Maezawa's Happiness Experiment: When the Japanese Billionaire Gives Away a Fortune

In January 2020, Yusaku Maezawa completed a fascinating social experiment involving thousands of people on X. The goal of the well-known Japanese entrepreneur was as simple as it was provocative: to discover whether a substantial amount of money could truly increase the level of well-being and happiness of those who received it.

The Numbers of the Experiment

The initiative involved 1,000 lucky winners randomly selected from all those who shared Maezawa’s tweet. The pool of resources involved was considerable: overall, the entrepreneur distributed 1 billion yen, which is approximately 8 million euros. Each winner received an amount ranging from 8,200 to 9,000 euros, depending on currency exchange fluctuations at the time of the transaction.

The Research Method

What made this initiative particularly interesting was not only the generosity of the donation but also the scientific approach Yusaku Maezawa decided to take. In fact, the entrepreneur announced his intention to maintain ongoing contact with the winners through structured questionnaires. This monitoring system allowed him to track the concrete effects that such a sum would have on the beneficiaries’ daily lives and their overall perception of happiness over time.

An experience that sparked interesting debates about the relationship between material wealth and personal well-being.