By 2025, 1.3 million Japanese business owners will be over 70 years old with no successor. This could lead to the closure of 620,000 profitable businesses, shrinking Japan’s GDP by $165 billion and eliminating 6.5 million jobs. The youngest billionaire you’ve never heard of is tackling this crisis head-on with AI: Shunsaku Sagami.
A Personal Loss That Sparked a Vision
Shunsaku Sagami’s journey began in Osaka in the 1980s when his grandfather’s thriving real estate agency was forced to shut down due to the lack of a successor. Seeing the company’s license removed from the wall was a defining moment, planting the seed for his future business vision.
From Biology to Billionaire: Sagami’s Unconventional Path

Sagami graduated from Kobe University with a degree in biology and agriculture. An avid Mahjong player, he credits the game for honing his business acumen. Today, at just 33 years old, he is Japan’s youngest billionaire, with a net worth of $1.9 billion.
But his rise was far from straightforward.
The Frustration That Led to Innovation
In 2017, Sagami sold Alpaca, a women’s fashion and cosmetics business. The sale process was frustrating:
- It took over a year to complete.
- Required months of manual research.
- Incurred retainer fees regardless of success.
This inefficiency led him to a game-changing decision.
The Birth of AI-Powered M&A

In 2018, Sagami launched the M&A Research Institute, a Tokyo-based M&A brokerage that leverages AI to help aging business owners find successors. His AI-driven approach was inspired by Japan’s automation giant Keyence Corp.
The real breakthrough came when he modernized Japan’s M&A industry with proprietary AI solutions:
- Business matching algorithms
- Automated document analysis for faster due diligence
- Machine learning to match compatible buyers and sellers
How AI is Revolutionizing Japan’s M&A Industry
The impact of Sagami’s AI system was immediate:

- Reduced deal times from 6 months to 49 days
- Eliminated retainer fees, charging only success-based fees of up to 5%
- Streamlined paperwork through in-house digital software
This transformation disrupted traditional M&A practices, making acquisitions faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
Rapid Growth and Market Dominance
In just the first six months, M&A Research Institute:

- Completed 62 deals worth ¥3.9 billion ($26.5 million)
- Expanded to over 300 employees
- Handled 500 simultaneous deals
- Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2022
Today, it is Japan’s go-to M&A solution for small to medium-sized enterprises.
A Billionaire with a Mission
Sagami owns 72% of the company, yet despite his immense wealth, he remains humble:
“I’m not quite sure how I feel about my wealth, but I continue to work hard to create good businesses.”
His next goal? Global expansion.

A Lesson in Problem-Solving
Sagami turned a personal problem into a nationwide solution. His innovation is now tackling Japan’s biggest economic crisis.
As Elon Musk once said:
“You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of problems you solve.”
The takeaway? Big solutions often start with small problems.