Masayoshi Son

Masayoshi Son – Life, Career, and Visionary Boldness

Learn about Masayoshi Son — the Japanese (of Korean descent) tech entrepreneur, founder and CEO of SoftBank. Explore his biography, major bets, leadership philosophy, controversies, and lessons from his rise and resilience.

Introduction

Masayoshi Son (born August 11, 1957) is a Japanese entrepreneur, investor, and technologist who built one of the world’s most influential investment conglomerates: SoftBank Group. Known for audacious bets, contrarian vision, and a willingness to lose big to win big, Son has played a pivotal role in the rise of major tech companies like Alibaba and ARM. His life is a mix of high risks, dramatic losses, visionary investments, and persistent ambition.

In this article, we trace his early life, the building of SoftBank, his investment philosophy, successes and failures, influence, personality, and lessons we can draw.

Early Life and Background

Zainichi Korean Roots

Masayoshi Son was born in Tosu in Saga Prefecture, Japan. Zainichi Korean descent (ethnic Koreans in Japan), and his family adopted a Japanese surname “Yasumoto” during his early years to reduce discrimination.

His grandfather immigrated from Daegu, Korea, during Japan’s colonial period.

Early Move to the U.S. & Education

At age 16, Son moved to the United States to pursue high school and further education.

He later attended the University of California, Berkeley, studying economics (with some computer science) and graduating in 1980.

While still a student, Son showed early entrepreneurial drive:

• He developed (with support from professors) an electronic language translator, which he sold to Sharp Corporation for about US$1.7 million.

• He imported video game machines from Japan and installed them in U.S. dormitories and restaurants, generating further profits.

These early successes gave him both capital and confidence to launch bigger ventures.

Building SoftBank & Key Ventures

Founding SoftBank

In 1981, Son founded SoftBank (initially as a software distributor and publisher).

Under Son’s leadership, SoftBank transformed from an operational telecom/internet firm into an investment-holding conglomerate.

Landmark Investments & Strategy

One of Son’s most legendary bets was a US$20 million investment in Alibaba (in 1999–2000). That stake grew many times over, contributing significantly to SoftBank’s valuation over decades.

He also acquired ARM Holdings via SoftBank, emphasizing control over tech infrastructure (chips) as a strategic asset.

In 2017, Son launched the SoftBank Vision Fund, a nearly $100 billion fund focused on emerging technologies (AI, IoT, robotics, and more).

SoftBank is active in multiple sectors: telecommunications, AI, robotics, internet platforms, energy, and more.

Ups & Downs: Failures and Recoveries

Son’s career is marked by dramatic swings:

• In the early 2000s, the dot-com crash hit SoftBank hard, causing enormous paper losses.

• Some Vision Fund investments underperformed or failed (WeWork, Wirecard, OYO, etc.).

• In recent years, analysts and media have criticized SoftBank for governance, risk concentration, and overexposure to high-risk tech plays.

Despite setbacks, Son has often rebounded by doubling down on new bets and repositioning SoftBank’s portfolio.

Influence, Reputation & Controversy

Visionary and “Gambler” Reputation

Son is often described as a visionary gambler — willing to take outsized risks on future trends and technologies. Several headlines call him a “$100 billion gambler.”

His pronouncements about artificial super intelligence (ASI) by 2035 reflect both ambition and speculative audacity.

Wealth & Power

Son is one of the wealthiest and most influential persons in Japan and in global tech investment.

At times, his personal and corporate finances have been closely tied, raising concerns over conflicts of interest, debt leverage, and corporate governance.

Nevertheless, his capacity to spot and back foundational technologies (e.g. Alibaba, ARM) cements his influence in the tech and investment world.

Personality, Approach & Style

• Bold, visionary thinking over incrementalism: Son pushes for bets on transformative change rather than small bets.

• Resilience under failure: He repeatedly recovers from losses and repositions strategy.

• Long horizon bets: He is comfortable with capital locked for long periods, assuming big technical shifts.

• Intertwining tech, capital, and infrastructure: He sees value not just in startups, but in owning core infrastructure (e.g. chips via ARM).

• Ambitious public declarations: He publicly forecasts megatrends (e.g. ASI) and positions SoftBank as a leader of those frontiers.

Notable Quotes

Here are a few quotes attributed to Masayoshi Son:

“The one thing I learned is that when you make an investment, it should be for the long term.”

“What we want to do is bring future technology forward faster than anyone else.” (paraphrase)

“I’ll always believe in my vision even if it looks foolish at the moment.” (commonly cited in profiles)

These reflect his mindset of long-term vision, risk acceptance, and conviction.

Lessons from Masayoshi Son’s Journey

1. Be willing to bet big when you see fundamental shifts
   Small, safe bets rarely create transformative returns.

2. Accept losses as part of the game
   Even giants fall; recovery depends on rethinking, repositioning, and staying agile.

3. Control essential infrastructure, not just apps
   Owning layers like chips or core platforms gives more stable leverage.

4. Balance vision with operational discipline
   Bold strategy must be matched with financial and risk controls to survive downturns.

5. Embrace a long time horizon
   Many of his successful bets took years to pay off; patience matters.

Conclusion

Masayoshi Son is one of the defining figures of modern tech investment—part entrepreneur, part visionary, part gambler. His life story—from a Zainichi Korean heritage facing discrimination to building SoftBank into a global investment powerhouse—is compelling and instructive. While not every bet has paid off, his willingness to swing for the fences has reshaped how capital flows into tech, infrastructure, and innovation.

Citation:
“Masayoshi Son” Wikipedia and SoftBank official biography.