Kako Kuwahara has been appointed the new President and CEO of Nippon Television Music Corporation, a pivotal move poised to accelerate the global reach of the company’s extensive portfolio of music and character intellectual properties (IPs). This appointment, effective July 14, 2025, sees Kuwahara, a seasoned executive with a deep understanding of the anime and international business sectors, taking over from Akihiro Shimizu, who transitions to President of Tipness Co. Ltd., another subsidiary of Nippon Television Holdings.
A Strategic Shift Towards Global IP Expansion
Nippon Television Music Corporation, established in 1969 and headquartered in Tokyo, serves as the music publishing arm of Japan’s multi-platform entertainment giant, Nippon TV. The company plays a crucial role in promoting the global presence of music and character IPs associated with Nippon TV’s diverse content. Its responsibilities span a wide array of musical works, including scores, theme songs, and soundtracks for globally renowned anime titles such as Hunter x Hunter, Death Note, The Apothecary Diaries, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. The company collaborates with sub-publishers worldwide to extend its reach. Beyond music, Nippon TV Music is also actively involved in international merchandising and game adaptations for major IPs, including Hunter x Hunter and the beloved children’s franchise Anpanman.
Kuwahara’s appointment aligns with Nippon TV Holdings’ broader strategic vision to transform into a global content company, with a particular focus on expanding its IP business in the music, character, drama, and film sectors. The group’s “Medium-Term Management Plan 2025-2027” emphasizes leveraging IP development and production capabilities to create content that resonates globally, aiming for ¥30 billion in international sales by fiscal year 2027. This strategic push includes establishing a new entity within Nippon TV to drive the IP business for music and artists, fostering collaborations with the music industry to discover global star artists, and expanding into a global music business as an entire group.
Kuwahara’s Proven Track Record
Kako Kuwahara brings a wealth of experience to her new leadership role, having previously served as Head of International Business and Head of Anime Business at Nippon TV. Her prior roles have been instrumental in the global success of several key anime titles, notably The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which significantly boosted Nippon TV’s standing in the international anime marketplace. Her expertise in navigating the complexities of international markets and her deep understanding of the anime industry make her an ideal fit to lead Nippon TV Music’s next phase of growth.
Before her roles in international and anime business, Kuwahara had a distinguished career within Nippon TV, having transferred to the International Business Development (IBD) division in 2015 after successful stints in the Production, Public Relations, Sales, and Pay TV divisions. A notable achievement in her pay TV tenure was bringing K-pop content, specifically from TOHOSHINKI, to Hulu Japan and other Nippon TV pay TV platforms, which set a record for new subscribers. Her oversight of the GEM channel in Southeast Asia and her efforts to streamline rights clearing processes for Nippon TV content export sales also highlight her commitment to international expansion.
Vision for the Future
Reporting to Keiichi Sawa, Senior Operating Officer at Nippon TV Holdings, Kuwahara is expected to spearhead further international growth and strategic collaborations for Nippon TV Music. In her inaugural statement, Kuwahara articulated her vision, emphasizing the global appeal of Nippon TV’s anime titles and the company’s ambition to further elevate its presence through music. “Anime titles from Nippon TV such as Hunter x Hunter, Death Note, The Apothecary Diaries, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End are enjoyed by audiences around the world,” Kuwahara stated. “While Nippon TV is already a global powerhouse in Japanese entertainment, we at Nippon TV Music aim to further elevate our presence through music produced by us on Nippon TV’s hit shows. Together with anime, films, drama series, and variety shows—and in collaboration with Japan’s talented music creators—we aspire to create music and characters that resonate with audiences worldwide.”
Under Kuwahara’s leadership, Nippon TV Music aims to strengthen its presence in the global market. The company operates across two key business areas: the music sector and the character IP sector. In the music business, it manages master recording production, copyright management, coordination of theme songs and scores for Nippon TV programming, and supports the development of emerging artists and creators. In the character business, it oversees international merchandising and game adaptations of popular franchises including Hunter x Hunter, Anpanman, and Lupin the Third. This dual focus is critical to maximizing the value of Nippon TV’s creative output across multiple platforms and revenue streams.
The Broader Context of Nippon TV Holdings
Nippon Television Music Corporation is a key component of the larger Nippon TV Group, which has a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries involved in terrestrial broadcasting, digital BS and CS broadcasting, technical production, program production, event management, art design, and fitness club operations. The appointment of Kuwahara to lead the music arm underscores the group’s strategic commitment to leveraging its rich content library and extending its influence beyond traditional broadcasting into global digital and IP-driven markets. The company’s history dates back to 1952 when it was established as the first commercial TV broadcaster in Japan, with Nippon Television Music Corporation specifically founded in 1969. This long history provides a strong foundation for Kuwahara to build upon as she steers the company towards its ambitious global objectives.
