KADOKAWA does not just deliver Japanese intellectual properties (IPs) to the world. It also discovers and creates hit IPs worldwide, and then globally expands the diverse business derived from those IPs. To employ, develop, and support the staff who can more strongly drive the Global Multimedia Marketing Strategy promoted by KADOKAWA, the Global Human Resources Development Center was recently established in October 2021.

The Center supports the passion of each KADOKAWA member who wants to work on IP business globally and who wants to gain the skills to be more active on the world stage. This is done through measures such as recruiting highly creative staff from around the world, promotion of communication exchanges between staff and knowledge sharing that exceed national borders, development of global leaders, and establishing a work style where staff of various nationalities can work comfortably.

Recruiting staff from countries around the world. Accepting more internships for foreign exchange students in Japan

Besides increasing online and offline recruitment, including strengthening owned media that specializes in global recruitment, and holding PR activities at events related to various kinds of content, the Center plans to accept internships for foreign exchange students in Japan.

Dispatching evangelists to overseas offices from the headquarters in Japan

The Center dispatches employees who have accumulated specialized experience and knowledge at various operating departments at the Japan headquarters to overseas offices. These employees who are called evangelists spread their knowledge to promote activities that drive business expansion in each country. Utilizing remote environments, they carry out dispatches with a working style that combines continued work in Japan with local business trips.

Working additional posts for the headquarters in Japan from the overseas office

Staff who have excellent specialized skills, as well as candidates for future business management, are chosen among employees who work at overseas offices, including those who are locally employed, to take up additional posts for the headquarters in Japan. In addition to assisting with the growth of foreign employees and furthering their careers, the Center is also planning to promote knowledge sharing between the overseas offices and headquarters in Japan.

Producing global human resources who combine specialized skills and global perspectives

To produce staff who combine both the specialized skills unique to KADOKAWA and the ability to work globally, the Center also promotes the mobility of global human resources. Working with the FA System (internal open recruitment system), their existing personnel system, they match departments which need global human resources with employees who want to utilize their prior experiences and want to work globally. Core human resources who drive the Global Multimedia Marketing Strategy worldwide are already being born in the Center.

The Global Human Resources Development Center is working towards various systems and measures for employees working at overseas offices to enjoy their work with a high degree of motivation and build their careers.

Annual Outstanding Efforts Award Overseas MVP Prize

The Center is designing systems for recognizing examples of work created at each location. KADOKAWA employees around the world are applauded for their excellent work, and their knowledge is shared. The aim is to increase reproduction of this knowledge and work in other countries.

Lump-sum allowance for Acquiring Japanese Language Qualifications

Bonuses are provided to employees working at overseas offices when they acquire qualifications for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test.

Listening to staff voices and establishing better environmental creation (Exchange Plaza for Non-Japanese Employees)

The Center has established an Exchange Plaza for Non-Japanese Employees on KADOKAWA’s internal Slack channel. The Plaza creates an environment for these employees to not only discuss work related matters, but also get counseling about anything they need help for, including their worries about aspects of Japanese life they are not used to. In addition, new measures are continuously created for non-Japanese staff to have an easier working environment in which they can be more active. These measures are based on the opinions gathered from the Plaza.

Border Crossing Satellite Work, in which foreign employees can work while valuing their connections with family in their home countries (Adoption of system being discussed)

The Center is discussing the adoption of a system which makes it possible for KADOKAWA’s non-Japanese employees who work in Japan to work even when going back to their home countries for a visit. They would be able to do this around 3 months maximum in 1 year. It is a system that enables foreign employees to do their work for KADOKAWA while maintaining their connections with family living in their home countries. In addition, the company would like to establish an environment where employees can remotely work from all over the world, including being involved in domestic Japanese work while living overseas.