporation), an operator of PPLive, online TV service in China.
June 2011 The total cumulative subscribers of SoftBank Mobile Corp. and WILCOM Inc. combined exceeded 30 million.
July 2011 Founded Renewable Energy Governors' Alliance with governors of local governments.
Sept. 2011 Invested in InMobi Pte. Ltd., a global Mobile Advertising Network headquartered in Singapore.
Oct. 2011 Established Bharti Softbank Holdings Pte. Ltds. jointly with Bharti Enterprises (India).
Nov. 2011 Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS won the 2011 Japan Series Championship of Professional Baseball.
Feb. 2012 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched SoftBank 4G, the industry's fastest*6 data communication service.
July 2012 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched the communication service using 900 MHz band.
Aug. 2012 The total cumulative subscribers of SoftBank Mobile Corp. exceeded 30 million.
Executed Framework Agreement on establishment of joint venture with Avex Group Holdings Inc.
Oct. 2012 Agreed with Sprint Nextel Corporation (U.S.) on strategic acquisition.
SoftBank Telecom Corp. launched Effective Customer-Leads Platform for O2O service jointly with Yahoo Japan Corporation.
Dec. 2012 Established Nihon PayPal KK jointly with PayPal Pte. Ltd. (U.S.)
Jan. 2013 SoftBank Mobile Corp. achieved No.1*7 in net additions of subscription for 5 consecutive years.
Made eAccess Ltd. an equity method affiliate.
Mar. 2013 SoftBank Mobile Corp. launched Double LTE service utilizing 1.7GHz spectrum owned by eAccess Ltd.
[Notes]
  • *1As of March 31, 2012 the Company holds 0.002% of Yahoo! Inc.'s voting rights.
  • *2In 1998, Japan SKY Broadcasting Co., Ltd. merged with Japan Digital Broadcast Service Co., Ltd. (currently SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation).
  • *3Yahoo Japan was listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October 2003 and on the JASDAQ market in February 2007.
  • *4E*TRADE Japan KK merged with SOFTBANK INVESTMENT CORPORATION (currently SBI Holdings Inc.) in June 2003.
  • *5For new price plans such as White Plan, the New Super Bonus is currently available.
  • *6Among mobile data communication services being offered in Japan as of May 29, 2012, based on published data from other companies and industry standard values. Communication speed is subject to the specification of devices.
  • *7Number of net subscriber additions (new subscribers minus cancellations) from January 2008 to December 2012. Calculated by SoftBank Corp. based on Telecommunications Carriers Association statistical data.
  • The names of companies, services and the contents abovementioned are as of the date when announced.
  • Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc.
  • iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc.
  • The iPhone trademark is used under license from Aiphone K.K.