Masatomo Takahashi

Bringing Disneyland all the way to Japan

Born in Fukushima in 1913, Masatomo Takahashi joined Oriental Land in 1961 and first took part in the negotiations that made the reclamation of Urayasu’s waterfront possible. After becoming company president in 1978, he championed the idea of a Japanese Disneyland that would match the ambition of the American parks.

On April 30, 1979, he and Card Walker signed the agreement in Burbank covering the design, construction and operation of Tokyo Disneyland. When the project greatly exceeded its original budget, Takahashi rejected compromises and urged the teams to build a fully realised park.

A vision that extended beyond 1983

Takahashi opened Tokyo Disneyland with Card Walker and Mickey Mouse on April 15, 1983. His part in establishing the park and sustaining its success led to his induction as a Disney Legend in 1998. He died in 2000, before Tokyo DisneySea opened, having announced the second park himself twelve years earlier.