DIRECTOR AND SENIOR ADVISOR
Dynam Japan
POWER SCORE: 762
POSITION LAST YEAR: 36
CLAIMS TO FAME
- Largest individual shareholder of Japan’s second largest pachinko operator
JAPAN’S PACHINKO INDUSTRY has shown some resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, yet that hasn’t been enough to halt its slow and steady decline.
Dynam Japan Holdings, Japan’s second largest pachinko hall operator, is a case in point. Despite making significant changes to its business model in recent years – converting high playing cost halls to low playing cost halls and targeting entertainment over volatility – Dynam has seen the number of halls under its banner continue to slide, falling from 448 halls in 2020 to 442 last year and 433 as of 31 March 2022.
Nevertheless, the business environment has shown some improvement since the heart of the pandemic, with Dynam’s revenue climbing 6.6% year-on-year to JPY105.1 billion (US$720 million) and profit by 111% to JPY5.0 billion (US$34 million) in FY22.
That’s good news for Yoji Sato, Dynam’s key decision maker and holder of a personal 34% stake in the company his father founded in 1967.
According to a Forbes 2020 Rich List, Sato’s personal fortune exceeds US$800 million, however it is notable that the Sato family dropped off the list in 2021 – reflecting the ongoing struggles the pachinko industry faces.
For the full list of 2022 Asian Gaming Power 50 winners, click here.
