[Sealobo]

This is very weird... for Japan is still the second biggest economy after the US, or 3rd if you counted the euro-zone...

List of billionaires (2007) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Big Mac]

You're right, that is strange. I know that Japanese businessmen like to be inconspicuous, so perhaps some have escaped inclusion on the list.

[Doofy]

出る杭は打たれる。

[design219]

I wonder if they have a LOT more millionaires?

[Chuckit]

A billion yen isn't even that hard to get.

[JoshuaZ]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

A billion yen isn't even that hard to get.

Blah! I make several million yen each year!

But then again, their economy has kind of been in the dumps until recently. Thank god the yen is increasing in value compared to the dollar. I needs to be payin my student loans.

[Buckaroo]

I'm not sure, but I was under the impression that this Billionaire list was based on the available public information on what these individuals owned, i.e. Bill Gates owns X shares of MS, so he is a XX Billionaire.

There are many people that are very rich but their holdings have not been revealed or no one has been able to determine how rich they are. Some people don't want you to know how rich they are.

If I'm wrong, speak up.

[Sealobo]

Substantial holdings in public company are usually filed and reported to the local regulatory body (the securities and futures commission in Hong Kong, for instant) and the information is public. I believe Japan has a similar reporting requirement for the general public.

[badidea]

I find it quite interesting that Carlos Slim Helú (who is now the richest person in the world) isn't even on the list of 2004 (well, I can't find him in the Top100)!
I hope this guy didn't really make more than 40 Billion in 3 years????

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo 

I'm not sure, but I was under the impression that this Billionaire list was based on the available public information on what these individuals owned, i.e. Bill Gates owns X shares of MS, so he is a XX Billionaire.

There are many people that are very rich but their holdings have not been revealed or no one has been able to determine how rich they are. Some people don't want you to know how rich they are.

If I'm wrong, speak up.

Yep, you're not wrong.

If your billions are in a Panamanian bank you'd be staying off the list.

[brassplayersrock²]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

出る杭は打たれる。

yep
The post which comes out is struck.

[Shaddim]

Heh, I know one of those guys. He's pretty far down the list, but I had no idea he was worth that much.

[dcmacdaddy]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

出る杭は打たれる。

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

yep
The post which comes out is struck.

I had to use the Dashboard widget to do the translation but isn't that a Chinese proverb, not Japanese?

And I thought the phrase was, "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down"? But, it probably makes your point regardless, standing out so remarkably in such a culture is bad form.

[Rumor]

If Sam Walton were alive, he'd be far beyond Bill Gates. Look at all the billionaire Waltons on that list.

[brassplayersrock²]

yeah, I used the dashboard widget as well. not gunna lie

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy 

I had to use the Dashboard widget to do the translation but isn't that a Chinese proverb, not Japanese?

And I thought the phrase was, "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down"? But, it probably makes your point regardless, standing out so remarkably in such a culture is bad form.

'Tis a Japanese proverb. And regardless of translation, you get the jist of it.

[Sealobo]

There is a saying in chinese... 槍打出頭鳥. Same meaning, but not sure if it's the original.