Kunio Busujima

Kunio Busujima is the founder and former chairman of Sankyo, the second largest maker of pachinko pinball machines in Japan. With a net worth of US$5.2 billion, Busuijma got the second spot in Forbes magazine’s 2009 list of Japan’s 40 Richest. In the magazine’s overall list of billionaires in the world, Busujima, with his family, was rated at the 109th spot.

Kunio Busujima

Busujima started in the gaming industry by working for pachinko maker Heiwa, now Sankyo’s rival. In 1966, he started his own self-made gaming fortune, witnessing the growth of pachinko manufacturing into a modern innovative industry. After several years of building and growing his empire, Busujima stepped down from his post as company chairman in 2008 to give way to his son Hideyuki. Yet, this did not mean that the tycoon would simply completely give up control of his company. Like a parent who oversees the growth of his child from day one, Busujima will continuously watch how his firm will fare by remaining as the company’s director and senior adviser.