SoftBank Group’s strategic and profitable investments in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly narrowed the market-value gap between it and Japan’s corporate giants. In late September, the tech-focused investment firm surpassed Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in market capitalization, securing its position as Japan’s second-largest publicly traded company. By Monday, SoftBank’s market value had soared to JPY 31.8 trillion (USD 206 billion), putting it within striking distance of market leader Toyota Motor. By late October, the gap between the two had shrunk to just JPY 10 trillion—a milestone not seen in over four years.
