Hisao Nagata is a Japanese businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Chairman of Trial Holdings (TYO: 141A), a dominant discount supermarket chain with a unique focus on retail IT and developing AI systems. His career is rooted in the essential retail sector and a profound recognition of the need for technological disruption in traditional shopping.

His father, Oumi Nagata, opened a thrift store called Asahiya in 1974 in Fukuoka. Hisao took over the business in 1981, changing the name to Trial Company and simultaneously recognizing the need for a software developer focusing on retail—the genesis of his unique, integrated retail and technology empire.

Hisao Nagata's strategic genius was his commitment to using proprietary technology to decrease labor costs and increase efficiency in retail—a full decade before most global retailers embraced it. His innovations include developing self-checkout shopping carts and AI-powered cameras to gather shopper behavior data and monitor inventory. The first Trial discount store opened in 1992.

Under his leadership, Trial Holdings expanded to over 300 stores in Japan, posting billions in revenue (over $4.6 billion in the fiscal year ended June 2024). The company successfully executed its IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Growth bourse in March 2024, securing Nagata's multi-billion dollar fortune. He is also a published author, writing books on retail AI and digitalization, cementing his legacy as a technical pioneer in the global retail sector.

Hisao Nagata's social impact is structural, stemming from Trial Holdings' role in providing affordable consumer goods through its discount supermarket chain. His company provides thousands of stable retail and technology jobs.

His structural contribution is tied to the successful digitalization of the traditional retail process in Japan, providing a model for efficiency and innovation in the service sector. His work helps drive the technological modernization of the retail industry globally.

Hisao Nagata maintains the professional, pragmatic style of a Japanese retail executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored business suits. His aesthetic is one of serious authority, reflecting his blend of retail operations and IT systems expertise.

Residing in Fukuoka, Japan, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to retail scale, technology integration, and the continuous management of his essential discount supermarket empire.