Son Sam-heon’s Parenting Methods

 

The Father Who Raised Japan’s Richest Man

Son Sam-heon is the father of Son Masayoshi, the founder of SoftBank. During the Japanese colonial period, Son Sam-heon's father moved from Daegu, Korea, to settle in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. Life for Koreans in Japan was challenging. To escape poverty, he took on any job that could earn money, from fish selling to operating a small bar. Through hard work, he managed to uplift his family, earning the respect of his children. Although Son Sam-heon had little formal education, he taught his children invaluable life lessons, ultimately raising Son Masayoshi, who would go on to become Japan’s wealthiest individual. Let’s take a closer look at Son Sam-heon’s approach to parenting.

(Left) SoftBank Chairman Son Masayoshi and (Right) Son Masayoshi's younger brother, Son Taezang

Instilling Positive Expectations

Educational psychology suggests that positive expectations have a significant impact on academic achievement. Here’s an example experiment: a teacher was told that Group A had higher academic potential, while Group B had average abilities. After one semester, Group A outperformed Group B by 40% in academic results, even though both groups were at the same level at the start. The teacher, believing in Group A’s potential, offered more encouragement, leading to better results—a phenomenon known as the "Rosenthal Effect." Likewise, Son Sam-heon worked tirelessly to break free from poverty, expanding from pachinko and food businesses to real estate. Observing his parents’ hard work, Son Masayoshi was inspired to study hard to lift his family out of poverty. Even as a child, he was diligent. Son Sam-heon, seeing his son’s efforts, often said, "You’re a genius" or "You’ll be Japan’s greatest man someday." These words deeply impacted Son Masayoshi, allowing him to believe he was destined for greatness. Even in challenging times, Son Masayoshi could recall his father’s words, which fueled his courage to take on challenges.

 

Unhesitatingly Moving for His Son’s Future

In Chinese history, Mencius's mother famously moved three times to ensure her son’s proper education. Similarly, Son Sam-heon decided to move for his son Son Masayoshi’s future. He moved from Kyushu to Fukuoka so his son could attend a prestigious school. This decision came only three years after he had built their home with his hard-earned money. Motivated by his father’s dedicated support, Son Masayoshi studied hard and was admitted to a prestigious school. In his first year of high school, he traveled to California for language training, a life-changing experience. During this time, Son Sam-heon was hospitalized, and Son Masayoshi informed his family of his decision to quit high school. While the family objected, citing the father’s illness, Son Sam-heon was the only one who respected his son’s decision. Son Masayoshi left school, moved to the United States, passed the GED through self-study, and was accepted to the University of California, Berkeley. There, he created a 50-year life plan and eventually succeeded in multiple businesses, becoming Japan’s wealthiest man.

 

Having lived under discrimination in a foreign land, Son Sam-heon focused on escaping poverty and taught his son what he had learned through experience. By instilling positive expectations and supporting bold decisions, he was a father who encouraged his child to blaze his own trail. Son Masayoshi’s bold investment strategies may well have been influenced by his father’s example.

 

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