Dividend Information

Fundamental policy for distribution of profit, and dividends for fiscal 2012 and following years

SoftBank strives to increase returns to shareholders by raising enterprise value and has a fundamental policy of returning appropriate amounts of profit to shareholders and other stakeholders.

SoftBank has prioritized reduction of its net interest-bearing debt in order to improve the Group's financial status after the acquisition of Vodafone K.K. (currently SoftBank Mobile). SoftBank has steadily reduced its net interest-bearing debt, supported by strong results in the Mobile Communications segment. Net interest-bearing debt has been reduced to under 30% of the level at March 31, 2009 over three years. As a result of these efforts, SoftBank's credit ratings have been raised substantially.

In light of this improvement in the Group's financial status, growth potential of businesses and other factors, SoftBank has decided to change its policy. The Group will now focus on investing actively for sustained growth and returning profits to shareholders, while maintaining a sound financial status.

Under this new policy, year-end dividend per share for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012 was increased by JPY 35.00 to JPY 40.00, from JPY 5.00 in the previous fiscal year. This increase in the dividend for the fiscal year included early implementation of the dividend increase previously planned for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015.

SoftBank has distributed its surplus as a year-end dividend annually, and since sufficient profit is expected for the year ending March 31, 2013 as well, implementation of an interim dividend to increase opportunities to return profit to shareholders was decided on July 31, 2012. This applies to shareholders on record as of the base date of September 30, 2012. In addition, SoftBank has decided the forecasts of interim and year-end dividend for year ending March 31, 2013 as stated below.

Please refer to the links below for more details.

	Dividend per Share (JPY)^*1			Payout Ratio (Consolidated) (%)
	Six-month Period End	Year-end	Total	Payout Ratio (Consolidated) (%)
FY2012 (plan)	20.00	20.00	40.00	TBD
FY2011	-	40.00	40.00	14.0
FY2010	-	5.00	5.00	2.9
FY2009	-	5.00	5.00	5.6
FY2008	-	2.50	2.50	6.3
FY2007	-	2.50	2.50	2.5
FY2006	-	2.50	2.50	9.2
FY2005	-	2.50	2.50	4.6
FY2004	-	2.33	2.33	-
FY2003	-	2.33	2.33	-
FY2002	-	2.33	2.33	-

[Notes]

*1The three-for-one stock split on January 5, 2006 has been taken into consideration in retroactive adjustments.
*Information above are based on data disclosed as of July 31, 2012.