Tadashi Yanai, born on February 7, 1949, in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese businessman and the founder and president of Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo (ユニクロ, meaning “unique clothing”). As of January 2014, Bloomberg listed him as the 35th richest person in the world, making him the richest man in Japan at the time, with a net worth estimated at $17.6 billion USD. Back in 2009, his fortune had already reached nearly $19.9 billion USD.
Yanai was born to Kanichi Yanai and Hisako Mori Yanai. He attended Ube High School and later graduated from Waseda University in 1971 with a degree in Economics and Political Science. His family background includes a notable influence from his uncle, who was an activist committed to eradicating discrimination against the burakumin, a historically marginalized social group in Japan.
His career began modestly. In 1971, Tadashi started working in a JUSCO supermarket, selling kitchenware and men’s clothing. However, he lasted only one year in that job before leaving to join his father’s tailoring business. This experience helped shape his entrepreneurial direction. In 1984, Yanai opened the first Uniqlo store in Hiroshima. He later changed the name of his father’s company, Ogori Shoji, to Fast Retailing in 1991, marking a new era for the family business.
In the 1990s, Yanai made a strategic decision to shift Uniqlo’s manufacturing to China. At the time, this gave him a competitive edge over rival Japanese apparel companies whose production costs were increasing domestically. The move allowed Uniqlo to scale more efficiently and manage production with a higher degree of control. Yanai implemented strict standards: suppliers had to comply with Uniqlo’s exact specifications regarding materials and processes. He also took the initiative to source raw materials directly — for example, buying Mongolian wool directly from herders and traders — ensuring quality control at the source.
Under his leadership, Uniqlo rapidly expanded beyond Japan. The company established itself in Hong Kong, South Korea, Europe, and the United States, becoming one of the most recognizable global retail brands. Yanai’s strategy combined efficiency, simplicity, and rigorous supply chain integration, creating affordable yet high-quality clothing accessible to a wide market.
Despite his success, Tadashi Yanai is known for his humility and openness about failure. He once remarked, “I may look like a successful man, but I’ve made many mistakes. People take their failures too seriously. You have to stay positive and believe that you’ll succeed next time.” His approach to leadership and entrepreneurship is marked by resilience, long-term thinking, and adaptability.
Yanai is married and has two sons, Kazumi and Koji, who live with him in Tokyo. Though often reserved, he remains an influential voice in Japanese business culture and global retail innovation, and he is widely regarded as one of the most visionary entrepreneurs in Asia.