Forbes Asia: Will 2010 Be Better For The Auto Industry?

Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Tadashi Yanai, president of
clothing retailer Fast Retailing Co., is Japan’s richest
person for a second year, according to Forbes Asia.

Yanai, 60, saw his net worth increase by 50 percent to
$9.2 billion as consumers bought more clothing from his
discount store Uniqlo during a recession, according to a
release from Forbes Asia today. The list appears in the
magazine’s January issue.

Nobutada Saji, the chief executive of Suntory Holdings
Ltd., rose to the No. 2 slot after starting talks with rival
Kirin Holdings Co. to merge, Forbes Asia said. His wealth
increased by $5.1 billion to $8.6 billion.

The net worth of Japan’s 40 richest people increased by
25 percent to $87 billion, Forbes Asia said, after Japan’s
economy shrunk in the third quarter last year to the lowest
level since 1991, without accounting for changes in prices.

Internet entrepreneur Yoshikazu Tanaka, 32, became the
youngest self-made billionaire in Asia, the magazine said.
The founder of social networking site Gree Inc. saw his
wealth almost double to $1.6 billion. He is No. 18 on the
list.

Facebook Inc. founder Mark Zuckerberg, 25, is the only
younger self-made billionaire in the world, Forbes Asia said.

A minimum net worth of $620 million was needed to
qualify for this year’s list, from $480 million last year,
according to the magazine. Forbes compiled the list using
stock prices and exchange rates on Dec. 30, the magazine said.

Japan’s 10 richest are:
     1.  Tadashi Yanai:       $9.2 billion
     2.  Nobutada Saji:       $8.6 billion
     3.  Akira Mori:          $6.1 billion
     4.  Masayoshi Son:       $5.6 billion
     5.  Kunio Busujima:      $5.3 billion
     6.  Hiroshi Mikitani:    $4.7 billion
     7.  Hiroshi Yamauchi:    $3.8 billion
     8.  Eitaro Itoyama:      $3.4 billion
     9.  Takemitsu Takizaki:  $2.9 billion
     10. Hiroko Takei:        $2.5 billion