Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels,  12.12.2018  
C(2018 ) 8885 final  
 
To the notifying parties:  
Subject : Case M. 9158 – SoftBank/Toyota Motor Corporation/MONET Technologies JV  
Commission decision pursuant to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation (EC) 
No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 19 November 2018 , the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation , by which  the undertakings 
SoftBank Corp. ("SoftBank", Japan), belonging to SoftBank Group Corp. ("SoftBank 
Group", Japan), and Toyota Motor Corpora tion ("TMC", Japan) acquire within the 
meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the newly 
created joint venture  MONET Technologies Corporation , by way of purchase  of shares . In 
a first phase, MONET Technologies Corporat ion will develop and commercialise software 
platforms aimed at providing on demand transportation services operated by bus or taxi, 
alongside public transport, in Japan, and, at a later stage, it will use the software platforms 
to supply mobility services using autonomous vehicles .3 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
 for SoftBank Group: parent company of a global portfolio of subsidiaries and affiliates 
involved in advanced telecommunications, internet services, internet of things, 
robotics and clean energy technology providers,  
 for TMC: design, manufacture, assembly and sale of passenger vehicles, minivans, 
commercial vehicles, related parts and accessories.  
3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has conclude d that the 
notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of paragraph s 5(a) 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the "Merger Regulation "). With effect from 1 December 2009,  the Treaty on the 
Functioning of the European Union ( "TFEU ") has introduced certain changes, such as the replacement of 
"Community "' by "Union " and "common market " by "internal market ". The terminology of the TFEU will be 
used throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the "EEA Agreement "). 
3  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 425, 26.11 .2018 , p. 19. 
PUBLIC VERSION  
2 and 5 (b) of the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment  of certain 
concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .4 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European Commission 
has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it compatible with the 
internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is adopted in applicat ion of 
Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed ) 
Johannes LAITENBERGER  
Director -General  
 
                                                 
4  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .