SENSUI: Now we are strongly promoting KADOKAWA’s globalization from the two perspectives of “business” and “talent.” From a “business” perspective, we have traditionally delivered Japanese content to the global market. We are also strengthening our model for expanding content created and developed worldwide to other countries and regions, including Japan. We do not want to conduct our business just one way. We want to secure a future where our content goes throughout the world in a three dimensional and integrated way. This is our global multimedia marketing strategy. To make this possible, we must further globalize our staff. We are making stronger efforts to hire staff born overseas and Japanese staff who have overseas experience.

CHOU: We want KADOKAWA to be the kind of company that gathers highly talented and creative staff from all over the world. We hope it can become a place where people who were raised in different cultures and with different customs gather, and where new business and content are created from that diversity. We want to realize this future as soon as possible. To do that, we must continue to create challenging business in the KADOKAWA style and become a company that people across the world feel can actively try out cutting edge ideas.

SENSUI: In recent years, we have recorded growth in our overseas sales. And it’s undeniable that our global business has strongly supported our group management. However, considering the enormity of the market that we may be able to acquire in the world in the future, we are still in the initial stages. KADOKAWA’s works are becoming more well-known across the world, but the name KADOKAWA itself is still not widely known among the general public. We still have a lot of progress to make.

CHOU: So I’m really looking forward to the future. Since KADOKAWA launched its Taiwanese office in 1999, it has strategically promoted global development. And in recent years, we have gone beyond national borders and offices in each country are linked up together. We have prepared structures that can create a lot more synergy. Collaboration projects across offices have been created, and we are preparing systems and mechanisms that also increase exchanges between personnel. Globally, KADOKAWA has now prepared an environment where all locations and staff can work together. So I think now is the time to really step on the accelerator and quickly make further progress.

SENSUI: Various kinds of diverse content, local offices in countries throughout the world, departments and Group companies that have diverse functions, various services that enable us to directly connect with worldwide users, staff with specialized and deep knowledge. The list goes on. KADOKAWA has the countless resources it needs to speed up its global expansion. By making considerable use of these resources, it’s possible to quickly realize new business ideas. I think greatly expanding that created business is also something that only KADOKAWA is capable of.

CHOU: Out of all the points, I think KADOKAWA’s staff is our biggest strength. For over 20 years we have broken new ground in the global market on our own, and as KADOKAWA has built its own business, it has gathered plenty of talented staff that have a lot of knowledge, know-how, and practical experience. In addition, we have many excellent local staff working at each location. Staff this good are an excellent source for creating business that draws attention from all over the world. Of course, for our possible future colleagues, we have several mechanisms in place for polishing their skills to be able to work globally to the best of their ability.

CHOU: We are actively promoting exchanges between employees and mobilization that goes beyond national borders, as well as the sharing of knowledge accumulated from throughout the world. For example, to spread know-how about our multimedia marketing which was first constructed in Japan to our overseas locations, domestic staff are dispatched in person and remotely to local offices to share this information (such person is called “evangelist”). We have more and more cases of these members holding seminars and doing work on site in addition to their other roles. Of course, we also want to increase opportunities to convey the know-how that employees staying at our overseas locations have, as well as opportunities for locally employed staff from overseas to work in Japan.

SENSUI: We want to speed up those processes as much as possible. In other words, regardless of the country or region that you work in, you can utilize resources and know-how from the rest of the world and participate in business in any country. We want to create the conditions for that to be possible. After the COVID-19 pandemic, various companies adopted remote work in Japan. However, KADOKAWA is realizing that on a global level. If we can set up those systems, we should be able to showcase the potential of global staff even more so than now. Actually, now we have employees who are leading our business expansion into Thailand, despite their being in Japan.

CHOU: Of course, language skills, as well as experience living and working overseas are all advantages. But I think what’s more important than those things for this job is the curiosity to understand different cultures and learn more about the world. The content business is like making cuisine. By freely combining ingredients and cooking methods from around the world, you can seek out delicious new flavors. Without being bound by common sense or customs, you can try combinations where you don’t know what will happen. I want to work with people who enjoy jobs like that. KADOKAWA is a place where any staff member can freely, comfortably, and boldly show their own creativity. I look forward to working alongside highly creative people from all over the world.

SENSUI: KADOKAWA has an open, flat environment where anyone can step up to new challenges anytime. We already have a place where people who have all sorts of talents can be active, and we want to continue gradually expanding that. For our global business and our content, I want very enthusiastic people from all over the world to join us.

*The contents of this article are from the time of the interview (September 2022).