Who are the 5 richest billionaires in Japan? Net worths, ranked: from Uniqlo’s Tadashi Yanai and Softbank Group’s Masayoshi Son, to Suntory’s Nobutada Saji – but who donated US$3 million to charity?
- Japan is a country known for its innovation – and for renowned brands that produce a range of high-quality products, from technology to skincare, generating billions of dollars in profits
- The founders and CEOs of these companies are among Japan’s – and the world’s – richest billionaires, but 5 stand out for how they’ve made their money, and what they’re doing with it
Recently, its currency – the Japanese yen – has taken a dive due to a variety of factors, resulting in a deeper economic turndown in the country. While that means more challenging times for its citizens, tourists are enjoying the low exchange rate on their travels, spending more than ever on exploring and shopping in the country.
Here’s a look at five of the richest individuals – and families – in Japan, according to Forbes, at the time of writing.
5. Takahisa Takahara
Estimated net worth: US$6 billion
One of two individuals among Japan’s top five billionaires to have made his fortune in retail, Takahara is the president and CEO of Unicharm. The country’s largest personal care product manufacturer, Unicharm makes everything from skincare products to nappies and face masks, and generates more than half its revenue from sales and distribution outside Japan. Takahara’s publicly listed company grew from the firm his father, Keiichiro, founded in 1961.
As well as helming the family business, the CEO is a staunch advocate for sustainability and has spearheaded various initiatives to reduce waste and recycle at Unicharm.
4. Nobutada Saji and family
Estimated net worth: US$10.3 billion
