Japan's richest man to fund 10% of solar projects

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son wants to kick-start large solar power plants in tsunami-hit areas of eastern Japan.

He wants to provide approximately 10% of the funding for 10 projects, supported by local governments and banks.

Japan's richest man, Masayoshi Son is advocating Japan's shift away from nuclear energy towards greater dependence on renewable forms of energy,

The reports say that Softbank’s Son would use PV modules from Sharp for the projects, due to the telecom company’s use of Sharp phones. Softbank is also the sole supplier of Apple products in Japan.

The Japanese Government recently announced a review of its energy needs, which would potentially include more emphasis on renewable energy sources.