35 year old Yoshikazu Tanaka,billioneer

Tokyo (CNN) -- He is the face of New Japan Inc. 35-year-old Yoshikazu Tanaka, founder of mobile social gaming network Gree, is the world's second youngest self-made billionaire behind Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.

The similarities don't end there. Tanaka, son of a Japanese salaryman, launched Gree initially as a social network in Japan before moving into mobile social gaming.

I caught up with him at his HQ in the Mori Building in downtown Tokyo, one of the most desirable business addresses in the city.

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He may be flying high, but philosophically he remains down to earth, from the tips of his shaggy hair to the soles of his bright red crocs.

What do you think when you're compared to Mark Zuckerberg?

I started my business in 2004 and Facebook also started around 2004. Facebook became such a big company and I think they are doing well in how they are changing society. I think we (Gree) can change society in that way too, so I want to continue making a challenge.
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How would you like to change Japanese society?

We should change the way of thinking in the whole of Japan. To do that, rather than by saying, "we should do this," or "we should do that," we should show what we can do by a new successful example. People say there is no culture of venture business in Japan, but actually social games and our company, Gree, became successful within seven years. So we want to have an impact on Japan by showing that it can be done.

What drives you?

Gree originally started as my personal business using my money and my spare time. So of course it is good if I can make money out of it. However, my motivation is that I want to have an impact on society with my business.

Do you think your industry will become the most important part of Japan's economy?

It is true that the social gaming industry is an important industry for the Japanese economy. Originally there were many Japanese game companies like Nintendo which became successful globally. Japan is an island and an industry like ours doesn't have to worry about importing raw materials or exporting. In that sense we can do our business without having the disadvantage of being on an island, so I think it is a good industry for Japan.

What is the problem with older, traditional manufacturing businesses?

If they have a problem, I think it would be that they tried to compete only in the domestic market and didn't try the global market. That means they can only be successful in Japan and they need to think more globally.

What Japan should do now?

Of course it is easy to blame politicians but Japan is democratic and its citizens choose the politicians. So the problem does not only exist in them. I think the biggest problem is that so many people have not been able to accept the fact that we cannot survive without trying to compete globally.

Do you think mobile game industry can be a savior of Japan?

I don't know whether we can be a savior or not but I can say there are not many industries which can generate this much profit and become successful globally. Not just our company but the whole of Japan should consider developing an industry like that.

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/06/business/japan-stevens-tanaka-qanda/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Billionaires gather in Arizona to discuss giving

What do dozens of American billionaires talk about when they get together? Their topic this week was of course money; not how to make it, but how to give it away.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Friday that a private gathering was a great chance for the billionaires who have pledged to give away at least half their wealth to meet each other, compare notes, eat and laugh.
The media was banned from Thursday's first meeting of the group that has accepted the giving challenge by Buffett and his friend Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Since last June, 69 individuals or couples have made the giving pledge.
Buffett knew only about 12 of the 61 people at the dinner at the Miraval Resort in Tucson before the famously gregarious Berkshire Hathaway CEO worked the room and made 40 new friends.
"They all more than fulfilled my expectations," Buffett told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said she was delighted by the openness of the virtual strangers. At one point, conversation at her table drifted toward the biggest mistakes people had ever made as philanthropists.
"One of the things about being a philanthropist, in many ways it's rather a lonely job," said Tashia Morgridge, a retired special education teacher.
She works with her husband, Cisco Systems chairman John Morgridge, to give money to improve U.S. education through the Denver-based Morgridge Family Foundation.
George Kaiser, a Tulsa, Okla., philanthropist who aids early childhood education and social services programs, said the giving pledge helps philanthropists who don't want to just throw money at causes and instead want to explore the best ways to invest money to tackle the world's biggest problems.
"Being able to share with other people who are agonizing about the same decisions is extraordinarily useful," said Kaiser, the chairman of BOK Financial Corp who has been an oil and gas industry executive for four decades. He led a session on applying analytical business practices to philanthropy.
The goals of the organization do not include working together to pool philanthropic dollars. Still, the meeting in Tucson that ended Friday included sessions where different philanthropists shared their passion to improve education, the environment and other causes.
Philosophies of giving and ideas for collaboration among the billionaires were also shared throughout the event, said Jean Case, CEO of the family foundation started by her and her husband, America Online founder Steve Case.
"There's a strong desire in this group to learn from each other," said Jean Case, who offered to host the event at their Tucson resort after Melinda Gates talked to her about the possibility of the meeting.
The mother of five children also led a session on children and families in philanthropy. Steve Case gave a talk on using social media to encourage giving. All the sessions at the meeting were led by members of the group.
Some common themes emerged from the event. The participants are looking to do more impactful, more effective philanthropy and to inspire average people to give money away, Jean Case said.
Sharing ideas about giving also took place informally. Melinda Gates said she talked to two people who were devoting money for work on state pension issues and criminal justice — problems Gates had previously not thought about.
Chuck Feeney, a New Jersey philanthropist Buffett called the spiritual leader of the group, spoke about his plans to give all his money to charity.
"He wants his last check to bounce," Buffett said.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110507/ap_on_re_us/us_gates_buffett_pledge