From Pig Farms to Pachinko Fortunes — The Origin Story of Masa Son’s Family Empire

How a risk-taking father, gray-market gambling, and family resilience laid the foundations for one of Japan’s most iconic tech dynasties

May 02, 2025

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Following their pig farming venture which significantly improved the family's finances, Masa's father, Mitsunori, moved the family in April 1964 to Kitakyushu. Mitsunori's next business venture was into loan-sharking, targeting salarymen at the nearby Yahata steel plant. This was a high-risk activity, requiring him to carry a knife for self-protection, …

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