Softbank CEO revealed Korean roots to inspire youths facing bigotry in Japan

Softbank CEO revealed Korean roots to inspire youths facing bigotry in Japan

TOKYO - SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son has long been discriminated against by Japanese because he is ethnically Korean. His life has been about fighting against the odds.

Even in his early childhood, he received verbal and physical attacks from Japanese classmates. In kindergarten, he was jeered at for being Korean. Once, another child cut his head open with a stone.

Even today, he finds himself the target of malicious comments on the Internet. In a recent interview, Son talked openly about his deeply personal and poignant experiences and his decisions to come out as an ethnic Korean and fight for social justice.

Excerpts of the interview follow:

Q: Why did you choose to use your Korean family name instead of your Japanese one?

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