SoftBank Weighs New AI Venture to Build Japan-Made AI Platform

Dec 23, 2025 | News On Japan

TOKYO - SoftBank and other companies are considering establishing a new firm dedicated to the development of artificial intelligence, with the aim of building a domestically produced AI platform through a public-private partnership.

The new company would be led by SoftBank, with multiple Japanese firms also weighing investment, according to sources. Its focus would be the development of a large-scale, highly versatile foundation AI model, which would be provided as core technology to companies developing AI for specific applications.

Highly general-purpose AI platforms are currently dominated by overseas players such as those in the United States, resulting in Japan’s heavy reliance on foreign technology. Against this backdrop, the Takayama administration is considering providing support totaling around 1 trillion yen over five years starting next fiscal year to back the new company’s development efforts.

Source: テレ東BIZ

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