1 Tadashi Yanai
NET WORTH$9.2 billion ,Retail @ AGE of 60 Has vowed to turn his discount clothing chain, Fast Retailing, into world's leading apparel retailer. Has stores in New York, Paris; opening one in Shanghai this year. Keeps prices low by outsourcing production to China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh.
2 Nobutada Saji
NET WORTH$8.6 billion , Beverages @ AGE OF 64 In talks since July to merge Suntory, drinks firm established by his grandfather, with rival Kirin. Family would reportedly own one-third of combined group. Suntory bought Orangina Schweppes for $3.3 billion last fall in bid to expand overseas. Buying a U.S. bottler.
3 Akira Mori
NET WORTH$6.1 billion ,Real Estate @ AGE OF 73 Heads Mori Trust, owner of office buildings, apartments, hotels in high-rent districts of Tokyo. Recent projects include 2 office buildings outside Tokyo Station and northern Japan's tallest building, opening this year. He and brother Minoru (No. 20) inherited initial fortune from father but went their separate ways. Fortune up in part due to new shareholder information.
4 Masayoshi Son
NET WORTH$5.6 billion, Internet@ AGE OF 52 Controls Internet, telecom firm Softbank. Its mobile phone unit, which sells popular iPhones in Japan, outpacing rivals for new subscribers. Sold $2 billion worth of bonds to pay off some of its $21 billion in debt. Firm owns half of Yahoo Japan, third of Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba.com. Partnering with China's Shanghai Media to develop digital content.
5 Kunio Busujima
His NET WORTH $5.3 billion and SOURCE of Gaming at the age of 84.Founder of Sankyo, pachinko gambling-machine maker, stepped down as chairman in 2008; remains a director and senior adviser. Son Hideyuki is chairman and chief executive. Outfit has turned to comic book and movie characters like Star Wars’ Darth Vader to help bolster sales. Nongamblers know company as sponsor of Sankyo Ladies Open golf tournament. Expects 51% jump in net income for fiscal year, reversing one-third drop in previous 12 months
6 Hiroshi Mikitani
His NET WORTH $4.7 billion and SOURCE of Internet at the age of 45. Internet entrepreneur runs Japan’s leading online shopping mall Rakuten. Battling Amazon by expanding items available for next-day deliveries. Hiring 100 foreign graduates in 2010 to help expand into up to 30 nations in 4 years., beginning in Taiwan. Broadcasting play thwarted last year when Tokyo Broadcasting System, in which he has 20% stake, reorganized itself under a holding company.
7 Hiroshi Yamauchi
His NET WORTH $3.8 billion and SOURCE of Game Consoles at the age of 81.Turned playing card company Nintendo into world’s most successful videogame console maker. Sales of the Nintendo Wii machine jumped 47% to 25 million units, outstripping Sony and Microsoft. Retired in 2005 but remains big shareholder.Nintendo's net income halved in first half of fiscal year, in part because of dearth of new game titles and slowing sales of Wii, which was forced to cut prices amid tough competition.
8 Eitaro Itoyama
His NET WORTH $3.4 billion and SOURCE of Golf Courses at the age of 67.Blogging shareholder-activist who forced resignation of Japan Airlines president 4 years ago (and later sold off some of his shares) has been buying into troubled carrier again. Onetime lawmaker derives bulk of fortune from golf courses. Collects expensive wines; posts snapshots of himself with kings, presidents on his Web site
9 Takemitsu Takizaki
His NET WORTH $2.9 billion and SOURCE Sensors @ the age of 64.Founder of Keyence, supplier of sensors and measuring instruments to small-factory owners, midsize companies looking to automate production. Bought stake in software maker Just Systems last year.
10 Hiroko Takei
His NET WORTH $2.5 billion and SOURCE Finance @ the age of 68.With her children, inherited fortune from late husband, Yasuo, founder of Japan consumer finance company Takefuji. Son Takeru is managing director of firm, which is struggling under harsh new regulations limiting lending rates and loan amounts. Moody's and S&P cut company's credit rating to junk in 2009.
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