Japan Is In for AC 35
SoftBank Corp., headquartered in Tokyo, and the Kansai Yacht Club, based in Kobe, Japan, have signed an agreement to challenge for the 2017 America’s Cup as SoftBank Team Japan.
Kazuhiko Sofuku, ‘Fuku’, a veteran of four previous America’s Cup campaigns, has been appointed general manager of the team. "To lead a Japanese challenge for the America’s Cup is a dream come true,"said Fuku, who last raced with a Japanese team for the Cup 15 years ago as bowman for Nippon Challenge during the 1999/2000 Louis Vuitton Cup challenger series. "We are planning to build up our team using America’s Cup World Series events to recruit and train Japanese sailors for our crew."
SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son said, "Taking on this major challenge at the pinnacle of yacht races matches with the SoftBank Group’s aim to be the global Number 1." Son, a ‘self-made man’ and the richest person in Japan, is a graduate of UC Berkeley.
The America’s Cup commercial commissioner, Harvey Schiller said, “The Japanese challenge will increase interest in the America’s Cup across Asia, which is good news for all of our teams and partners.”
Oracle Team USA will provide some technical assistance to SoftBank Team Japan as it prepares for the 2015 America’s Cup World Series events, which will begin in Portsmouth, UK, on July 23-26.
