Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 million superyacht docked in Japan for the first time, Launchpad has a new neighbour, the billionaire who once wanted Meta suspend its Japanese operations

Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 million superyacht, Launchpad, seems to be on a ‘world tour’. The vessel recently docked in Japan for the first time, pulling into port right beside a newly delivered megayacht owned by Japanese e-commerce billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. What makes this extraordinary scene along the Minato Mirai waterfront is the fact that Maezawa is an outspoken critic, and is currently suing Meta in court. Maezawa’s 114.2-meter vessel, Nausicaä, was stationed at Shinko Pier No. 8 since September 5. Zuckerberg’s 118-meter Launchpad arrived shortly after following a trans-Pacific crossing from Alaska. While there is no confirmation that either billionaire is aboard, the shared berth creates a dramatic visual standoff between two corporate adversaries whose high-profile dispute continues through the Japanese legal system.The legal feud: A 1-Yen lawsuit against MetaThe proximity of the two ships is striking given Maezawa’s two-year legal battle against Zuckerberg's social networking empire. In May 2024, Maezawa filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms and its regional Facebook Japan unit, over a string of fake investment schemes that used his name and likeness without permission.Rather than seeking financial restitution, Maezawa demanded a symbolic payout of just ¥1 (less than a single US cent) alongside an injunction, using the case to legally test whether tech platforms can be held liable for hosting criminal advertisements.When Meta fought the claims and sought a dismissal during initial hearings in July 2024, Maezawa intensified his criticisms. By August 2025, with unauthorised ads still surfacing, Maezawa accused foreign tech firms of enabling online fraud for advertising profits, arguing that Meta was “completely looking down on Japan” and demanding penalties up to the outright suspension of its Japanese operations.Launchpad cruised from Alaska to AsiaLaunchpad reached Yokohama after an active summer cruising southeastern Alaska, making stops across Juneau, Petersburg and Ketchikan. Marine tracking logs confirmed the vessel cleared Juneau on September 1 to start its voyage across the Pacific. Automated tracking lists Singapore as its subsequent destination, indicating that the stop in Japan is part of an ongoing Asian itinerary.During its passage through Alaskan waters, the yacht was linked to a minor overnight incident around 1:00 am involving a small recreational craft requiring support. Observers aboard the small cruise ship Wilderness Legacy noted that Launchpad slowed nearby but did not intervene before the cruise ship assisted the boater.While Zuckerberg and Maezawa have no reported plans to meet while their ships share the harbor, their vessels have set up an ironic encounter in Yokohama—anchoring one of tech's most unusual international rivalries directly along the Japanese coast.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.