Son vs Yanai

SoftBank Group and Fast Retailing (Uniqlo).

The differences

Forbes puts Masayoshi Son about $5.3B ahead of Tadashi Yanai.Forbes figures from 9 Oct 2026 and 27 Mar 2026.
Masayoshi Son: founded it. Tadashi Yanai: inherited and grew it.
Tadashi Yanai is about 8 years older than Masayoshi Son.

Put someone else on either side

Son

Yanai

Net worth, Forbes: $60.4BForbes, 9 Oct 2026; $55.1BForbes, 27 Mar 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $41.3BBloomberg, 16 Oct 2026; $69.5BBloomberg, 16 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 31Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026; No. 33Real-Time list, 27 Mar 2026
Billionaire since: Not stated; Not stated

How it started: Founded itFounded Nihon SoftBank (now SoftBank Group) in 1981; Inherited and grew itHis father Hitoshi Yanai founded the men's shop Ogori Shoji in 1949; Tadashi joined in 1972, became president in 1984, opened the first Uniqlo that year and built it into Fast Retailing. The company calls him its founder and Forbes lists him as self-made
Main source: SoftBank Group stockBloomberg: most of his wealth comes from his SoftBank Group stake; Fast Retailing shares (Uniqlo)Bloomberg: 'The majority of Tadashi Yanai's fortune is derived from his stake in Fast Retailing'
Companies: SoftBank Group, ArmSoftBank Group: Founder; representative director, corporate officer, chairman and CEO; Arm: Non-executive director and chairman; Fast Retailing (Uniqlo)Fast Retailing (Uniqlo): Chairman, president and CEO
Biggest stake: SoftBank Group32.73% owned; Fast Retailing (Uniqlo)18.96% owned

Born: 11 Aug 1957Tosu, Japan; 7 Feb 1949Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
Country: JapanLives in Tokyo, Japan; JapanLives in Tokyo, Japan
Education: Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree in economics, University of California, Berkeley; Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree in political science and economics, Waseda University (1971)
Parents: Born to a Korean immigrant family; his father worked at fisheries, farms, restaurants and pachinko parlours; His father founded and ran a men's clothing shop in Ube, Yamaguchi PrefectureMother's occupation not stated

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Not a signer
Foundation: Masason FoundationEstablished December 2016 to support talented young people; he is its president; Yanai Tadashi FoundationFounded 2015 (scholarships); he also chairs the Fast Retailing Foundation
Lifetime giving: Not stated; Not stated

Role now: Runs the companyChairman and CEO of SoftBank Group; chairman of Arm; Runs the companyChairman, president and CEO of Fast Retailing; chairman of UNIQLO
Successor: Not stated; None namedHe is expected to be reappointed chairman, president and CEO after the 26 November 2026 shareholder meeting. Kazumi Yanai and Koji Yanai are group senior executive officers and directors; Bloomberg says shares held by his two sons are credited to him
Public office: None found; None found
Legal record: None found; None found