Masayoshi Son

"Way = philosophy, resolve” is the most important thing in accomplishing anything. So what does “Way = philosophy, resolve” mean for the SoftBank Group? It means “making people happy through the information revolution.” Masayoshi Son emphasizes this on various occasions to instill it in the hearts of the group’s employees."

"Some may say, “Perhaps such methods succeed precisely because he is the genius entrepreneur Masayoshi Son!” But in fact, the president’s methods at their core are extremely simple principles that even those without the president’s mindset and experience can easily emulate."

"Next, this book introduces the “10x Speed Efficient Goal Achievement Rules,” which are applicable not only to business but also to other aspects of life. I believe every reader has various goals in their heart."

"The president used this straw to barter for something of higher value, because his target at that time was the landline communication operator, Japan Telecom. I think that if SoftBank hadn’t entered the ADSL market back then, no matter how much the president wanted to acquire Japan Telecom, the other party might not have paid any attention to SoftBank, and financial institutions might not have sponsored the acquisition."

"During my time at SoftBank, I learned a lot from the president. One aspect can be said to have changed my life. That is, I learned the method and ability to bridge the gap between “the current self” and “the ideal self” in the shortest time possible."

"Tracing back, both Vodafone Japan and Japan Telecom belonged to the “J-Phone” company. When the president acquired Japan Telecom, he likely already had the idea of acquiring Vodafone Japan. SoftBank not only acquired Japan Telecom but also gained the technology, talents, and customer base that came with it."

"Here, I’d like everyone to recall, what’s the essence of the “Straw Strategy”? Exactly, it’s “starting with something that seems to have little value.” It was precisely for this reason that President Son intentionally ventured into the ADSL market. As a result, he immediately gained 5 million users. There were very few companies that could compete with such a market share. Ordinary companies only had 20,000 to 30,000 users, so having 5 million users was an overwhelming advantage at the time."

"SoftBank has reached today’s heights is due to the following three strategies: (1) Straw Strategy (2) Champion Strategy (3) Lottery Box Strategy The speed of achieving goals depends on whether you understand these three strategies."

"President Masayoshi Son’s approach is akin to the “Straw Millionaire” method. Starting with something that seems not very valuable, gradually increasing its value through continuous exchanges to eventually obtain what one desires. It can be said with certainty that this seemingly circuitous method is actually the best way to reach the goal."

"“If your company partners with us, we can offer services like free calls between our IP phone users and Japan Telecom landline users, which will invisibly create a lot of new added value. The merger of the two companies will definitely bring us better cooperative results.” It was because Japan Telecom saw the value of the straw in President Son’s hands that they agreed to the acquisition by SoftBank. At that time, Japan Telecom also had 5 million users, so SoftBank’s acquisition instantly doubled its user base to 10 million."

"In fact, a friend of mine used this method and achieved her dream at ten times the speed of ordinary people. Let me share that story with everyone. This woman was a housewife whose ideal was “to turn her interest in cooking into her work.” She said, “Magazines and TV often have programs about super housewives. I also want to open a cooking class like them, specifically teaching my creative cuisine.” But at that time, she was just an ordinary housewife without any achievements. Moreover, there was already a large number of cooking instructors in society, making it a field with many competitors and fierce competition. Based on the “straw strategy,” I gave her the following advice. “To ultimately gain the ‘teacher’ title, you could consider becoming a lecturer at a cultural center first. Since being a lecturer is a position with a certain level of social recognition, you could gain experience there first.” “But the cooking field is a domain already populated by many lecturers; the probability of replacing experienced lecturers and hiring new ones is indeed very low.” “So, I suggest starting by collecting course brochures from cultural centers to see which courses exist in fields with relatively fewer competitors and are somewhat niche?” The woman went home and came up with the idea of “making handmade soap with olive oil” based on my advice. She had seen how handmade soap was made overseas and making soap at home was also one of her interests at the time. However, simply having the skill of “I can make handmade soap” to promote herself to cultural centers was somewhat lacking in persuasion. So the woman invited some friends over and taught them how to make handmade soap. In doing so, she gained the experience of having run a handmade soap class at home. Fortunately, friends who attended her home workshop introduced her to staff members at the cultural center, and she successfully established her course there. As a result, the woman became a lecturer at the cultural center and gained a certain recognition, eventually lecturing at more than 10 cultural centers nationwide. In just three short years, an ordinary housewife became a “super housewife.” With her experience as a lecturer at cultural centers, she also gained opportunities to appear in magazines and TV programs. She then took advantage of the situation and formally established her ideal cooking class."

"Moreover, through acquiring Japan Telecom, SoftBank also absorbed excellent talents and management methods in the communication industry and easily acquired the brand image unique to landline communication operators, which made customers trust and feel secure. The effect was equivalent to exchanging a straw for an orange. No, it felt like exchanging it for high-quality fabric and horses! The president had already foreseen However, he didn’t stop there. Because his ultimate goal was the mobile communication field."

"President Masayoshi Son gained worldwide fame in 1995. That year, the president purchased COMDEX, the world’s largest computer fair, for $800 million (80 billion yen at that time). At that time, SoftBank was just a company with an annual turnover of 200 billion yen. Even within Japan, it was merely a not-so-well-known venture capital company. Therefore, acquiring COMDEX seemed a bit overreaching for SoftBank back then. However, the president believed that no matter what, he had to acquire COMDEX because he was convinced that acquiring COMDEX was the stepping stone that could make him famous worldwide."

"Actually, when the president said he wanted to enter the ADSL field, I was very much against it. At the time, I strongly advocated, “The profit in this industry is not very high, just give it up.” But for some reason, the president finally said, “In that case, this task is up to you.” As a result, I had no choice but to take on the task. But later, I realized that my thinking was completely wrong. Because the president had foresight; he didn’t reveal everything at the start, perhaps to avoid complications. I believe that in the president’s eyes, from the beginning, he already saw this as the closest and fastest path to achieving the goal."

"In fact, after acquiring COMDEX, as long as he claimed to be “COMDEX President Masayoshi Son,” everyone was willing to interact with him. This also allowed the president to quickly strengthen his network with Bill Gates of Microsoft and other business leaders and industry figures in the IT world."

"The president at the time adopted a strategy that appeared somewhat convoluted on the surface but successfully achieved the goal. First, they made achievements in the broadband ADSL and fixed-line communications fields, using those as collateral to borrow huge sums from financial institutions. This was also an important reason he successfully negotiated and smoothly achieved the acquisition goal."

"Acquiring COMDEX was undoubtedly a proclamation to the world—“SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son is here!”"

"“Do you know how to walk on water? I do.” I thought it was a joke, but the president was serious. I was truly puzzled, so I asked the president, “How do you do it?” The president replied, “Take a step with your left foot before your right foot sinks!”"

"Indeed, under normal circumstances, it’s indeed difficult to capture the championship. However, we have a secret strategy that turns the impossible into possible, which is “finding fields that no one or very few people are into.” If no one is doing it, the person who starts it is the first from the beginning. If only a few are doing it, the probability and speed of winning first place will increase drastically."

"SoftBank leaps from one stepping stone to another, quickly stepping forward before one foot sinks, successfully traversing the water’s surface."

"For example, in 1995, he invested $2 million in America’s Yahoo! (then 200 million yen). The following year, a joint venture was established with Yahoo! JAPAN. Note that Yahoo! America formally established the company and started its business in March 1995, and SoftBank decided to invest in the company in November of the same year. That is to say, shortly after Yahoo!’s inception, the president saw its value and made a decisive investment decision. As everyone knows, Yahoo! has become one of the world’s largest search engines, and Yahoo! JAPAN has an overwhelming advantage as a portal site in Japan. Today, as the leading shareholder of Yahoo! JAPAN, SoftBank has an off-balance sheet profit of 1.2 trillion yen. The 200 million yen initially invested in Yahoo! is just a tiny fraction of today’s return on profits."

"By effectively using the “knocking brick,” whether the target is across a pond or an ocean, we can reach the destination. The president has personally proven how to “turn the impossible into possible.”"

"The president’s obsession with being number one is almost universally known. And he places great importance on one thing: winning first place with an overwhelming advantage. Of course, the president’s thinking has its rationale. That is, once you become the number one in the industry, people, money, resources, and information all come together."

"Once everything is prepared, you can apply at the cultural center to become a “Chilean Pastry Training Course Instructor.” Since there are no competitors, such a course might not even exist. However, to attract students, cultural centers are also looking for unique and original plans. As long as you market yourself fully and inform them that your pastries are unique, you are very likely to succeed. If you are luckily accepted, this will mean the birth of Japan’s first (and possibly the first) “Chilean Pastry Instructor.” If that really happens, you will become Japan’s number one in that moment. An exclusive instructor is bound to attract many students eager to learn."

"Because the president seems to foresee the future and can see which businesses or enterprises will thrive in the future, investing in the most promising projects at the most suitable time."

"Becoming the first will make fame easier to achieve. “Japan’s only Chilean Pastry Instructor” could become your label to advertise on blogs or Twitter, possibly attracting magazine or TV producers. If you get some media appearances, you will become a pioneer in the field, a great “master.”"

"The “lottery box strategy” behind investing in Yahoo! The “lottery box strategy” is actually extremely simple! Never give up before winning, that’s all. For example, you attend a cultural festival and encounter a lottery game, costing 100 yen per draw. You win a game console if you hit the jackpot, but you leave empty-handed if you don’t. You spend 100 yen to draw once, but unfortunately, you don’t win, and you don’t have extra money to try again. If it ends here, your goal of “winning a game console” is not achieved and you might complain: “What bad luck!” But, if a generous relative happened to pass by and said: “I’ll give you money so you can keep drawing until you win!” If the relative gives you 1,000 yen or 2,000 yen, you can draw 10 times, 20 times, or even more. If the game is fair, you’ll surely win eventually."

"“Keep drawing until you win!” By now, you might not find anything special, but in fact, this strategy is based on a business theory called “real options.”"

"抽签箱战略”实际上简单至极！在抽中之前，决不放弃，仅此而已。 譬如你去参加一个文化节，遇到一个抽签游戏，抽一次100日元，中奖的话可以获得游戏机，如若不中，则空手而归。于是你用100日元抽了一次，但遗憾的是并未中奖，而此时你手中也没有多余的钱可以再抽奖。 如果到此为止的话，你并未达成“获得游戏机”的目标，你可能会自怨自艾道：“运气真差！” 但是，如果恰巧一位阔绰大方的亲戚从此路过并对你说：“我给你钱，你可以一直抽到抽中为止！”这位亲戚给了你1000日元、2000日元的话，你就可以抽10次、20次，甚至更多。如果该游戏没有做任何手脚，那么你肯定有抽"

"When you want to know some information, you’ll surely consult the leading figure in that field, right? I think no one would specifically seek out the person who ranks second."

"Law—Create a “system that can consistently win.” Regarding the final “law,” “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu refers to it as “legislation.” Legislation is said to involve “organization, regulation of signals, the responsibilities of generals and military officers, the management situation of provisions and ammunition, and whether these systems are enforced strictly.” Following this, Masayoshi Son considers “law” to be “creating systems, mechanisms, and rules.”"

"In “The Art of War” and “Lanchester’s Laws,” Masayoshi Son found logical expressions of what he had vaguely believed."

"Masayoshi Son has an image of challenging things without fearing risks. It’s interesting that he says, “In truth, I’m extremely cautious.”"

"At the young age of 19, he established the following “50-year life plan”: In his twenties, he would enter a self-chosen industry and start a company. In his thirties, he would build up capital. The minimum unit of capital would be at least 100 billion yen. In his forties, he would undertake a major project. The scale of the project would be measured in trillions of yen. In his fifties, he would complete the business to a certain extent. In his sixties, he would transfer the business to the next generation. Masayoshi Son has conducted his business based on this plan ever since. As of May 2014, Masayoshi Son is 56 years old. He is at the stage of “completing the business in his fifties,” but the scale of the SoftBank Group’s revenues already exceeds 6 trillion yen significantly, equivalent to achieving his goal."

"“Since it rained today, there were few customers.” “Since the weather will likely be good tomorrow, I’m sure things will go well.” This is what was said. Having heard such words from his father since childhood, Masayoshi Son keenly felt, “It’s not good management to be swayed by whether it’s sunny or rainy in a single day. I won’t run businesses that are influenced by external conditions like the weather.” However, the technological innovation of the digital information industry, in other words, changes in external conditions, is rapid. Trends come and go quickly, and even if a hit product is explosively successful, its lifespan is extremely short. But Masayoshi Son was firmly determined not to get deeply involved in being constantly chased by the development of such new products. Therefore, Masayoshi Son reached the conclusion, “I won’t rely on a single product with large hits or misses. I want to create a company that provides infrastructure with less fluctuation in trends.” Infrastructure, as defined by the word, is the social and industrial foundation, and is more of a base. If likened to the transportation network of traditional industrial society, it corresponds to general roads and highways. On highways, the installer collects fees from drivers at toll booths. Masayoshi Son must have thought, “By providing infrastructure, let’s become the toll booth of the digital information industry.” That way, hit products of the moment would have to rely on the infrastructure held by SoftBank, and SoftBank itself could stably grow. ◆ Narrowing new businesses through “Nine Conditions” Based on this idea, Son continued to explore what business to pursue for a year and a half. Every time he came up with an idea and developed a business plan, he applied “Nine Conditions” to filter it. The “Nine Conditions” were as follows: [Condition One] Once a business is undertaken, it cannot be stopped halfway. Therefore, it must be a sustainable business. [Condition Two] Naturally, it must be a profitable business. [Condition Three] It must be a growing industrial sector. The industry structure itself must not be in a recession or decline. [Condition Four] It must be a business that can become the core of a future corporate group. [Condition Five] It must be a business that cannot easily be imitated by others. [Condition Six] It must be a business that doesn’t require large capital investment. [Condition Seven] It must be a business that is useful to society and contributes to societal development. [Condition Eight] It must be a business that one can engage in interestingly. [Condition Nine] If you undertake it, you must absolutely become the number one company in that field. If you can’t become number one, don’t even start. After thoroughly investigating, they focused on the wholesale of packaged software for personal computers. This was the only business that met all the conditions. Masayoshi Son finally saw light at the end of the tunnel that seemed to have no exit. Since returning home, Masayoshi Son continued to employ two part-time employees hired during the market research period and launched the business. This was effectively the founding of “Japan SoftBank” (now SoftBank) as a wholesaler of packaged software for personal computers. It was a start that was unimaginably humble compared to today’s “world SoftBank,” with just two desks. ◆ Establishing “Japan SoftBank” In September of 1981, Masayoshi Son established “Japan SoftBank” (with a capital of 10 million yen) and started the wholesale business of packaged software for personal computers. Among the people he met at a seminar in Fukuoka, there was someone who had created “Management Comprehensive Research Institute Co., Ltd.” on a corner of Japan TV Street in Ichigaya, Tokyo. Masayoshi Son invested 50% with this company to establish a new company. The headquarters was just renting a room at the Management Comprehensive Research Institute with two desks. Masayoshi Son was appointed as the representative director."

"Son openly declares, “I have admired Ryoma Sakamoto since childhood,” and has embodied that passionate spirit by seeing himself in Sakamoto Ryoma’s image. While Ryoma Sakamoto opened the door to the Meiji Restoration at the end of the Edo period, Masayoshi Son, as the forerunner, opened the door to the “digital information society.” He truly deserves the title of “revolutionary” who faces challenges wholeheartedly."

"Masayoshi Son devised “Son’s Square Law” when he was around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old."

"Masayoshi Son, returning from studying in the U.S., immersed himself in thinking about what business to do in Japan at a private office near Ohashi Station on the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line (Minami-ku, Fukuoka City). He first thought he must decide “what job I will devote my life to.” Using this office as a base, Masayoshi Son met various people and thoroughly conducted market research. He read many books and went through various materials."

"The previous version arrangement is easier to explain Masayoshi Son’s footsteps"

"The final fifth stage is “Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain, Sea.” It symbolizes Shingen Takeda and Oda Nobunaga, who were said to be geniuses in battle. The final “Sea” is the state of mind reached by Masayoshi Son when his battles are complete."

"“We have indeed acquired the advantages of the land. Having gained the right time from heaven and the advantages of the land, we must take action,” Masayoshi Son emphasizes passionately."

"A recent example would be SoftBank’s acquisition of “Vodafone Japan Corporation (now SoftBank Mobile)” in March 2006. At the time, Vodafone was constantly lagging behind NTT DoCoMo and au and had never experienced being “number one.” When Son spoke with the executives back then, he immediately felt that “their eyes were dead,” they “lacked confidence,” and they had a “habit of losing, thinking everything they do fails.” So, he told them: “Even if it’s just for a month, we will definitely achieve a net increase of being number one at least once.” It takes time to achieve cumulative number one. So, we take the challenge for one month. Son believed that even if it’s just for one month, experiencing a net increase in being number one would instill a “habit of winning” once they realize, “Oh, we can be number one.” What was the result? “Once we achieved a net increase of being number one, we’ve continued to achieve net increases of being number one almost every month since then, except for a few months. Once this position becomes the home position, it feels unsatisfactory and unpleasant not being number one.” A recent example is the catchphrase “No.1 in smartphone connection ease,” which reflects Masayoshi Son’s strong commitment to the “number one principle.”"

"Tactic—Think through strategy to the point of exhaustion Next is “Tactic,” which means “strategy” to realize the vision. The “Tactic” in strategy means to “abbreviate.” Once all the information is gathered, it needs to be analyzed, and unnecessary parts, noise, or trifles must be thoroughly removed to discover the thickest core and the “essential part” within it, which forms the strategy. Masayoshi Son strongly emphasizes this"

"As Masayoshi Son implements the “50-Year Life Plan,” let’s reflect on how he utilized the “Son’s Law of Squares,” its practices, and applications."

"“Group” means “forming a strategic synergy group.” Eiichi Shibusawa established five hundred companies and called himself a “jack-of-all-trades.” Masayoshi Son currently has set a goal of creating an army of five thousand like-minded companies within the SoftBank Group in thirty years, ten times the goal of Eiichi Shibusawa."

"Sea──Encompass the opponent after winning the battle The final “Sea” is Masayoshi Son’s original concept. After the end of the “Furinkazan” battle, the battlefield is strewn with dead bodies. But if left as a scorched field, new battles will arise from there. The battle ends only when the winner, like a vast, deep, and calm sea, swallows everything and pacifies the world──. This is how Masayoshi Son thinks."

"However, business succession involves significant risks. Son explains this using a relay race analogy. While a runner is running, there may be overtaking or being overtaken, but as long as the baton is held firmly, there is little chance of dropping it or falling, which are critical failures. However, when passing the baton, there is a higher likelihood of a mishap, such as a runner falling or dropping the baton. There is a high risk of significantly dropping in rank due to this. From this perspective, Masayoshi Son pondered what kind of business could be seamlessly inherited and perpetuated over a significant period."

"Masayoshi Son, in the globally reorganizing telecommunications industry, acquired the Japanese subsidiary of Vodafone for about 2 trillion yen. While Vodafone had consolidated sales of 1.47 trillion yen and an operating profit of 158 billion yen (both in the fiscal year 2004), SoftBank, for the fiscal year ending March 2005, had consolidated sales of about 840 billion yen and an operating loss of about 25 billion yen. It had been posting deficits of several hundred billion yen up to that point. The acquisition of Vodafone Japan was precisely an M&A where a small entity swallows a larger one. At that time, to compete with NTT and KDDI as a telecommunications infrastructure provider, SoftBank was heavily investing in Yahoo BB and had just acquired Japan Telecom, a fixed-line phone company."

"Vodafone, lagging behind NTT DoCoMo and KDDI’s au in transitioning to third-generation mobile phones, indicated a withdrawal from Japan as part of its revised global strategy. It was the opportunistic Masayoshi Son who responded sensitively to this. He decided to capitalize on the hard-earned license and made the bold move to acquire at 2 trillion yen."

"However, Masayoshi Son dared to challenge this impossibility. He went all out to the  town branch of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank (current Mizuho Bank). It was 1982. This marked the beginning of Masayoshi Son becoming a master at obtaining bank loans. ◆ “Please lend me 100 million yen at the prime rate” For Masayoshi Son, two or three months after founding the company, funding was the biggest concern. The monthly sales were about 2 million yen, and although he received an order of 20 million yen from a major company, he had no money to procure goods. So, Masayoshi Son visited the  town branch of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and requested:"

"Additionally, Masayoshi Son aligned the pace of acquisitions, drawing funds from the market in the form of bond issuance and public offerings. This full utilization of the securities market for fund-raising was handled by Yoshitaka Kitao, who is considered a strategic ally of Masayoshi Son (currently CEO of SBI Holdings)."

"Masayoshi Son provides a practical definition unique to business managers in regard to this character, referring to it as “risk management.” Among these, Son emphasizes that “cash flow management = fund management” is the most important. This speaks to how Masayoshi Son has struggled with and dedicated himself to fund management. For those aspiring to be entrepreneurs, the greatest concern is funding. You cannot start a business for free. You need capital for any kind of business. Expenses actually start accumulating from the moment you decide to start a business. Costs arise from the preparation stages necessary to realize a business plan or project. It is important to keep this firmly in mind."

"Never aim for “niche = gaps” In general, for a venture to succeed, it is often said to “aim for the niche.” However, Masayoshi Son states, “targeting gaps does not suit my nature.” During an interview, he explained the reason as follows. “I have always believed this since the founding and have often said it: the common perception that venture business equals gap industry was never my intention. In other words, trying to grow in a gap gets filled over time. If something seems profitable, competitors will immediately appear, filling the gap with other factors. The time when there is a gap is limited to certain periods and certain scopes. What I am aiming for are not gaps. If we talk about strike zones, I aim for the very center of the center.”"

"In an interview article from “Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun” dated March 24, 1997, Masayoshi Son said the following. “SoftBank has 50 to 60 affiliated companies with an investment ratio of over 20%, and about 100 companies including those with under 20%. In the consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending March 1997, we have expanded to a scale reaching 340 billion yen in sales. The entire group is expected to expand to 1,000 companies within five to ten years.” As of May 2014, the SoftBank Group has expanded to approximately 1,300 companies as mentioned above. Son has set a goal to increase this to 5,000 companies within thirty years."

"Building a company that will be stable and grow for 300 years However, saying, “I won’t engage in a business where I can’t be number one” is easy, but finding such a business is no simple task. Moreover, Masayoshi Son believed that the business he engages in must be one that can be perpetually passed down and not be a “temporary business” that becomes unnecessary due to the passage of time. His goal has always been and remains “to build a company that will be stable and grow for 300 years.”"

"At that time, a “special market” was established in the stock market for venture companies, making it easier to raise funds from the market by registering. However, if a company is more capable, it first works on going public over-the-counter. Going public over-the-counter provides companies with significant benefits such as “increased corporate recognition and social trust,” “ability to raise funds,” and “easier business activities.” It’s the best way for a company to be recognized as an important member of society. Masayoshi Son also decided to list Softbank over-the-counter, accomplishing this in July 1994 (Heisei 6). The initial offering price was 11,000 yen, compared to an initial price of 18,900 yen, and Masayoshi Son himself held about 70% of his company’s stock, valued at approximately 200 billion yen. This over-the-counter listing was the trigger that led to Masayoshi Son being called the “Bill Gates of Japan” by the media, drawing attention from all over."

"Masayoshi Son has chosen the most advantageous “location” in step with business development. He has indeed progressed like a successful fish. This is quite similar to the management of the founding family “Okadaya” of JUSCO (now Aeon). Okadaya has traditionally adhered to two mottos left by the fifth-generation leader, Soemon. 1. Better goods for less money. 2. Attach wheels to the main pillar. “Attach wheels to the main pillar” means “always be prepared to move to a location with better conditions.” Staying firmly in one place and being complacent won’t develop business. It implies a lesson that stagnation invites decline."

"“I don’t have money to deposit, but I want a loan: 100 million yen. However, I have no collateral, it’s just that I’ve just started my business, so I lack a track record. I have no credit. I don’t want to set up a guarantor by policy. I have nothing, but please lend me 100 million yen at the prime rate. I don’t want it at a high-interest rate because I can’t repay.” Masayoshi Son was only 24 years old. Facing a young entrepreneur the age of his son, Branch Manager Masayoshi Gokitani burst out laughing. Yet Masayoshi Son continued: “What I possess is endless passion, and the field I’m targeting is the one the world needs, so I think there will be demand, but I can’t prove it.”"

"Masayoshi Son rephrased this in an easy-to-understand manner as “system and rule-making” during a lecture at the opening ceremony of “SoftBank Academia.” “When you hear ‘法’ (law), many people immediately think of legal law, but what Sun Tzu is referring to here is system, methodology law, rule-making, structure, and such aspects. Therefore, it also includes business models and platforms."

"The “SoftBank Academia” is a school to cultivate the next generation of business leaders. As the principal, Masayoshi Son takes the podium, teaching and providing direct guidance. It can be said that he realized his middle school dream of “wanting to be a school teacher” in a different form."

"Fight—Achieve things by fighting yourself The last “Fight” in this section means “Once you make a move in the game, fight thoroughly.” Masayoshi Son argues fervently, “No matter how noble your theories or excellent your strategies may be, achieving results is only possible by fighting.”"

"Masayoshi Son self-identifies as a “digital human.” He has an aversion to incorporating ambiguity into company management with statements like “This department seems off.” By adopting “1000 Knockouts,” ambiguity can be completely eliminated."

"Automatically Generate Inventions” Among these three patterns, the third “combination method” is most suited to systemization. If systematized, ideas for inventions will emerge rapidly. Thus, Masayoshi Son wrote the names of various things on English vocabulary flashcards. For example, writing names of various things randomly like “orange,” “nail,” “memory.” He randomly picked three out of about three hundred cards, combining them into new product ideas. For example, “apple,” “speech synthesizer,” and “watch.” A person with ordinary common sense would not concoct such combinations. However, upon careful consideration, new ideas emerge from seemingly meaningless combinations. For instance, creating a clock that, in the shape of an “apple,” with a “speech synthesizer,” crowing like a rooster to “create a relaxing countryside morning scene.” If this combination is unprecedented, it qualifies as an invention."

"In recent years, Masayoshi Son has predicted that “the center of the digital information revolution will shift from America, where the internet originated, to Asia” and is focusing on an Asia-focused management strategy. As introduced in Chapter 2, let’s quote a passage from the lecture at the opening ceremony of “Softbank Academia.”"

"During the rapid growth period of the 1990s, Masayoshi Son relocated the headquarters to Nihonbashi Hakozaki-cho, Chuo Ward, Tokyo. It was very close to the “Hakozaki Interchange” of the inner circular route of the Metropolitan Expressway, providing direct access to Narita Airport by speeding along the Keiyo Coastal Expressway."

"The next “Emotion” obviously refers to “information.” You shouldn’t be satisfied with just envisioning. Once you have a vision, you must thoroughly gather information to determine if that vision is truly correct. When exploring what business he should dedicate his life to as an entrepreneur, Masayoshi Son gathered over a meter of materials and researched it thoroughly for each of the forty business models and projects (see below). As a result, he discovered and confirmed the business model he wanted to pursue, and started the business with conviction."

"If such chips started to be mass-produced, an era where individuals can use computers would instantly arrive. Going forward, we might even create intelligent lifeforms surpassing humans. This sudden thought struck me. Masayoshi Son, overwhelmed with excitement and an immense impact, secretly decided. “I shall enter the world of computers. The path I should pursue as an entrepreneur is within the world of computers.” That was the moment Masayoshi Son felt his “Heaven.”"

"Obviously, the view from the summit cannot be seen while climbing the mountain. It is only visible once you reach the top. However, Masayoshi Son believes that imagining the view from the top before climbing is what it means to have a vision. First, decide the mountain you will climb. Then constantly consider what the world will be like in ten, twenty, thirty years to clarify the vision. Son says,"

"Incidentally, the reason Masayoshi Son arranged “The Law of Square of Sun” in a “five horizontal characters” array is understandable since it derives from the “Five Rules” of Sun Tzu’s Art of War (“Tao Tian Di Jiang Fa” shown in “Chapter One Planning”)."

"At the age of 19, Masayoshi Son created a “50-year life plan.” 20s - Make a name 30s - Save funds 40s - Make a decisive move 50s - Complete the business 60s - Pass on the business to the next generation"

"For this reason, in March Showa 56 (1981), Masayoshi Son moved his office to Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City, and established a planning company called “Unison World Corporation.” It was the same company name as the one he established in the United States. However, at this time, he had not yet reached the point of “declaring” himself to the world. More time was needed to prepare for the concrete refining of the work."

"However, in reality, there is never a battle guaranteed to be won. The issue is probability. Masayoshi Son warns, “Don’t gamble on a fifty-fifty chance,” as it means the probability of winning and losing is equal."

"Masayoshi Son has consistently set high goals that everyone laughed at as being “impossible to achieve,” yet he has always realized them."

"One—Be thoroughly committed to being number one The first “One” means literally “number one.” Masayoshi Son expresses strongly, “Consider second place as defeat” and demands a strong commitment to being number one. This is because aiming for second or third or fourth prevents you from developing the zeal to accomplish significant goals with a high spirit. Moreover, being number one creates leeway, allowing for a business to be carried out with more responsibility. Masayoshi Son claims not to touch anything unless it can be number one from the start."

"Masayoshi Son did not want to decide his life out of inertia or by chance. He wanted to decide on his path based on his own clear understanding. If he could create a satisfactory business plan, he was ready to start immediately."

"Now, what kind of ‘long-term strategy plan’ did Nobunaga devise? Although it diverts a little from the story of Masayoshi Son, let’s briefly touch on it here.”"

"The “Son’s Square Law” is something Masayoshi Son has adhered to each time he stood at a crossroads in management, using it as a guide for judgment and decision-making. Whenever facing new challenges or projects, he consistently recalled these “25 characters,” repeatedly questioning himself while deciding the direction of business."

"At the age of 19, Masayoshi Son created a “50-year life plan.” 20s - Make a name 30s - Save funds 40s - Make a decisive move 50s - Complete the business 60s - Pass on the business to the next generation"

"When Masayoshi Son once put “first class, attack and defense group” at the top, it was probably an expression of his burning ambition to be number one at all costs. Now that it is at the top of the IT industry, he must have felt that arranging them in the order of ambition, vision, and strategy was the most natural and appropriate way to explain this “Son’s Square Law.”"

"Since it is training, rules are necessary. Masayoshi Son limited the time for invention to within five minutes a day, setting an alarm clock to go off after five minutes, marking the end of time. If no idea came up in that time, it meant that day was a failure."

"No matter how talented a person is, they cannot achieve anything alone. To accomplish something big, you inevitably need collaborators who share your goals. So far, Masayoshi Son, as the “general” of SoftBank Group, has gathered many exceptional “generals.” Yoshitaka Kitao, currently the CEO of SBI Holdings, is precisely one of them (see below)."

"The one that was narrowed down became the prototype of an electronic organizer commercialized by Sharp. Masayoshi Son holds the patent for this product. The prototype invented by Masayoshi Son was a “multi-language translator with a speech device.” When Japanese is input via a keyboard, its translation is output as speech. It was an idea combining a dictionary, a computer’s speech synthesizer, and a calculator."

"Create “a hen that lays golden eggs” instead of just “golden eggs” In the first one or two months after starting “one invention a day,” ideas kept coming. But then, he ran out of topics. So, Masayoshi Son changed his approach. He thought of inventing the “thought system of invention,” that is, “a system that creates inventions.” If he could establish this, it would be the greatest invention itself. The idea was to create a hen that lays golden eggs rather than just the golden eggs."

"In this book, Chapters 1 and 2 will introduce how Masayoshi Son developed the “50-year life plan” and “Son’s Square Law” following the chronology. Chapter 2 will also explain in detail the definitions and meanings of each of the twenty-five characters. Furthermore, from Chapter 3 onwards, we will specifically reflect on how Son has utilized the “Son’s Square Law” in the process of executing and realizing the “50-year life plan”, revealing how effective this weapon has been. By doing so, we aim to analyze Masayoshi Son’s past lifestyle and future prospects, delve into its essence, and make “Son’s Square Law” a life guide or tool that many people can fully utilize."

"However, “The Art of War” is a book filled with Chinese characters left behind by Sun Wu, who was active in ancient China. Just reading and understanding it must have been quite challenging. Despite its complexity, Masayoshi Son, a young entrepreneur in his mid-twenties, pushed himself to engage with it despite illness (at the opening ceremony lecture of “SoftBank Academia,” he mentioned having read over thirty commentaries by different authors)."

"Today’s Masayoshi Son was not built in a day. It took a tremendous amount of effort accumulated to become known as a “genius manager” recognized worldwide."

"Learning from “Momotaro” how to establish <Aspiration, Vision, Strategy> “There are three important things that the top management must have in place to exercise leadership. They are <aspiration, vision, strategy>. Moreover, there is an order of importance to these. It is in the order of <aspiration, vision, strategy>.” This is the words of Masayoshi Son in response to my question, “What is absolutely necessary for a manager?” He continued to explain <aspiration, vision, strategy> with the following analogy. “The first to be mentioned is <aspiration>. What will our group gather to accomplish? Why do we do it, and how does it serve people? Having a high aspiration. This is the most important thing."

"On July 28, 2010, Masayoshi Son opened the SoftBank Academia with the goal of discovering and nurturing successors. He personally serves as the principal and provides direct guidance. Participants are recruited widely from both within and outside the SoftBank Group. As soon as recruitment began on the day of the opening, applications flooded in from thousands within less than a day. Almost four years after its opening, some alumni from the SoftBank Academia have already been appointed to top positions in group companies."

"Masayoshi Son suddenly changed the arrangement of each segment of twenty-five characters to the current order the day before the “SoftBank Academia” opening ceremony. In an interview twenty-four years ago, in response to my question, “What is absolutely necessary for a manager?” Masayoshi Son replied as follows. “There are three important things that the top management must have in place to exercise leadership. They are <aspiration, vision, strategy>. Moreover, there is an order of importance to these. It is in the order of <aspiration, vision, strategy>.”"

"The “team system” is a system that Masayoshi Son confidently boasts as “worthy of a Nobel Prize.” Specifically, it divides the internal organization into teams of less than ten people, adopting an independent accounting system with each team acting as its own company, in other words, a “virtual company.” Why ten people? Both your hands and feet have ten fingers each. Even if you lose one finger, it becomes difficult to work or walk. Similarly, if each business unit has ten people or fewer, they can quickly detect any changes."

"First, establish a “long-term strategic plan” for life. ◆ A “genius manager” is not made in a day. “Start a company in your twenties and make your mark. Save at least 100 billion yen as capital in your thirties. Take a big gamble in your forties. Complete the business in your fifties. Pass the business on to the next generation in your sixties.” Masayoshi Son drafted this “50-year life plan” at the age of nineteen while studying in America. Since then, despite twists and turns, Son has lived a life almost according to this plan. So, what kind of life did Son lead before drafting this life plan? Masayoshi Son was born on August 11, 1957, in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture."

"In a feature titled “The ‘Words of Wisdom’ that Leaders Keep with Them” in the January 1997 issue of the business magazine ‘President,’ Masayoshi Son describes his motivation for taking an interest in “The Art of War” and the background of developing the “Law of Sun Squared.”"

"The first pattern Masayoshi Son thought about was: “What process does invention follow?” After trial and error, he concluded that there are only three patterns for invention. The first pattern is the “problem-solving method.”"

"The company has successively made subsidiaries out of companies like PHS’s Willcom, eAccess, which operates “eMobile,” and GungHo Online Entertainment, known for the smartphone game “Puzzle & Dragons (Pazudora).” In July 2013, it acquired the third-largest US mobile phone company, Sprint Nextel, for about 2 trillion yen, and Masayoshi Son became the chairman of the renamed Sprint Corporation."

"Even if an idea product is invented, developed, and a prototype is made, it becomes mere wasted potential if not mass-produced and sold in the market. For mass production, it inevitably has to be produced by a large company. The only option is to “sell it.” Masayoshi Son temporarily returned to Japan in the summer of 1978 when the prototype of his self-conceived “multilingual translator with a voice device” was completed. He sent a letter outlining the essence of the invention to about fifty company presidents, including home appliance manufacturers, and visited about ten companies that responded."

"Next, Masayoshi Son created a computer program and input the cost per item for each component. Furthermore, he entered indices for the novelty of the component, and how much knowledge Masayoshi Son himself had about the component—scored out of twenty, ten, and five respectively, arranging a total of about forty factors."

"For Masayoshi Son, “invention” was precisely a means to create capital, not invention for the sake of invention. His capital procurement started from “hundred millions.”"

"Moreover, Masayoshi Son believed that the business he engages in must be one that can be perpetually passed down and not be a “temporary business” that becomes unnecessary due to the passage of time. His goal has always been and remains “to build a company that will be stable and grow for 300 years.”"

"In 2000 (Heisei 12), Masayoshi Son acquired Alibaba’s unlisted shares for 20 million dollars (about 2 billion yen). At the time, the then-unknown Alibaba grew into China’s largest e-commerce company. Softbank obtained approximately one-third of its shares, with current valuations suggesting around 60 billion dollars (about 6 trillion yen)."

"Moreover, having this balance at a low level is meaningless. In the words of Masayoshi Son, “No matter what you do, you should be able to engage in discussions at the highest level across various fields with the respective specialists.” This is the kind of ability you must have. Reaching this level is no ordinary feat. That’s why “You must study hard,” the grandson urges."

"The method Masayoshi Son came up with was an “invention” as a means of creating capital, rather than just earning pocket change. The idea was to invent, sell the patents of new products, and start business with the royalties. The fruit of that effort was the invention of the “voice-equipped multilingual translator” (mentioned later), which he sold to Sharp for about 100 million yen."

"Masayoshi Son carried this photo in a transparent folder for about half a year, and at night, he placed it beside his pillow while sleeping. Later, it would become known that Bill Gates, the genius from Microsoft, said: “I also saw ‘Popular Electronics’ magazine at the same time and couldn’t contain my excitement.” Hearing this, Son re-confirmed that his intuition was not wrong. Masayoshi Son was blessed with a sharp sensibility from birth. The frontal lobe, which controls creativity within the brain, works sufficiently when the brain is filled with information. The inspiration, which is the function of the sixth sense, is induced by information and evokes emotions. For this, one must always be alert and sharpen the keen sensibility to catch top-notch information."

"Diligently researching work/business that he can be satisfied with However, even while thinking so, reality is harsh and painful. Every morning, Masayoshi Son would say, “I’m off,” leave home, drive to the office. However, no income would come in. As for work, nothing concrete was decided. Even though he had an office, he was practically in a state of unemployment. Not only that, but having a wife and a newborn daughter, the anxiety about how to make a living only increased. When I first interviewed him, reflecting on those days, Son said, “It was like entering a tunnel with no exit in sight.”"

"Establishing “Japan SoftBank” In September of 1981, Masayoshi Son established “Japan SoftBank” (with a capital of 10 million yen) and started the wholesale business of packaged software for personal computers. Among the people he met at a seminar in Fukuoka, there was someone who had created “Management Comprehensive Research Institute Co., Ltd.” on a corner of Japan TV Street in Ichigaya, Tokyo. Masayoshi Son invested 50% with this company to establish a new company."

"The trend that Masayoshi Son foresaw when he founded SoftBank was indeed the “digital information revolution.”"

"“A vague hope isn’t called a vision. It’s about deciding on ‘must-achieve goals = commitments’ and ‘clear ultimate deadlines = deadlines,’ imagining them thoroughly. ‘Commitment’ is not a mere ‘effort goal’ that no one blames you for not achieving. It’s something you must realize, risking your life. Masayoshi Son also says,"

"“Fa” symbolizes “System or Rule-making, Creating a mechanism for continuous victory,” modeled by Oda Nobunaga’s large army structure and Shibusawa Eiichi who organized a corporation, forming a capitalist economic system. Masayoshi Son clearly states, “I respect Shibusawa Eiichi, who laid the foundation of capitalism in Japan.”"

"Masayoshi Son emphasizes the necessity of demonstrating the “courage to retreat” in times of crisis to prevent the collapse of families, companies, and nations, acknowledging the difficulty of “retreating requires ten times the courage.”"

"Courage—Have Both the Courage to Fight and to Retreat The next “courage” means, needless to say, “courage.” Speaking of courage, what comes first to mind is the courage to fight bravely. It is the courage to confront something and move forward. However, Masayoshi Son points out the opposite, which is the “courage to retreat.” It is the courage to retreat quickly from dangerous situations, rather than being reckless."

"Automotive revolution─① Kiichiro Toyoda (Toyota Motor Corporation), ② Yoshisuke Aikawa (Nissan Motor Corporation), ③ Soichiro Honda (Honda Motor Co., Ltd.) Every one of these leaders identified and capitalized on changes in “trends” at the time, resulting in rapid growth. In a 1997 article in “President,” Masayoshi Son expressed that if Konosuke Matsushita or Soichiro Honda were present today, they would also pursue the digital information industry, just like us."

"Infrastructure, as defined by the word, is the social and industrial foundation, and is more of a base. If likened to the transportation network of traditional industrial society, it corresponds to general roads and highways. On highways, the installer collects fees from drivers at toll booths. Masayoshi Son must have thought, “By providing infrastructure, let’s become the toll booth of the digital information industry.” That way, hit products of the moment would have to rely on the infrastructure held by SoftBank, and SoftBank itself could stably grow."

"An invention is an idea product. To create an idea product, one must enhance and strengthen creativity. Thus, Masayoshi Son resolved to improve and enhance his creativity. There is no other way to strengthen abilities than through training. There is a saying in the sports world: “Practice and hard work make the impossible possible.” Masayoshi Son demonstrated this himself."

"Even when one sets out to achieve something, establishes a grand cause or ideology, it is not something that can be immediately put into action. Masayoshi Son, having set the aspiration of becoming an entrepreneur in the future, envisioned his future self, indulging in those thoughts, without yet grasping anything concrete that would make him an entrepreneur."

"During his time at the University of California, Berkeley, Masayoshi Son thought, “It would take many years to save up starting capital for a business through part-time jobs. I have to make money through invention.” And he mandated himself to “continue to make one invention per day for a year.” He calculated that if what he came up with was practical, he could expect an income of over one million yen a month from patent royalties."

"Declaring from the very beginning the intention to “eventually run a business worth one trillion or two trillion” In the case of Masayoshi Son, looking back from the founding of SoftBank to the present, it can be observed that he has accurately followed the “migratory fish” upstream path. However, there are two aspects where Masayoshi Son differs from ordinary business people. One is that he has not been satisfied with creating small amounts of funds like two to three million yen when advancing his business."

"Balancing and aiming for a higher dimension while expanding one’s capabilities is a challenging task. This is indeed an eternal theme. How has Masayoshi Son tackled this? ◆Impose on oneself “to make one invention per day for a year”"

"Ultimately, it is Masayoshi Son himself who thinks and makes decisions. This system inspires idea generation."

"SoftBank Japan soon embarked on the publishing business. Part of the 100 million yen borrowed from Dai-Ichi Kangyo was invested. This became a launching pad for SoftBank Japan’s rapid growth. Building on these experiences, Masayoshi Son became an expert at securing loans from banks. However, this does not mean that banks easily decide to lend. Therefore, Masayoshi Son has used every possible means, skillfully using eloquence, and continuously made efforts to stir the hearts of bankers to secure loans."

"At that time, Gokitani had almost no knowledge about PCs or software. However, the explanation of the business content given by Masayoshi Son was very coherent and understandable. Gradually, he began to take interest and intuitively felt, “This could work.” They talked for about an hour. A loan of about 20 million yen was possible at the branch manager’s discretion. However, for 100 million yen, it had to pass through the head office’s screening department. After Masayoshi Son left, Branch Manager Gokitani called Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank’s Osaka and Namba branches. It was to approach Joshin Denki and Sharp. Gokitani had previously worked at the Osaka branch. President Norihiro Sumikawa of Joshin Denki responded to the Namba branch manager: “I intend to do business positively.” Also, Vice President Masaharu Sasaki of Sharp directly called the loan deputy manager of the Osaka branch and conveyed: “I know Mr. Son well. He is reliable. If Dai-Ichi Kangyo can take care of him, I would be most grateful.” The headquarters’ corporate department, which examines small loan projects, promptly discussed it, including Branch Manager Gokitani. The screening results were a total of minus fifteen points. However, Gokitani added fifteen points in the “Future Prospects” item, resulting in a final score of zero, and the loan was eventually approved. Just a week later, Dai-Ichi Kangyo lent 100 million yen to SoftBank Japan at the prime rate at that time."

"Moreover, Masayoshi Son believed that the business he engages in must be one that can be perpetually passed down and not be a “temporary business” that becomes unnecessary due to the passage of time. His goal has always been and remains “to build a company that will be stable and grow for 300 years.”"

"“Since it rained today, there were few customers.” “Since the weather will likely be good tomorrow, I’m sure things will go well.” This is what was said. Having heard such words from his father since childhood, Masayoshi Son keenly felt, “It’s not good management to be swayed by whether it’s sunny or rainy in a single day. I won’t run businesses that are influenced by external conditions like the weather.” However, the technological innovation of the digital information industry, in other words, changes in external conditions, is rapid. Trends come and go quickly, and even if a hit product is explosively successful, its lifespan is extremely short. But Masayoshi Son was firmly determined not to get deeply involved in being constantly chased by the development of such new products. Therefore, Masayoshi Son reached the conclusion, “I won’t rely on a single product with large hits or misses. I want to create a company that provides infrastructure with less fluctuation in trends.” Infrastructure, as defined by the word, is the social and industrial foundation, and is more of a base. If likened to the transportation network of traditional industrial society, it corresponds to general roads and highways. On highways, the installer collects fees from drivers at toll booths. Masayoshi Son must have thought, “By providing infrastructure, let’s become the toll booth of the digital information industry.” That way, hit products of the moment would have to rely on the infrastructure held by SoftBank, and SoftBank itself could stably grow. ◆ Narrowing new businesses through “Nine Conditions” Based on this idea, Son continued to explore what business to pursue for a year and a half. Every time he came up with an idea and developed a business plan, he applied “Nine Conditions” to filter it. The “Nine Conditions” were as follows: [Condition One] Once a business is undertaken, it cannot be stopped halfway. Therefore, it must be a sustainable business. [Condition Two] Naturally, it must be a profitable business. [Condition Three] It must be a growing industrial sector. The industry structure itself must not be in a recession or decline. [Condition Four] It must be a business that can become the core of a future corporate group. [Condition Five] It must be a business that cannot easily be imitated by others. [Condition Six] It must be a business that doesn’t require large capital investment. [Condition Seven] It must be a business that is useful to society and contributes to societal development. [Condition Eight] It must be a business that one can engage in interestingly. [Condition Nine] If you undertake it, you must absolutely become the number one company in that field. If you can’t become number one, don’t even start. After thoroughly investigating, they focused on the wholesale of packaged software for personal computers. This was the only business that met all the conditions. Masayoshi Son finally saw light at the end of the tunnel that seemed to have no exit. Since returning home, Masayoshi Son continued to employ two part-time employees hired during the market research period and launched the business. This was effectively the founding of “Japan SoftBank” (now SoftBank) as a wholesaler of packaged software for personal computers. It was a start that was unimaginably humble compared to today’s “world SoftBank,” with just two desks. ◆ Establishing “Japan SoftBank” In September of 1981, Masayoshi Son established “Japan SoftBank” (with a capital of 10 million yen) and started the wholesale business of packaged software for personal computers. Among the people he met at a seminar in Fukuoka, there was someone who had created “Management Comprehensive Research Institute Co., Ltd.” on a corner of Japan TV Street in Ichigaya, Tokyo. Masayoshi Son invested 50% with this company to establish a new company. The headquarters was just renting a room at the Management Comprehensive Research Institute with two desks. Masayoshi Son was appointed as the representative director."

"However, at Casio, Son was treated coldly by the section manager and was thoroughly disparaged, which left him feeling dejected. At Sharp, he was subjected to rather pointed questions by the person in charge. Although the feeling from his first choice, Sharp, was not bad, there wasn’t an optimistic sense that they would immediately sign a contract. There, Masayoshi Son devised a plan and called from near Osaka’s Umeda Station to the Osaka Patent Attorneys Association to investigate a patent office strong in dealing with Sharp. Fortunately, he was introduced to Patent Attorney Nishida of Nishida Patent Office, who was formerly with Sharp’s patent department. He immediately visited the office to confirm whether Son’s invention was worthy of a patent. Subsequently, he was informed about two key figures at Sharp: Executive Director Shosuke Sasaki, who was then the director of Sharp’s Central Research Laboratory (later VP of Sharp, advisor at SoftBank), and Deputy Head of Technology Atsushi Asada (later VP of Sharp and chairman of Nintendo). Son immediately asked for help. “Please call those two and tell them they should meet me.” The director called and said: “It sounds like an interesting device. At least try meeting him.” The next day, Masayoshi Son called Sharp to arrange a meeting, and together with his father, who was urgently summoned from Kyushu, he visited Sharp’s Central Research Laboratory in Tenri City, Nara Prefecture. At the time, still a 21-year-old student, Masayoshi Son thought he needed his father’s presence lest he not be taken seriously when it came to signing the contract. His father gladly accompanied him on his son’s first business venture. However, all negotiations were conducted by Masayoshi Son. The successful experience of negotiations at this time gave Masayoshi Son a significant confidence boost in launching and conducting business in earnest. In that sense, it became “Practice Session Number One” in negotiation combat for business selling."

"Benevolence—Work for the Happiness of People Next, “benevolence” means “compassion.” It is essential to have a “heart of compassion” towards the people around you, and even more so, to work with a commitment and ideal of working for “people’s happiness and benevolence to people.” This character includes the meaning of not working to achieve self-serving ambitions and desires. It means distinguishing between public and private matters, and dedicating oneself to the “greater good” for “the happiness of humanity,” “the world and the nation,” and “the citizens.” In the case of Masayoshi Son, he engages in the “information revolution” to “make people happy.”"

"Seven—Discern a seventy percent chance of winning The fourth “Seven” is a number Masayoshi Son regards as a “magic number.”"

"In summary, it’s essential to take risks, but “do not take risks over thirty percent.” Masayoshi Son explains this uniquely by saying, “Even if you cut off a lizard’s tail by about thirty percent, it will grow back. If you cut off half, the guts will spill, and it will die.”"

"Masayoshi Son notes that there have been three major revolutions in human history over the past 200,000 years: the Agricultural Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, and the Information Revolution. Among these, the greatest is the “Information Revolution.” He fervently speaks of how fortunate they are for being born into the “Internet Information Big Bang” and emphasizes the need to take advantage of this heavenly timing to soar."