Who topped Forbes’ first annual list of billionaires, published in 1987?

Yoshiaki Tsutsumi topped Forbes’ first annual list of billionaires, published in 1987.

The Japanese businessman was estimated to be worth about $20 billion, making him the richest person in the inaugural Forbes billionaire ranking. His fortune was associated with the Seibu group, whose businesses included railways, real estate and hotels.

Forbes began publishing the list to identify people whose wealth reached at least one billion US dollars. The 1987 edition contained 140 billionaires, a much smaller group than modern lists.

Tsutsumi’s position later disappeared as asset values changed and scrutiny of his business empire increased. This early ranking is often confused with the separate Forbes 400 list of wealthy Americans, which began in 1982 and has always focused on the United States.