Yusaku Maezawa: irreverent billionaire fascinated by space

Maezawa taking part in a space suits check during preparation for the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Maezawa and his production assistant Hirano, led by Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, will take part in a mission to the ISS scheduled for Dec 8, 2021. — Irina Spector/GCTC/Roscosmos/Handout via Reuters

TOKYO: Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who blasts off for the International Space Station this week, is an irreverent space enthusiast who has made headlines for splashing the cash on modern art.

The 46-year-old tycoon is the founder of Japan’s largest online fashion mall and is the country’s 30th-richest person, according to business magazine Forbes.