Latest news with #Goto
Tokyo Reported
3 days ago
- Tokyo Reported
Suspected drug trafficker found with cocaine, meth, marijuana in Saitama
TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 34-year-old man for allegedly possessing illegal drugs with the intent to sell in Saitama Prefecture last month, reports the Sankei Shimbun (May 29). At around 10:35 a.m. on April 1, Tomohiro Goto allegedly possessing 68 grams of kakuseizai (methamphetamine), 916 grams of marijuana, 229 grams of cocaine and 50 grams of MDMA, or Ecstasy, inside a vehicle parked on a street in Hanno City. The contraband has a street value of 14.5 million yen, the Machida Police Station said. Tomohiro Goto (X) Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the Stimulants Control Act and the Narcotics Control Act over possession of profit, Goto admitted to the charges. 'I was making a profit by trafficking illegal drugs,' he said. The arrest is not the first for Goto. He was arrested twice in April and May on suspicion of unlawful arrest and confinement, assault and other offenses. According to police, he assaulted and confined a man and his acquaintance with whom he was having financial problems in February. When his car was searched as a part of that investigation in April, the large quantities of meth and the other drugs were found.
Yomiuri Shimbun
5 days ago
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Satellites Help Farmers Herd Cattle, Determine Fertilizer Usage; Post-Disaster Efforts Aided from Space
The Yomiuri Shimbun Satellites orbiting the Earth are essential for weather forecasting, broadcasting and even for locating people. The 'eyes' that view the planet from space now have such high resolution that they can boast tremendous capabilities in aiding efficient management of dairy farms and post-disaster recovery and restoration. Japan's first satellite was Ohsumi. It was launched in 1970 by a team from a research institute at the University of Tokyo. A little over half a century later, many types of satellite are indispensable in our daily lives, including earth observation satellites for weather forecasting; communications and broadcasting satellites essential for transmitting data such as TV signals; and positioning satellites for determining the positions of cars and others. They are also used for military purposes such as detecting missiles. Early satellites could at best be used to distinguish whether land on the Earth was an agricultural field or a residential area. Technology in modern satellites has evolved to the point where the type of a vehicle on a road can be identified, and the risk of a water pipe leak can be calculated based on ground surface temperature and ground deformation. 'Space Cattle' project As beef cattle graze peacefully on a farm in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, their conditions are managed using satellite data as part of the 'Space Cattle' research project conducted by Hokkaido University and Keio University in collaboration with livestock farmers. Devices attached to the cattle's necks receive radio waves emitted from a satellite system to monitor their positions and determine the distances they have traveled in a vast pasture. The system can detect if any individual is not getting enough physical activities. Its use is expected to reduce the number of cattle that get lost and die. Lower burden on farmers The satellite system can also provide images for the monitoring of the growth of grass in the pasture. If the cattle have grazed too much in one area, they can be moved to another area where there is more grass. By guiding them efficiently in this way, farmers do not have to rely as much on imported feed, the price of which soars in spring and summer. 'I want to encourage young people to get involved in raising livestock,' Prof. Takafumi Goto, of Hokkaido University said enthusiastically. Goto is one of the specialists engaged in the 'Space Cattle' project. Livestock farmers are required to care for their animals on a daily basis. Goto has seen many students who were eager to become livestock farmers eventually change their career paths upon graduating. If grazing data collected from space can be checked via smartphone, livestock farmers will be able to take relaxing family trips. That is one of Goto's goals. He also says that grazing cattle on abandoned farmland is another goal. In this way, the 'Space Cattle' project has enormous potential. Satellites can also help crop farmers and fishermen. Their images can be used to monitor the growth of rice plants and determine the proper amount of fertilizer to apply and the proper time to harvest. Plankton levels and seawater temperatures can be monitored to predict good fishing grounds and adjust feed in aquaculture. Used for disaster efforts Satellites are also a powerful tool in disaster recovery efforts. After last year's Noto Peninsula Earthquake, satellite images captured the widespread upheavals along the coastline and landslides in mountainous areas, providing a full picture of the damage. Satellite communications were used in areas that became isolated as cell phone base stations were not operational. They are also useful for disaster prevention. In Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, where 28 people were killed in a mudslide in 2021, a satellite system monitors for the unauthorized logging of forests. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government uses a satellite system to identify dangerous embankments of earth. 'The use of satellite data will expand in all fields in the future,' said Naohiko Kohtake, a professor at Keio University who is an expert on space development. 'It also has the potential to solve problems related to labor shortages and depopulation, and to create new industries.'
Mint
21-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
SoftBank Taps Mizuho, SMBC, JPMorgan to Run $15 Billion Loan
(Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Group Corp.'s investments in AI will be financed through a loan in which Mizuho Bank Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. serve as lead underwriters — a sign of the Japanese tech investor's ability to secure financing for its outsized ambitions. The one-year $15 billion bridge loan, one of the biggest borrowings SoftBank has pulled off to date, will be financed by 21 banks and includes $1.35 billion from Mizuho, $1.25 billion from SMBC and $1 billion from JPMorgan, according to people familiar with the matter. It also includes $950 million each from HSBC Holdings Plc and Barclays Plc and $850 million apiece from seven banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc., MUFG Bank Ltd. and Credit Agricole SA, said the people, who asked not to be named as the details of the financing remain private. SoftBank declined to comment. Representatives of the banks also declined to comment. The proceeds will help SoftBank's multi-year bid to sway artificial intelligence's growth and direction. First on the agenda is a $6.5 billion acquisition of chip designer Ampere Computing LLC, along with an investment of as much as $30 billion into OpenAI, according to SoftBank Chief Financial Officer Yoshimitsu Goto, who revealed the outlines of the bridge loan at an earnings briefing last week. 'Demand for the syndication was more than double the $15 billion required,' Goto said. 'The swift response we received is a reflection of the strength of our relationship and our close communication with our banks.' SoftBank is also in talks with potential debt investors for the $100 billion Stargate project, an AI infrastructure push in the US that aims to funnel more than $500 billion into data centers and secure the electricity and hardware they need. Some of the conversations behind Stargate have slowed due to market volatility, uncertainty around US trade policy and questions around the financial valuations of AI hardware, Bloomberg News has reported. SoftBank is in constant discussion with banks about both its short- and long-term financial strategy, Goto said, adding that both Ampere and OpenAI represent key investments in the AI arena, and that Stargate is another investment on the horizon. 'It's not true that banks are hesitating,' he said. The group of 21 lenders comprises 6 Japanese banks, 10 from Europe and 5 from the US, SoftBank said. The Tokyo-based conglomerate attracted enough interest from banks to borrow more than $27 billion, according to SoftBank's presentation slides. The large-scale dollar loan was signed on April 10, the people said. Bloomberg News reported in April that SoftBank was seeking to borrow as much as $16.5 billion to help fund AI investments in the US and that the money could be used to fund its OpenAI investments. Shares of SoftBank closed 0.7% lower in Tokyo on Wednesday, taking this year's decline to 18%. SoftBank's previous mega-loans include a $10 billion margin loan in 2021, backed by its shares in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. In 2017, the company issued ¥2.65 trillion in senior debt to refinance loans that backed the purchase of US carrier Sprint Corp. in 2013 and Arm Holdings Plc in 2016. (Updates with SoftBank shares in the second-to-last paragraph. An earlier version corrected the loan amounts being provided by the banks other than lead underwriters.) More stories like this are available on
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
SoftBank posts first annual profit in four years, but Ola and Swiggy weigh on Vision Fund 2 in Q4
SoftBank Group reported a $708 million investment loss for its Vision Fund 2 in the January-March quarter, primarily due to the poor performance of Indian listed stocks like Swiggy and Ola Electric. Despite these losses, gains from Vision Fund 1 helped SoftBank achieve a $3.5 billion profit in the fourth quarter, marking its first annual profit in four years. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank Group booked an investment loss of $708 million for its Vision Fund 2 in the January–March quarter, citing the poor performance of Indian listed stocks as a key factor. Food and grocery delivery company Swiggy and two-wheeler manufacturer Ola Electric are the two Indian listed companies in SoftBank Vision Fund (SVF) 2's portfolio.'...some slowdown and drop in share price in portfolio in India was one of the reasons for that (loss on investments in SVF-2). Hopefully, we will be able to see some good recovery from there,' SoftBank director Yoshimitsu Goto said during the company's earnings presentation on said that on a sequential basis, the fair value of investments held by SVF-2 in public companies was down 22% 'mainly due to share price declines in Swiggy and Ola Electric Mobility'.According to data from the National Stock Exchange, the share prices of Swiggy and Ola Electric declined by around 40% in the January-March Swiggy's stock, which listed on the exchanges last November, began sliding at the beginning of the year after quick commerce companies stepped up their cash burn amid rising competition. Swiggy, too, increased its cash burn on account of investments in quick commerce . For the March quarter, it reported a Rs 1,081 crore consolidated net loss During the period, Ola Electric also suffered market share losses in the electric two-wheeler segment to legacy rivals Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor as the company faced issues with its after-sales losses from SVF-2's Indian listed portfolio companies, gains from SVF-1 helped SoftBank post a $3.5 billion profit in the fourth quarter, leading to its first annual profit in four said that the fair value of SVF-1's investments rose 4.1% at the end of the fourth quarter compared to the previous quarter. The value of public portfolio companies increased 0.8%, supported by gains in Chinese ride-hailing firm DiDi and European used-car sales platform Auto1 shares, though partially offset by declines in omnichannel children's products retailer FirstCry and other portfolio companies saw a 6.6% rise, largely due to an increase in the valuation of TikTok-owner ByteDance, attributed to 'higher share prices of market comparable companies and its stronger business performance'.In the earnings presentation, Goto underscored that despite uncertainties arising from US President Donald Trump's trade policies, SoftBank plans to continue its investment activity.'In a highly uncertain environment, we would continue to conduct financial activities with prudence and boldness to build a solid foundation for net asset value,' Goto until last year, the market for initial public offerings (IPOs) in India took a hit as a result of the US imposition of retaliatory tariffs. This has led to several new-age and tech companies taking a relook at their plans to go fiscal year 2025, SoftBank said it sold positions worth $5.35 billion from SVF-1 and SVF-2, including full exits from 24 portfolio companies such as US food delivery platform DoorDash and Hong Kong-based AI company SenseTime, and partial exits from several SoftBank did not sell any stake in Swiggy during its November IPO, it sold a stake worth around $25 million in Ola Electric's August issue. The Japanese investor sold a $110 million stake in Pune-based FirstCry, an SVF-1 portfolio company, during its IPO in August 2024.
CNBC
13-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
OpenAI restructure plan gets SoftBank blessing as AI startup reportedly renegotiates Microsoft terms
OpenAI said last week that it would restructure in a format that allows its non-profit entity to retain ultimate control, a plan that on Tuesday received the blessing of one of the U.S. artificial intelligence startup's biggest backers — Japanese giant SoftBank. The endorsement of SoftBank — the first time the company has publicly green lit the plan — is key because the Japanese firm's $30 billion investment in OpenAI announced this year was contingent on a change in structure. In March, OpenAI closed a $40 billion funding round, receiving $30 billion from SoftBank. But if OpenAI doesn't restructure into a for-profit entity by Dec. 31, SoftBank has previously said it could reduce its portion of the financing to $20 billion. OpenAI announced this month that it would not fully turn into a for-profit entity after pressure from civic leaders and former employees. Instead, the non-profit arm would retain control of the company, while the limited liability company, which handles all of the business operations, would turn into a public benefit corporation. That means this division will have the ability to generate profit, but will also focus on social good. The AI startup was originally looking to remove the control of the non-profit, a plan that drew criticism from many in the tech space, including rival and initial OpenAI co-founder Elon Musk. Since the non-profit would retain control, and the original restructure plan was ditched, it was unclear if OpenAI's major investors were on board. But SoftBank's finance chief Yoshimitsu Goto said during an earnings press conference on Tuesday that "nothing has really changed." "I don't think that's the wrong direction … that's something that we expected," Goto said, according to a company translation of his comments in Japanese. He reiterated that OpenAI needs to complete the restructure by the end of this year. There could still be stumbling blocks along the way. Microsoft, one of OpenAI's biggest investors, has not approved the restructure, according to a Bloomberg report earlier this month. The Financial Times on Sunday reported that OpenAI and Microsoft are rewriting the terms of their multibillion-dollar partnership. Microsoft is the key holdout to OpenAI's restructure plan, the FT added. SoftBank's Goto did not mention any other companies, but acknowledged that OpenAI has many stakeholders. "Our conversation is based on the assumption that the reorganization will take place. There are different staekholders however and some people may intervene in this project and this may not go as smooth as we hope," Goto said. "But that's out of our control. We will wait and see what happens."
