News Alibaba's Jack Ma hiding out in Tokyo

Ma has kept a low profile during his stay in Tokyo, bringing his personal chef and security with him and keeping his public activities to a minimum, said the people with direct knowledge of his whereabouts. His social activities centre around a small handful of private members' clubs, with one based in the heart of Tokyo's swish Ginza district and another in the Marunouchi financial district facing the Imperial Palace. The exclusive Ginza-based club has become a busy but discreet social centre for wealthy Chinese who have either settled in Tokyo or are on extended visits, according to members. People involved in Japan's modern art scene said that Ma had become an enthusiastic collector. Friends close to the billionaire in China said he had turned to painting watercolours to pass the time after being forced to retreat from his frenetic public life jet-setting between meetings with top officials in China and around the globe. Others said that Ma had used his time in Japan to expand his business interests beyond the core ecommerce technologies of Alibaba and Ant, and into the field of sustainability. He has largely turned over the reins to a new generation of leaders at both companies.

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Ma, who also heads his own Jack Ma Foundation, a philanthropic organization, will "share his rich experience and pioneering knowledge on entrepreneurship, corporate management and innovation," with students and faculty. Chinese regulators singled out Alibaba for scrutiny in a recent crackdown on technology and internet companies, having put the brakes on a planned initial public offering in 2020 of Alibaba's financial affiliate Ant Group. That came after he had criticized China's regulators and financial systems in a speech in Shanghai. Ma kept a low profile for several years and traveled overseas before returning to China recently. His appointment began Monday and runs through the end of October, the university said.

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