TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese billionaire who Tesla chief Elon Musk says plans to blast off on the first-ever private commercial space trip aboard…
TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese billionaire who Tesla chief Elon Musk says plans to blast off on the first-ever private commercial space trip aboard the SpaceX Big Falcon Rocket often makes headlines in Japan. The SpaceX mission, set for takeoff in 2023, is just the latest exploit in tycoon Yusaka Maezawa’s colorful and ambitious career:
FASHION BRAND
Maezawa, 42, is the chief executive of Start Today Co., which he founded in 1998 as a CD sales business when he was still in his 20s. The company pioneered e-commerce in Japan and now runs the popular fashion mall Zozotown, selling various, relatively affordable clothing brands. Annual sales totaled more than 98 billion yen ($890 million) in the fiscal year that ended in March.
THE MONEY
Forbes magazine estimates Maezawa’s wealth at $2.9 billion. In a nation where billionaires are relatively rare, he gets attention for his celebrity friends and for zipping around in a private jet and a fleet of sports cars. Such flamboyance is uncommon in a country where even very rich men often keep a low profile.
MUSICAL BEGINNINGS
Maezawa’s trademark defiant but disarming style may be rooted in his start as a musician, playing drums in indies rock bands. The punk band he was in, called Switch Style, signed with a major Japanese record label.
