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?

May 9 , 2024

Masayoshi Son at a 2023 conference in Tokyo; Tadashi Yanai during a 2014 interview. Photo: Reuters, SCMP Archive

Japan is a popular tourist destination with rich cultural heritage, incredible food and stunning nature in equal measure. But the land of the rising sun is also notoriously expensive, with CEOWorld Magazine ranking it the fourth most expensive country to live in for 2024.

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.

Amid this complex economic landscape, numerous multinational corporations are headquartered in the country, putting out products that make their way across the globe while generating billion-dollar revenues. It’s no surprise, then, that the founders and CEOs of these major companies frequently make the country’s – and world’s – richest lists.

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

Nobutada Saji, president of Japan’s liquor giant Suntory, at a press conference in Tokyo in 2007. Photo: Getty Images

The Sajis’ claim to fame and fortune comes from their beverage operations, Suntory Holdings, the country’s largest home-grown drinks manufacturer. Among the most well-known brands under the powerhouse, which was founded in 1899 in Osaka, are Suntory Whisky and The Premium Malt’s beer. In 2014, the firm acquired US Beam, which owns booze brands Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark, for US$16 billion. Aside from spirits and alcohol, the company also produces soft drinks and bottled water.

The patriarch of the family, Nobutada Saji, is the chairman of the company as well as an avid music lover – he was elected as an advisory director of New York’s world-renowned concert venue, Carnegie Hall, in 2023.

3. Takemitsu Takizaki

Estimated net worth: US$21.8 billion

Founder and honorary chairman of electronic component maker Keyence, Takizaki’s venture has tremendously impacted the automation of practically every facet of manufacturing, from automaking to food packaging operations.

A noted philanthropist, Takizaki donated shares worth – at the time – US$3 billion from his personal fortune to his foundation, which provides scholarships to Japanese students wishing to study in the UK, among other things.

2. Masayoshi Son

Estimated net worth: US$28.2 billion

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son speaks at the SoftBank World 2023 corporate conference in Tokyo. Photo: Reuters

A third-generation Korean, according to his Britannica bio, Son is a naturalised Japanese citizen whose claim to fame is founding ICT (information and communications technology) firm SoftBank, among many other ventures.

The tech giant runs multinational investment holding company SoftBank Group, which also owns the Softbank Vision Funds that seek to accelerate the development and adoption of AI technologies. However, one of Son’s most high-profile investments was the shared-office operation WeWork, which filed for bankruptcy last year.

Despite this not-so-successful venture, Son found plenty of wins with his other investments, including Southeast Asian ride-hailing service Grab.

Those who’ve joined in on his fund include fellow billionaire and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, per the Financial Times.

1. Tadashi Yanai

Estimated net worth: US$40.1 billion

Chairman, President and CEO of Fast Retailing Tadashi Yanai poses during an 2014 interview. Photo: Edward Wong

If you’ve ever needed a T-shirt or a down jacket in a pinch, chances are you’ve been lured into a Uniqlo store. The fast fashion retailer was founded by Yanai in 1984, which became the building block for what is today Fast Retailing.

As well as Uniqlo, the company now owns major brands like Theory, Helmut Lang, Comptoir de Cotonniers and Princesse Tam-Tam. The last financial year alone saw the company turn US$19 billion in sales, generating a net profit of US$2 billion through its nine brands.

With 3,578 stores around the world, according to its website, the Japanese retailer has become one of the most recognisable names in fast fashion. Yanai has gone on the record to say that he’s set his sights on becoming the sector leader, according to Fashion Network in 2017. That means the retail powerhouse will go head-to-head with Spain’s richest man, Amancio Ortega, founder of Inditex, which owns subsidiaries Zara, Massimo Dutti and Cos and has a net worth of US$105 billion, per Forbes.

Millionaires and billionaires

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