Business Stars Clash Over Solar Power

Business Stars Clash Over Solar Power
By Yoree Koh

Bloomberg News


The leaders of Rakuten Inc. and Softbank Corp. – Hiroshi Mikitani and the colorful Masayoshi Son, respectively – have quite a bit in common. Both lord over Internet-oriented companies, revel in their status as outliers to the conservative bosses of Japan Inc., take to Twitter to voice their personal agendas, and have taken to blasting nuclear power. Now the online retailer is following Softbank’s atypical charge far removed from its core businesses and into the renewable energy realm.

But here is where they part ways.

Whereas Mr. Son has decided to charge ambitiously into the renewable energy business with big sweeping blows, Rakuten’s delivery method takes a more bottom-up approach. The virtual mall operator said it plans to start selling home-use solar panels as early as this year, making it the company’s first foray into alternative energy. A Rakuten spokesman said a formal announcement is expected later this year when the plans are finalized.

That’s a very different approach from the indefatigable Mr. Son, who has been on an alternative energy mission ever since the March 11 disasters triggered the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis. In May, flanked by over a dozen leaders from prefectures across the country, Mr. Son announced that Softbank will spend hundreds of millions of dollars to help build solar-power plants in Japan. Since then, he has held numerous talks with Japanese leaders and celebrities, often broadcast live online, and created a renewable energy council with 35 prefectural governments.

“Instead of ...

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/08/05/business-stars-clash-over-solar-power/