Billionaire Akira Mori, the owner of Japan's most profitable closely held developer, said he has formed a company to invest in China and advise Japanese companies on expanding there.
"Japan's environment is getting difficult; I want to build a company that is willing to take risks," said Mori, 76, in an interview in Tokyo. Mori said he plans to expand the assets of MA Platform Group, set up with ¥16 billion of capital, to ¥50 billion in five years. MA Platform has invested ¥18 billion including financing so far.
Mori seeks to invest in educational services and mass media in China, he said. The company became the second-largest shareholder in closely held Beijing-based Tsingda eEdu Corp., which offers classes over the Internet.