Softbank chief facing US$8.6b Yahoo dilemma

Tokyo

MASAYOSHI Son has an US$8.6 billion dilemma on his hands.

His SoftBank Group Corp is the largest investor in Yahoo Japan Corp, controls several board seats and wields more power over the country's most profitable website than anyone. That's been possible because Marissa Mayer's Yahoo Inc, the next biggest shareholder with 35.5 per cent, has been happy to leave management to the nation's second-richest man.

Now Yahoo is said to be considering asset sales, including possibly disposing of its US$8.6 billion stake in the Japanese por…