Den Fujita (藤田 田 Fujita Den, March 3, 1926 - April 21, 2004) was a wealthy Japanese founder of McDonald's Japan. March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ...

Background

Fujita was born in Osaka, Japan to a Christian mother and father who worked in a foreign company. Fujita, who was entirely ethnically Japanese, was reared differently from most other Japanese children. With a command of the English language, he served as a translator during high school. However, after World War II, Fujita found his life altered by the death of his father and the destruction of his house. Fujita was educated at the University of Tokyo law school and after graduating in 1951, he decided to work at the importing business he started while attending the University. As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... The University of Tokyo (東京大学; Tōkyō Daigaku, abbreviated as 東大 Tōdai) is generally ranked as Japans most prestigious university as well as a leading university in Asia. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

McDonald's Japan

After his first McDonald's meal in 1967, Fujita was amazed by its efficiency and popularity. After selling imported bags and shoes, Fujita seized on the opportunity to start McDonald's franchises in Japan in 1971. He opened the his first McDonald's in Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza(銀座三越), an upscale district in Tokyo, Japan. McDonald's Japan now has 3,800 restaurants, earning revenue of approximately $4 billion a year (60% of the hamburger market). Much of the success was due to the Japanese styled offerings such as the Teriyaki McBurger(テリヤキマックバーガー) and Chicken Tatsuta(チキンタツタ). After building McDonald's presence in Japan and building a net worth of about $1 billion, Fujita retired on March 5, 2003. His ambitions, however, did not receded with age as he predicted that there would be 10,000 McDonald's in Japan by 2010. In December of 2003, McDonald's paid $57 million (estimated) for canceling its contract with Fujita & Co. (Fujita's consulting company) along with a $24 million retirement bonus. However, Fujita's family still holds a 25% stake in the McDonald's Japan. 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ... The Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Nihombashi section of Tokyo Mitsukoshi (三越) (TYO: 2779) is an international department store chain founded in 1673. ... The Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan The Wako department store occupies a busy corner in Ginza Ginza (銀座) is a place in Chūō Ward, Tokyo named after the silver coin foundry or Ginza established here in 1612 (Edo period). ... Tokyo (東京; Tōkyō, lit. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ... 2003 (MMIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... McDonalds Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast-food restaurants. ...

Other Roles

Fujita served on the board of Softbank, whose Korean-Japanese founder, Masayoshi Son, once idolized Fujita's as a boy. He served as Vice-Chairman of Toys 'R' Us Japan. Fujita wrote eight books on business strategy. Softbank (Japanese: ソフトバンク) (TYO: 9984) is a Japanese corporation involved in electronic commerce on the Internet and broadband. ... Masayoshi Son Masayoshi Son (Japanese: 孫正義, Son, Masayoshi, Korean: 손정의, Son, Jung-eui, born August 11, 1957 in Tosu, Saga Prefecture, Japan) is a Korean Japanese(韓国系日本人, 한국계 일본인) and the founder and current chief executive officer of Softbank Capital. ...

Death

Den Fujita died of heart failure on April 21, 2004, two days after then McDonald's CEO, Jim Cantalupo died of a heart attack. April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... James Richard Cantalupo (November 14, 1943 - April 19, 2004) was an American executive, serving as chairman and chief executive officer of McDonalds Corporation until his sudden death by heart attack at the age of 60. ... A myocardial infarction occurs when an atherosclerotic plaque slowly builds up in the inner lining of a coronary artery and then suddenly ruptures, totally occluding the artery and preventing blood flow downstream. ...

Awards and Honors

• Business Week: The Stars of Asia Managers (2001)
• Forbes: World's Richest People (1999 - )
• Blue Ribbon Award for business achievement from Emperor Hirohito (1986)

Hirohito (裕仁), the Shōwa Emperor (昭和天皇), (April 29, 1901 - January 7, 1989) reigned over Japan from 1926 to 1989. ...

External links

• [1], Business Week: The Stars of Asia Managers
• [2], Japanese Bio

Articles

• [3], "2004: World's Richest People - Den Fujita & Family"