Nippon TV, Japan’s leading multiplatform entertainment powerhouse, today announced a strategic evolution of its international divisions and leadership structure, with the formation of its newest Global Strategy division which will drive long-term growth initiatives across IP development, technology, strategic partnerships, and region-specific market strategies. This new division will work in parallel with the company’s long-established Content Business division which will continue to spearhead worldwide content sales, format remakes, and global distribution. The announcement was made by Keiichi Sawa, Board Director, Senior Executive Operating Officer, Nippon TV.
It was also announced that Kazuo Takaya, formerly Hulu Japan President, has been appointed as the President of Global Strategy along with the promotion of Satoru Hiramatsu, elevating Hiramatsu to Executive Vice President of Content Business. Hiramatsu previously served as Managing Director of the division and will report directly to Tadafumi Shimomura, President, Content Business.
Under this new leadership structure, Nippon TV’s Global Strategy division will place a strong focus on expanding the international scale of Gyokuro Studio, the company’s unscripted content production brand, and AiDi, Nippon TV’s proprietary AI-powered solution. Together, these initiatives represent key pillars in the company’s ambition to strengthen its creative, technological, and commercial presence in the global market.
Kazuo Takaya brings extensive experience across content creation, programming, and streaming. Before serving as President of Hulu in Japan from 2023 to 2026, where he spearheaded business development and product innovation for the SVOD platform, he was the producer of many hit Nippon TV shows and also held a key role in the company’s programming division, which oversees the greenlighting of programs broadcast nationwide across Nippon TV and its network. Drawing on his deep knowledge of content development, digital distribution, audience engagement, and platform-driven growth, Takaya will lead Nippon TV’s next phase of global business expansion.
“Global Business is becoming an increasingly important driver of Nippon TV’s future growth,” said Kazuo Takaya, President of Global Strategy, Nippon TV. “Leveraging our strengths as a global content company, we aim to explore and drive business opportunities worldwide across a diverse range of areas and initiatives. With Gyokuro Studio, we have launched a powerful creative brand that can deliver fresh unscripted formats and ideas to partners around the world such as Majority Rules. With AiDi, we have the opportunity to combine Nippon TV’s production expertise with advanced technology to create new value for the global media and entertainment industry, already proven by its use in major international sports events. I look forward to working closely with partners across the globe to further strengthen the industry.”
Meanwhile, in Content Business, newly appointed Executive Vice President Hiramatsu will continue to oversee the global content sales and promotion team, which has driven the global success of hit formats and titles such as Dragons’ Den/Shark Tank, Mother, and Old Enough!.
Under Hiramatsu’s leadership, Nippon TV has expanded its global presence across both format sales and streaming distribution. In the format market, the Canadian adaptation of Old Enough! secured recommissions for Seasons 2 and 3, establishing the title as a proven global format. On the scripted side, Mother was recently adapted in Greece, bringing its total to 11 international versions. According to K7 Media, Mother retains its status as the most-remade scripted format out of Asia. Furthermore, including other drama titles, Nippon TV recently ranked sixth worldwide in total remake distribution deals. The company also drove strong sales to global streaming platforms, successfully securing worldwide distribution on Netflix for entertainment shows including Golden SixTONES and Monday Late Show.
Satoru Hiramatsu, Executive Vice President of Content Business, Nippon TV said, “Nippon TV’s core strength lies in our expansive library of high-quality content, driven by the exceptional creativity of our in-house creators. Our position as the world’s sixth-ranked remake distributor reflects how deeply our formats and programs resonate across borders. Building on the strong foundation of enduring hits like Mother and Old Enough!, we are continuing this momentum with a fresh lineup of new formats, drama series, and variety shows this year. In this new role, I look forward to further strengthening our global sales and promotional efforts to maximize the reach of our content.”
