LeaderPortfolio
Nagata
Hisao Nagata
Rank #2767
JAPANFashion & RetailRetail

Hisao Nagata

Net Worth
$1.37B
+1.23% (24h)
Hisao Nagata is a Japanese billionaire and the founder and chairman of Trial Holdings, a discount supermarket chain. His retail success is driven by AI technology that analyzes customer shopping patterns and monitors inventory. Nagata, with a net worth of $1.2 billion as of June 24, 2024, transformed his father's thrift store into a tech-forward retail empire. He is also the author of books on retail AI and digitization.

How to read Hisao Nagata's profile

Public net-worth figures are estimates. They combine observable inputs—typically listed equity, disclosed transactions, and market prices—with editorial judgment where filings are incomplete (for example, private holdings, debt, or cross-holdings). For Hisao Nagata, we anchor the narrative to Retail and Retail, then update the headline number as markets move. The chart on this page is meant to show trajectory, not a certified balance sheet.

When you see $1.37B alongside global rank #2767, interpret it as our best synthesis of widely cited ownership and price signals—not a claim about cash on hand. Estimates can diverge from other publishers because of different treatment of options, trusts, charitable vehicles, or illiquid assets. We document the general approach in methodology and welcome corrections via corrections.

Country (JAPAN) and career milestones on this page are curated for reader context; they should be verified against primary sources when used for research. Editorial metadata for this profile is refreshed on a rolling basis, with deeper audits at least annually (last noted cycle: 2026).

Looking for depth? When available, the dossier and timeline sections below add long-form context beyond the headline number—prioritize those modules when evaluating claims about strategy, controversies, or philanthropic commitments.

The Full Dossier

Early Life

Hisao Nagata's journey began with his father, Oumi, who opened a thrift store named Asahiya in Fukuoka in 1974. In 1981, at the age of 25, Hisao took over the business.

Rise to Success

Three years later, Nagata rebranded the store as Trial Company and also started a software developer focusing on retail. The first Trial discount store opened in 1992. Trial has developed technology to decrease labor costs and increase efficiency, including self-checkout shopping carts and AI-powered cameras to gather shopper behavior data and monitor inventory. In March 2024, Trial was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Growth bourse.

Key Business Strategies

Trial Holdings operates over 300 supermarkets across Japan that sell food, clothing, and other household goods at low prices. Trial uses innovative IoT devices and tech-embedded 'Smart Stores'. Nagata has written books on retail AI and digitization. The company announced a collaboration with NEC Corp for an AI-powered facial recognition system.

Philanthropy

Specific philanthropy amounts for Hisao Nagata were not found in the search results.

Career Timeline

2024

Trial Holdings IPO

Trial Holdings listed on Tokyo's Growth bourse.

2022

Published Book

Published a book on retail AI and digitization titled 'How to Win the Retail Digital Transformation.'

1992

Opened First Trial Discount Store

Opened the first Trial discount store.

1984

Founded Trial Company

Established Trial Company and also started a software developer focusing on retail digital transformation (DX) technology.

1981

Took over Asahiya

Hisao Nagata took over his father's thrift store.

1974

Asahiya Thrift Store

His father opened the Asahiya thrift store in Fukuoka.

Philanthropic Impact

Not AvailableUndisclosed

Not Available

Philanthropic information not found

Key Business Ventures & Holdings

CompanyStakeValue
Trial Holdings78.00%

Net Worth History

In-Depth Analysis

Early Life

Hisao Nagata's journey began with his father, Oumi, who opened a thrift store named Asahiya in Fukuoka in 1974. In 1981, at the age of 25, Hisao took over the business.

Rise to Success

Three years later, Nagata rebranded the store as Trial Company and also started a software developer focusing on retail. The first Trial discount store opened in 1992. Trial has developed technology to decrease labor costs and increase efficiency, including self-checkout shopping carts and AI-powered cameras to gather shopper behavior data and monitor inventory. In March 2024, Trial was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Growth bourse.

Key Business Strategies

Trial Holdings operates over 300 supermarkets across Japan that sell food, clothing, and other household goods at low prices. Trial uses innovative IoT devices and tech-embedded 'Smart Stores'. Nagata has written books on retail AI and digitization. The company announced a collaboration with NEC Corp for an AI-powered facial recognition system.

Philanthropy

Specific philanthropy amounts for Hisao Nagata were not found in the search results.

Data Sources & Methodology

Figures for Hisao Nagata are synthesized from the sources below and cross-checked against our net worth methodology. Estimates may lag market moves; see corrections to report discrepancies.