Softbank Execs Forgo Pay for Data Leak

Found on Telegram on Friday, 27 February 2004
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TOKYO- Japanese Internet company Softbank Corp. said Friday its president and six other senior executives would forgo part of their pay to take responsibility for the leakage of personal data for over 4 million of its broadband customers.

"We really don't know how to apologize," said Softbank president Masayoshi Son at a televised news conference. The company, a global investor in Internet businesses, said it is still investigating how the information was leaked.

The information on current and former subscribers - totaling 4.51 million in all - included addresses, names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers. It did not include passwords, credit card information or bank account numbers or transactions made, the company said.

Son will forgo 50 percent of his salary for six months to take responsibility, Softbank said in a statement. Six other senior officials will take similar pay cuts, the company said.

Softbank said it will spend about 4 billion yen ($36.70 million) on gift coupons for all of its customers, among other measures, to make up for the incident. The company has also promised to strengthen its data security.

That's an apology. Unlike companies in other countries, who play down their faults and try to calm their customers with useless talk, they really do something. People in Japan are known for taking apologies and excuses more serious than others.