was considered to be one of

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

's most powerful and influential building tycoons. He joined the real estate business of his father, Taikichiro Mori, after graduating from

Tokyo University , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

and was president and CEO of Mori Building, of which he and his older brother Kei's (a university professor) families owned 100%. He owned 12.74% of Sunwood Corporation. The family name is found on many real estate developments in

. Minoru and his brother Akira were listed on the

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

list of the world's richest men. His largest project was the Roppongi Hills development in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...

, which opened in 2003. The Shanghai World Financial Center, once China's tallest building, was completed in 2008. Mori acknowledged the influence of

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , , ), was a Swiss-French architect, designer, painter, urban planner, writer, and one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture. He was ...

but believed he had surpassed the Swiss architect's urban designs, particularly in the Roppongi Hills project. In 2006, Mori's last development, Omotesando Hills, opened near Harajuku station consisting of a set of ramped shopping floors. In 2008, he was named Asia Businessman of the Year 2007 by Fortune magazine. In 2009, he was honored as an honorary Knight Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. He died of heart failure in 2012.Minoru Mori, Builder Who Changed the Face of Modern Tokyo, Dies at 77
''New York Times'', 14 March 2012 He was 77.

Noteworthy developments

* Shanghai World Financial Center * Roppongi Hills * Mori Tower * Ark Hills *

Atago Green Hills is an urban complex, located in Atago, Minato-ku in central Tokyo between the Kamiyacho and Onarimon subway stations. Constructed by building tycoon Minoru Mori, the complex incorporates offices, residences, shops, gardens, temples and museu ...

* Holland Hills * Omotesando Hills * Roppongi First Building ;Residential:
Akasaka Tameike Tower

Ark Towers
*Wangdu Towers
Ark Forest Terrace

Roppongi First Plaza

Nishi-Azabu Forest Plaza

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mori, Minoru 1934 births 2012 deaths University of Tokyo alumni Japanese chief executives Japanese businesspeople in real estate Museum founders Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mori Building 20th-century philanthropists

Noteworthy developments

See also

References