A report on BusinessWeek claims that Apple may partner with Japan’s Softbank on marketing a iPod cell phones. “On May 13, the financial daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported that Son and Apple Computer’s (AAPL) Steve Jobs had agreed to market iPod cell phones for Japan as early as this year. Softbank called the report ‘speculative,’ though it didn’t deny that a music-playing cell phone was in its plans. Apple Japan officials declined to comment. A source close to Apple told BusinessWeek the two sides have been talking in recent months. Investors took the report seriously: Softbank’s shares finished up 2.6% in Tokyo trading.”