Ground control to Maezawa: SoftBank's Son speaks to orbiting protege
16/12/2021 06:01
By Sam Nussey
TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) - SoftBank Group Corp 9984.T
founder and CEO Masayoshi Son said he spoke by phone to fashion
magnate and protege Yusaku Maezawa, who is currently on a trip
to the International Space Station.
"Maezawa called my mobile but it cut out!! I tried to call
him back but he was out of range," Son posted to his 2.9 million
Twitters followers late on Wednesday.
"Maezawa's call to my mobile connected!! It's great he's
doing well!!" Son wrote in a follow-up post, making liberal use
of red punctuation marks favoured by older Japanese mobile
users. "It's wonderful when dreams come true!!"
Maezawa, 46, has a long relationship https://www.reuters.com/article/spacex-moon-maezawa-idINKCN1M01N5
with Son, 64, and made his fortune with online fashion retailer
Zozo 3092.T , which was bought by SoftBank's internet business
in 2019.
The co-chief of that firm, Kentaro Kawabe, also had a call
from Maezawa that he took while in the bath, according to a
video posted on Twitter.
While Son and Maezawa share a taste for feel-good statements
on social media, the younger billionaire's penchant for
conspicuous consumption, with the ISS trip https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/japanese-billionaire-maezawa-blasts-off-international-space-station-2021-12-08
a precursor to a voyage around the moon with SpaceX, contrasts
with Son's modest public appearance.
Maezawa has also stepped away from frontline business
leadership even as Son pushes back retirement to focus on
investing in hundreds of startups through his Vision Fund.
Maezawa has posted prolifically from space on social media,
including to his 11 million Twitter followers, telling about
daily ISS life - brushing his teeth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlmJ_V9t-M8
in space and using a zero gravity toilet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_6JMVQnl0
- and sharing aspects of his life journey.
In one YouTube video Maezawa teared up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OxS1ha518
talking about hit manga "Space Brothers", which depicts a
near-future in which two Japanese siblings pursue a childhood
dream of going to space.
Maezawa, who fulfilled his own dream with this trip, has a
copy of the manga with him on the ISS. The series presents an
optimistic vision of space travel where Japan plays a key role.
(Reporting by Sam Nussey; Editing by Tom Hogue)
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