Nippon Television Music Corporation, a pivotal music publishing arm of Japan’s leading multi-platform entertainment conglomerate Nippon TV, has announced the appointment of Kako Kuwahara as its new President and CEO. This strategic leadership change is poised to further enhance Nippon TV Music’s global presence, particularly in the burgeoning anime music and character IP markets. Kuwahara succeeds Akihiro Shimizu, who has transitioned to the role of President at Tipness Co. Ltd., another subsidiary within the Nippon Television Holdings portfolio.
A Strategic Move for Global Expansion
The appointment of Kako Kuwahara on July 14, 2025, underscores Nippon TV Music’s commitment to accelerating the international reach of its extensive catalog. The company, established in 1969 and headquartered in Tokyo, manages a wide array of musical works, including scores, theme songs, and soundtracks for globally recognized anime titles such as Hunter x Hunter, Death Note, The Apothecary Diaries, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. Beyond music, Nippon TV Music is also actively involved in international merchandising and game adaptations for major IPs like Hunter x Hunter and the popular children’s franchise Anpanman.
Kuwahara’s leadership is expected to drive the company’s strategic collaborations and foster further international growth. Reporting to Keiichi Sawa, Senior Operating Officer at Nippon TV Holdings, her mandate is clear: to strengthen Nippon TV Music’s presence in the global market.
Kako Kuwahara’s Extensive Background
Kako Kuwahara brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the anime and international business sectors to her new role. She previously served as Head of International Business and Head of Anime Business at Nippon TV. In these capacities, she played a crucial role in the global success of notable anime titles such as The Apothecary Diaries and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, significantly boosting Nippon TV’s footprint in the worldwide anime marketplace.
Her career at Nippon TV has seen her contribute across various divisions, including Production, Public Relations, Sales, and Pay TV, before moving to the International Business Development (IBD) division in 2015. Her accomplishments include successfully bringing K-pop content to platforms like Hulu Japan, which resulted in record-high subscriber numbers. Since joining IBD, Kuwahara has overseen the GEM channel in Southeast Asia and spearheaded initiatives to streamline rights clearing processes for Nippon TV content export sales.
The Vision for Nippon TV Music
Commenting on her new appointment, Kuwahara expressed her vision for Nippon TV Music. She acknowledged Nippon TV’s existing strength as a global powerhouse in Japanese entertainment and articulated the goal for Nippon TV Music to further elevate its presence through the music produced for Nippon TV’s hit shows. Kuwahara emphasized the aspiration to create music and characters that resonate with audiences worldwide, in collaboration with Japan’s talented music creators, encompassing anime, films, drama series, and variety shows.
Nippon TV Music’s operations are divided into two core areas: the music business and the character business. The music sector focuses on master recording production, copyright management, coordinating theme songs and background scores for Nippon TV programming, and supporting emerging artists. The character business oversees international merchandising and game adaptations for popular franchises. Under Kuwahara’s leadership, the company is poised to deepen its commitment to delivering the essence and spirit of its works to fans globally through high-quality products and services.
