SoftBank Corp. and KDDI Corporation establish joint venture to promote the rapid build-out of 5G networks in Japan's rural areas

April 1st, 2020: SoftBank Corp. (“SoftBank”) and KDDI Corporation (“KDDI”) announced that on April 1, 2020 they established a joint venture, 5G JAPAN Corporation (“5G JAPAN”). The joint venture, which is based on their agreement* announced in July 2019, will promote the rapid build-out of 5G networks in Japan’s rural areas.

5G JAPAN will promote infrastructure sharing based on the mutual use of base station assets held by SoftBank and KDDI to accelerate the rollout of 5G networks in rural Japan. The joint venture will also conduct construction design and construction management work for 5G base stations.

SoftBank, under its Corporate Philosophy “Information Revolution — Happiness for everyone,” and KDDI, guided by its Group Mission to “deliver a thrilling customer experience by always going further than expected with the ultimate goal of achieving a truly connected society,” will rapidly construct 5G networks that serve all industries. Both companies will do this with the aim of raising Japan's international competitiveness by contributing to its industrial development, regional revitalization and national resilience.