SoftBank announces Yahoo Japan-Line merger to create $30b tech giant

SoftBank announces Yahoo Japan-Line merger to create $30b tech giant

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Line Corp is seen at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Japan’s SoftBank Corp plans to merge internet unit Yahoo Japan with messaging app operator Line Corp to create a $30 billion tech giant, as it bags struggling internet companies to bulk up against rivals like Rakuten Inc.

The telco in a statement said Yahoo Japan, which last month changed its name to Z Holdings Corp, will merge with Line, owned by South Korea’s Naver Corp, in a deal to be completed in October 2020.

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