Where Is Alibaba Cofounder Jack Ma? This Is Where He Is Staying After China's Regulatory Crackdown
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Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) cofounder and one of China's richest business tycoon Jack Ma lived in central Tokyo for months amid Beijing's regulatory crackdown.
Ma's months-long stay in Japan with his family included stints in hot springs and ski resorts in the countryside outside Tokyo and regular trips to the U.S. and Israel, Financial Times reports.
Ma has largely disappeared from public view since he criticized Chinese regulators two years ago.
Since then, both companies he founded, Ant and Alibaba, have faced regulatory obstacles.
Ma has a home in Alibaba's headquarter city, Hangzhou, near Shanghai.
Since his fallout with Chinese authorities, Ma has been spotted in various countries, including Spain and the Netherlands, to dodge Covid restrictions and political repercussions.
Ma has kept a low profile during his stay in Tokyo, bringing his chef and security with him and restricting his public activities.
His social activities center around a small handful of private members' clubs.
Ma used his time in Japan to expand his business interests beyond the core e-commerce technologies of Alibaba and Ant and into sustainability.
His absence from China coincided with President Xi Jinping's escalation of zero-Covid controls this year.
Activities at the elite Hupan University executive training program he founded have also quieted down.
His charity, the Jack Ma Foundation, has toned down its publicity.
While Ma's stay in Japan, SoftBank's historic selldown of its long-term shareholding in Alibaba took place.
Price Action: BABA shares traded higher by 6.43% at $80.76 on the last check Tuesday.
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