Tokyo, Japan – In a significant strategic move for Japan’s entertainment landscape, Kako Kuwahara has been appointed as the new President and CEO of Nippon Television Music Corporation, a pivotal music publishing arm of the leading multi-platform entertainment powerhouse, Nippon TV. The appointment, effective July 14, 2025, positions Kuwahara at the forefront of the company’s ambitious drive to strengthen its global presence, particularly in the burgeoning international market for Japanese music and intellectual properties (IPs).
Kuwahara assumes the leadership from Akihiro Shimizu, who transitions to the presidency of Tipness Co. Ltd., another subsidiary within the Nippon TV Holdings group that operates fitness clubs across Japan. Her new role will see her reporting directly to Keiichi Sawa, Senior Operating Officer at Nippon TV Holdings, underscoring the strategic importance of Nippon TV Music’s international growth within the broader corporate vision.
A Veteran’s Ascent: Kuwahara’s Distinguished Career
Kako Kuwahara brings a robust and diverse professional background to her new leadership position, marked by extensive experience in international business and anime. Prior to this appointment, she served as the Head of International Business and the Head of Anime Business at Nippon TV. Her tenure in these roles was notably impactful, as she played a crucial role in the global launch and success of major anime titles, including critically acclaimed series such as The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Her efforts significantly expanded Nippon TV’s anime business on the international stage, demonstrating her acumen in navigating global markets and leveraging popular content.
Kuwahara’s career at Nippon TV dates back further, with successful stints in various divisions, including Production, Public Relations, Sales, and Pay TV. Notably, in her role within the pay TV business, she was instrumental in bringing K-pop content, specifically from artists like TOHOSHINKI, to Hulu Japan and other Nippon TV pay TV platforms, which reportedly set a record for new subscribers. Her progression within Nippon TV, including her promotion to Managing Director for the International Business Development (IBD) division in 2017, highlights a consistent track record of driving growth and streamlining international rights clearing processes for Nippon TV content. This comprehensive experience positions her uniquely to lead Nippon TV Music’s strategic global expansion.
Nippon TV Music: Core Functions and Global Ambitions
Established in 1969 and headquartered in Tokyo, Nippon Television Music Corporation functions as a vital music publisher within the Nippon TV Group. The company’s core operations span two key areas: music business and character business.
The Music Business Portfolio
In its music division, Nippon TV Music is responsible for a wide array of activities that are integral to Nippon TV’s content ecosystem. These include:
- Coordination of Theme Songs and Background Scores: The company oversees the creation and integration of musical works, such as theme songs and background scores, for a diverse range of Nippon TV programs, including hugely popular anime titles like Death Note, The Apothecary Diaries, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and Hunter x Hunter.
- Master Recording Production: Nippon TV Music handles the production of master recordings, ensuring high-quality audio for its various projects.
- Copyright Management: A significant aspect of its operations involves managing music publishing rights and ensuring the proper licensing and protection of its musical assets globally, often in collaboration with international sub-publishers.
- Artist and Creator Nurturing: The company also plays a role in fostering emerging artists and creators, contributing to the broader Japanese music talent pool.
Character IP Management
Beyond music, Nippon TV Music is also deeply involved in the character business. This segment focuses on the international merchandising and game adaptation of popular character intellectual properties (IPs) associated with Nippon TV’s programming. Notable examples of franchises under its purview include Hunter x Hunter and the beloved children’s series Anpanman, demonstrating the company’s role in extending the reach and commercial viability of Nippon TV’s content beyond its original broadcast format.
Strategic Vision under Kuwahara’s Leadership
Kuwahara’s appointment aligns perfectly with Nippon TV Holdings’ broader strategic objectives, which emphasize a significant expansion of its global business. Nippon TV aims to evolve from a content-oriented approach to becoming a global content creator, with an ambitious target of achieving ¥100 billion in international sales by fiscal year 2033. The company’s focus on IP development across drama, film, music, and character businesses is central to this vision.
In her own words, Kuwahara expressed a clear ambition for Nippon TV Music under her leadership: “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”. She emphasized a collaborative approach with Japan’s talented music creators to “create music and characters that resonate with audiences worldwide”, spanning anime, films, drama series, and variety shows. This statement highlights a dual focus: leveraging the success of Nippon TV’s existing content, particularly anime, and fostering new creative ventures with a global audience in mind.
The Global Appeal of Japanese Music and Content
Kuwahara’s mandate to strengthen Nippon TV Music’s global presence comes at a time when Japanese music is experiencing unprecedented international interest. The Japanese music market is the second largest globally, trailing only the United States. While historically reliant on physical sales, the industry has seen significant growth in digital music sales, with streaming increasingly gaining ground. In 2024, nearly 50% of royalties earned by Japanese artists came from outside Japan, primarily from songs performed in Japanese, indicating a robust global appetite for the genre.
The enduring popularity of Japanese animation (anime) has long served as a gateway for international audiences to discover Japanese music. Titles like Death Note and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, for which Nippon TV Music oversees scores and theme songs, have vast global fan bases, providing a natural platform for their accompanying music to reach a worldwide audience. Beyond anime, the global appeal of diverse Japanese music genres—from J-pop and hip-hop to city pop and Vocaloid—is expanding, actively inspiring artists and listeners globally.
Nippon TV’s broader strategy acknowledges that while anime and games currently constitute 90% of the overseas Japanese content market, there are significant opportunities for expansion into unscripted, scripted, movies, music, and live entertainment. By placing a seasoned international business and anime expert like Kako Kuwahara at the helm of Nippon TV Music, the company is clearly signaling its intent to capitalize on this growing global demand and establish its musical and character IPs as truly international phenomena. The strategic focus on a fully integrated IP development system, from creation to downstream monetization, along with fostering external partnerships, will be critical to achieving these ambitious global targets.
