KADOKAWA and note Announce Capital and Business Alliance — Toward Developing a Next-Generation IP Operation Ecosystem to Empower Creators’ Creative Activities — | NEWS RELEASEKADOKAWA GROUP GLOBAL PORTAL SITE

KADOKAWA CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Chief Executive Officer: Takeshi Natsuno; hereinafter “KADOKAWA”) and note inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Founder & CEO: Sadaaki Kato; hereinafter “note”) hereby announce that they have formed a capital and business alliance to develop a next-generation IP operation ecosystem.

As digitalization and the rise of generative AI transform the landscape of content creation and distribution, the two companies will collaborate to foster an environment that supports creators in reaching broader audiences, generating revenue, and sustaining their creative activities. To achieve this, KADOKAWA and note will work together to establish a comprehensive framework that seamlessly links the entire lifecycle of creation, distribution, monetization, and rights protection.

Background of the Capital and Business Alliance

The KADOKAWA Group is committed to its mission, “A Platform for Creativity.” The Group focuses on the stable creation of a diverse range of intellectual property (IP) by discovering talent from around the world, and develops these IPs across a multifaceted range of media—including animation, live-action films, games, and merchandise—with publishing at its core. Furthermore, under its “Global Media Mix with Technology” strategy, KADOKAWA leverages technology to maximize the value of its IP and deliver it to users worldwide.

Meanwhile, note operates the media platform “note” under its mission, “Start, and Keep on Creating.” The platform allows creators to post UGC (User Generated Content)—including text, images, audio, and video—while enabling users to enjoy and support their work. It has evolved into one of Japan’s leading creator economy platforms, with 11.14 million registered members and 69.56 million public posts as of the end of November 2025. Moving forward, the company is developing mechanisms that enable creators' works and activities to reach society more broadly.
Accordingly, both companies share a high affinity and a common vision for platform management that maximizes the “passion” of creators, as well as for the development of IP originating from these platforms.

Furthermore, amidst a drastically shifting business environment, both companies are aligned in their aim to achieve sustainable growth by building new AI-based data distribution models and evolving into a next-generation IP operation ecosystem that fuses UGC with professional editorial expertise. Based on the conviction that significant synergies can be expected by combining KADOKAWA’s editorial and media capabilities with note’s traffic, SaaS infrastructure, and UGC ecosystem—particularly in areas such as IP development, publishing DX, AI data distribution, and fan community formation—both companies have entered into this capital and business alliance.

Scope of Collaboration

(1) IP Creation and Development

The two companies will work to increase book adaptations originating from “note” and promote the development of next-generation, digital-native content unbound by traditional publishing processes. Beyond books, both companies will pursue content development premised on merchandise and events to enhance profitability and foster a new creative ecosystem. Additionally, KADOKAWA and note will jointly support creator monetization by leveraging note’s membership functions and other platform features.

(2) Publishing DX

KADOKAWA will leverage the SaaS infrastructure of “note pro” for a portion of its websites to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. Simultaneously, the two companies aim to strengthen traffic from SEO and AI-driven searches by capitalizing on note’s unique platform characteristics. Furthermore, they will work to build a new value chain by linking user reviews and feedback from note’s diverse content to KADOKAWA’s publishing and promotional activities.

(3) AI Data Distribution

Through initiatives such as “GENIAC,” a generative AI strengthening project led by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for which note was selected to participate, the two companies will collaborate to build a sound data distribution infrastructure for the AI era. Specifically, they will jointly conduct trials and studies to develop revenue models based on the fair value evaluation of content assets to be returned to copyright holders, as well as to build RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) models with clear rights relationships.

(4) Fan Communities

The two companies will facilitate discussions and considerations regarding the application of the KADOKAWA Group’s video distribution technology and expertise on the note platform. Through video and audio distribution on note, both companies aim to deepen engagement between creators and fans, while expanding the member base across both platforms and creating new revenue opportunities.

Comments

Sadaaki Kato, Founder & CEO of note inc.

“note operates under the mission, ‘Start, and Keep on Creating,’ and has built a platform where creators can publish, deliver, and monetize their work. It is a great honor to partner with KADOKAWA, a company that has for many years produced a vast array of exceptional original works and expanded them across multifaceted media.

Having personally been a member of ASCII within the KADOKAWA Group in the past, I feel a deep sense of connection in this alliance. I look forward to working together to build a new creative ecosystem suited for the AI era.”

Takeshi Natsuno, President and CEO of KADOKAWA CORPORATION

“We are delighted to have formed this alliance with note, one of Japan’s leading UGC platforms. Under KADOKAWA’s ‘Global Media Mix with Technology’ strategy, the diverse talent and the passion gathered on note serve as a rich fountainhead for creating next-generation IP. By combining the strengths of both companies, we will build a new ecosystem with note to deliver creators’ talents to the world with unprecedented speed.”

About note

note is a media platform where creators post text, images, audio, and video, and users enjoy and support that content. We value a safe atmosphere and diversity so that everyone can enjoy and continue creating. Individuals and corporations mingle, expanding opportunities to find things they like and meet interesting people. The service launched in April 2014, and approximately 69.56 million works have been created. The number of members has reached 11.14 million (as of the end of November 2025).

About KADOKAWA CORPORATION

KADOKAWA CORPORATION develops a wide range of entertainment including publication, videos, games, Web services, education, operating IP experiential facilities such as TOKOROZAWA SAKURA TOWN. By utilizing technology, KADOKAWA CORPORATION implements a global media mix strategy, focusing on stable Intellectual Property (IP) creation and delivering it to the world in a variety of forms.
https://group.kadokawa.co.jp/global/

Future Prospects

The impact of this matter towards KADOKAWA’s consolidated business results is expected to be immaterial.

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For Inquiries and Media Requests:
Public Relations Division, KADOKAWA CORPORATION
E-mail: pr-dept@kadokawa.jp

Notice:
This document is a translation of the original Japanese document and is only for reference purposes. In the event of any discrepancy between this translated document and the original Japanese document, the latter shall prevail.

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