Kazuo Okada

Kazuo Okada is a Japanese businessman who built one of the country's leading pachinko machine manufacturers and later became an international casino investor. He founded Universal Kogyo in 1968, the company that grew into Universal Entertainment Corporation, and he is best known outside Japan for developing Okada Manila in the Philippines.

Okada entered the global casino industry through Wynn Resorts. Through Universal and affiliated entities, his companies held a substantial stake in Wynn Resorts, and he joined the board as a director in 2002. In 2012 Wynn Resorts accused him of making improper payments to foreign gaming regulators, deemed him unsuitable, and redeemed his shares, triggering years of litigation between Okada and the company.

After the Wynn dispute, Okada shifted his focus to the Philippines, where Universal built the Okada Manila integrated resort in Entertainment City. He served as chairman of the Philippine operating company, Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., until the boards of Universal and the Manila subsidiary removed him in June 2017. The removal followed allegations of misappropriation and unauthorized payments, which Okada disputed.

Since 2017, Okada has continued to contest the governance battles over Universal Entertainment and Okada Manila through legal and corporate actions. He remains publicly identified as the founder of Universal Entertainment, though he no longer holds a confirmed executive office at the company or its Manila casino operator.