SoftBank CEO Plays Matchmaker to Boost Portfolio Companies

Masayoshi Son likes to keep business in the family—such as Yahoo Japan renting space from WeWork

TOKYO—When SoftBank Group Corp. invested in WeWork Cos. last year, the U.S. office-rental company got more than $4.4 billion in cash. It also got a chance to win business from hundreds of companies in which SoftBank has a stake.

Today, more than a quarter of WeWork desks in Tokyo are occupied by SoftBank portfolio companies, including teams from Yahoo Japan Corp., of which SoftBank owns 43%. Ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc., in which SoftBank holds a 15% stake, is moving into one of WeWork’s priciest Tokyo spaces....