SoftBank aims to raise Y2 tril on Japan mobile unit IPO

Yes they did but they have been very busy working long hours in the interim and that is priceless. Successful local companies are in veritably once successful international companies, that is until Japanese management gets involved.

They bought vodafone for 15 billion dollars in 2006 and only gone up to 17.6 billion?

the group confirmed Monday it had formally decided to offer 1.76 billion shares, more than a one-third stake, in the SoftBank Corp mobile unit, with shares priced at 1,500 yen ($13) each.

Think it's worth getting in on this as a first-time investor?  That doesn't seem like a bad price for shares in one of the big 3 of Japan.

I wouldn't buy this.  Demographics.  Price compression.  And Japanese management.  Many pundits calling Japanese stocks overall a buy bit doesn't counterweigh the headwinds for this company.  Just listing it to raise cash for Son's other vanity projercts and stupid investments (Uber anyone?)/.

They're raising a lot of Capital - should Apple be worried ?

Probably not... as it's only a Yen figure.... but....