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Japan's Richest Man

Category: Gaming    Tags: Forbes, Japan Richest People, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Nintendo, Hanafuda

 

In 2008 Forbes.com announced Japan's 40 richest people. Former Nintendo president and chairman Hiroshi Yamauchi was declared the country's wealthiest citizen with an estimated net worth of 7.8 billion.

Yamauchi was the third president of Nintendo Co.,Ltd. beginning in 1949 until stepping down on May 31, 2002. He is credited with transforming Nintendo from a small hanafuda card making company in Japan to the multi-billion dollar video game company that brings you Mario, Link, Samus and all our other favorite characters today. Hanafuda are playing cards of Japan origin, used to play a number of games. The name literally translates as "flower cards." Or so they say.