Kazunari Imai Joins Believe Japan as Chairman & Strategy Head

Believe has appointed Kazunari Imai to the newly created role of Chairman & Strategic Business Relations Senior Executive Director of Believe Japan.

The role:

• Imai will co-lead the definition and execution of Believe Japan’s business scale strategy to drive growth across its business, including Label & Artist Solutions.

• He will also identify large-scale M&A and strategic joint-venture opportunities to reinforce Believe’s position and impact in the Japanese music industry.

• Imai will report to Erika Ogawa, Believe Japan’s Managing Director, and to Sylvain Delange, Believe’s President for APAC.

Backstory:

• In a career spanning 40 years, Imai has previously served as Director of Victor Entertainment Inc. and Representative Director of JVC NETWORKS, Inc.

• He was also Promoter at the rock label SPEEDSTAR RECORDS/TAISHITA label.

• Between 2020 and 2023 he was Executive Officer and Executive Director Music Marketing Div. of Pony Canyon Inc., and became CEO and President of music consulting agency “KiSML.Inc.”

Japanese expansion:

• Believe launched in Japan in October 2023.

• In February 2024 it launched its Artist Services with the creation of PLAYCODE, Believe’s first hip-hop focused imprint in Japan.

• In March 2025 it signed a landmark comprehensive partnership with Teichiku Entertainment.

What they said:

• Kazunari Imai: “I am honored to join Believe Japan in this newly created role and to put my extensive experience across all fields of the Japanese music business at the service of its mission to develop local artists and labels. Japan is one of the world’s leading music markets, yet its digital sector still holds significant room for growth. By bringing global expertise that has supported the expansion and strengthening of digital music markets worldwide, particularly across Asia and now into Japan, we find strong alignment with the vision outlined by Japanese industry bodies and stakeholders. We are confident that now is the moment to jointly lead the digital transformation of Japan’s music industry.”