SoftBank, NEC, Sony, and Honda team up on a Japan-made AI venture

SoftBank, NEC, Sony Group, and Honda Motor have taken the lead in establishing a new company to develop Japanese-made AI for broad business use, according to a Jiji Press report published on April 12. The venture is aimed at building high-performance AI that can compete more directly with leading US and Chinese players.

What makes this notable is that it is not just another research partnership. The four industrial groups are each reported to have taken stakes of more than 10%, while additional minority investors are still in talks. Engineers from SoftBank and AI developer Preferred Networks are expected to contribute to the buildout.

The move fits a wider geopolitical and industrial pattern now shaping AI in 2026: more countries want domestic AI capacity and less dependence on foreign foundation models. The new company also plans to apply for support from Japan's NEDO AI development program, which could give the effort meaningful scale.

It is still early, and key details around model architecture, timeline, and commercialization have not been disclosed. But the signal is clear: major Japanese companies want tighter control over AI capability, infrastructure, and the next wave of automation.

Source: Jiji Press via nippon.com, April 12, 2026.