Why Is a Japanese Billionaire Dropping Dollars From Space?

Yusaku Maezawa is a Japanese billionaire known for his giving attitude. In the past, he's given millions of his $9 billion fortune away on Twitter. Unsurprisingly, when Maezawa had an opportunity to go to space, he included a major giveaway event on his itinerary.

Maezawa's rise to fortune began when he started selling CDs from his own home. Eventually, that path led him to found Zozotown, which is the largest online shopping mall in Japan. He launched it in 1998, and now the Zozo parent company is big enough to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Maezawa sold much of his own stock to Yahoo Japan in 2019 in a deal worth millions.

Most recently, Maezawa ended up on a 12-day trip to the International Space Station — an opportunity he paid millions for. Maezawa told reporters that he felt more people with influence, wealth or power should visit space, as it would give them a different view of the Earth and perhaps lead them to treat it differently.

Maezawa used his trip to connect with people back on Earth via Twitter and other formats. He shared videos demonstrating how the toilet works in space or what it's like to brush one's teeth in zero gravity. He even worked temporarily for Uber Eats so he could deliver Japanese takeout to astronauts.

Among his many activities while traveling in space, Maezawa gave away money to followers. Everyone who participated got something, and the giveaway amounts ranged from around $4.40 to $8,814 in U.S. dollars (the giveaway money was actually delivered in Japanese yen). The money was given through an app that allowed people to spend in participating shops or give the money to charity.

The reason for the space philanthropy? Maezawa doesn't seem to need a reason and often seems to do things for the joy of sharing them.