SoftBank seeks to avoid WeWork's liabilities with new investment: sources

This in turn could result in SoftBank assuming WeWork's liabilities, which include long-term leases for office space that it refurbishes and rents out under short-term contracts, according to the sources. WeWork had $18 billion in long-term lease obligations as of the end of June, according its most recent public financial disclosure. It also had $1.3 billion in net debt.

SoftBank has been keen not to burden its balance sheet further, given its net debt of about 5 trillion yen ($46 billion) as of the end of June, more than half its 9 trillion yen market capitalization, according to the Japanese technology conglomerate's most recent quarterly earnings statement.