Yasuo takei, founder and former chairman of consumer credit company Takefuji Corp.

Takei died of liver failure at his home in Tokyo on Aug. 10, the Tokyo-based Takefuji Corp. said.

Takei, 76, was listed as Japan's richest man, along with his family, in this year's Forbes magazine listing of the world's billionaires, with assets of $5.4 billion. But Takei's reputation was tarnished in 2004 by his conviction on charges of ordering the wiretapping of a journalist who had written articles criticizing his company.

Takei was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for four years, and his company, one of Japan's biggest consumer loan corporations, was fined ¥1 million.

A native of Fukaya, Saitama Prefecture, Takei founded Takefuji's predecessor company, Fuji Shoji, in 1966, and renamed it Takefuji in 1974. Under his leadership, Takefuji became the country's consumer loan industry leader.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 19, 2006
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