TOKYO (TR) – Behind the polished facade of IT conglomerate GMO Internet Group, particulars have emerged relating to the lavish way of life, neighborhood grievances, and turbulent previous of its 63-year-old founder and CEO, Masatoshi Kumagai, studies weekly tabloid Shukan Shincho (Nov. 12).
Kumagai, whose group encompasses over 150 firms with a mixed market capitalization exceeding 1 trillion yen, has not too long ago proven cracks in his armor, even shedding tears at a press convention as his aggressive enlargement technique backfired.
With an estimated private web price of roughly 180 billion yen as of October and an annual government compensation bundle of 130 million yen, Kumagai lives in an upscale central Tokyo residence the place hire averages round 2 million yen per thirty days.
His style for luxurious consists of bespoke attire from Hermes and Chrome Hearts, an oceanfront condominium in Hawaii valued at 1 billion yen, and a 90-million-yen Mercedes-Maybach Pullman limousine pushed by a private chauffeur. On event, he pilots his personal non-public jet to Tottori Prefecture merely to dine on native crab alongside fellow executives.
Deafening noise
However, his high-flying way of life has generated vital friction. Neighbors have voiced bitter complaints over deafening noise attributable to Kumagai piloting his non-public helicopter, in addition to raucous events hosted at GMO’s unique VIP reception facility.
Kumagai’s romantic indulgences have additionally drawn insider consideration. According to group sources, the manager continuously items high-end Cartier “Love” bracelets — particularly diamond-encrusted pink gold editions valued at over 3 million yen — to favored feminine companions.
Observant social media customers have identified {that a} distinguished biracial vogue mannequin and a Ginza hostess membership mama each started sporting the similar Cartier bracelets. Shortly after receiving the items, each girls started sharing social media images of desserts and trinkets that includes bear motifs — an obvious nod to the “Kuma” in Kumagai’s surname. Inquiries despatched by the journal to GMO relating to Kumagai’s private relationships had been met with no response.
Unconventional path
Kumagai’s path to the billionaire ranks was removed from typical. Born in Nagano Prefecture in 1963 to a father who operated film theaters in Tokyo, he attended the non-public Kokugakuin High School in Shibuya Ward. Although Kumagai has claimed in interviews that he entered on the prime of his class, former classmates paint a really completely different image.
“I don’t recall him having outstanding grades,” one former classmate mentioned, describing Kumagai because the chief of a rowdy clique of 5 – 6 youths who talked again to academics. During the primary time period of his second 12 months, a instructor caught Kumagai hiding a pack of cigarettes in his uniform pocket, sparking an uproar that led to him dropping out.
Following stints working as a disco DJ and different odd jobs, Kumagai joined his father’s firm at age 20, marrying the identical 12 months and having a daughter shortly thereafter. Despite his early begin, relations inside the household remained rocky; following his father’s loss of life, Kumagai reportedly turned embroiled in a bitter inheritance lawsuit along with his half-brothers.
Aggressive company acquisitions
Spurred by a private decision to take an organization public earlier than turning 35, Kumagai launched a voice-information service in 1991 using Dial Q2 — a premium-rate phone service that later turned a significant social controversy in Japan attributable to exorbitant costs. As regulatory scrutiny tightened, Kumagai pivoted, founding the web supplier InterQ in 1995 simply as Windows 95 ignited the patron tech growth.
Through aggressive company acquisitions — notably in server internet hosting and bank card fee processing — Kumagai expanded the enterprise into as we speak’s GMO empire. Yet trade observers warn that his freewheeling administration fashion has left structural flaws.
“Kumagai certainly has an eye for new business trends,” financial journalist Toru Machida mentioned. “However, given incidents such as past unauthorized access leading to credit card data leaks, he clearly overlooks the operational details. It is difficult to avoid the criticism that his management approach lacks discipline.”