
Japan's richest man, Yasuo Takei, who rose to fame as founder of consumer credit company Takefuji Corp. but retired in shame after a wiretapping scandal, has died, a company spokesman said Friday...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 US$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...more...