The world has entered a new era, evolving from an industrial into a knowledge-based society, and into a society that wants to live in harmony with nature.
The world has entered a new era, evolving from an industrial into a knowledge-based society, and into a society that wants to live in harmony with nature.
Mori Minoru, former CEO and president of Mori Building, was one of Japan’s most powerful and influential building tycoons. Born in August 1934, Minoru is known for his “vertical garden” landscape buildings throughout Japan. He inherited the real estate business from his father, Taikichiro, after graduating from Tokyo University. He served as president and CEO of Mori Building, of which he and his older brother Kei owned 100 percent. Minoru passed away of heart failure on March 8, 2012. He was 77, and he is survived by his wife and two children.
Minoru’s father was a scholar who taught economics when he initially inherited the company. See, real estate was a family business for Minoru. His grandfather passed the business down to his father, Taikichiro, and Taikichiro passed the business down to Minoru and his brother, Kei. When Taikchiro died in 1993, Minoru and Akira inherited the vast real estate empire he had built over three decades.
Eventually, the two brothers parted ways from conflicting ideas for company strategies, and Minoru would be the one who would end up with the Mori Building company. His brother formed the Mori Trust. Minoru focused on building grand office towers surrounded by shops, condos, parks and art galleries such as Roppongi Hills. Minoru was inspired by Le Corbusier’s design philosophies.
Later, Minoru would expand to China, building the country’s tallest building: The Shanghai World Financial Center.
Akira fancied residential and hotel developments. His earnings proved to be more than Mori Building’s. This discrepancy is big for the brothers, who split due to differing company strategies. Akira proved to be more successful, even after 2011’s earthquake in Japan, when high-end condo sales cooled as buyers shied away from the Tokyo market. Minoru’s last net worth estimate was $1.9 billion; he ranked 683 on the 2012 Forbes billionaires list, $1.6 billion less than his more conservative brother.
Minoru was also sometimes criticized for the high-end nature of his developments. One of his last big projects, Omotesando Hills, is filled with extensive boutiques. Preservationists have said that his skyscrapers destroyed Tokyo’s traditional low-rise feeling.
But Minoru was still beloved and highly-accomplished. In 2008, he was named Asia Businessman of the Year 2007 by Fortune magazine. In 2009, he was honored as an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II. Minoru was also acclaimed for his architecture exhibition at Mori Art Museum, which sits on the 53rd floor on his Mori Tower.
森稔
（1934－2012）
森ビル初代社長である森泰吉郎の二男であり、実質的には森ビルの創業者とされる。森ビル株式会社代表取締役社長、同会長などを歴任した。