HYBE JAPAN, the Japanese headquarters of global entertainment leader HYBE, the mastermind behind acts like BTS, SEVENTEEN, KATSEYE, and more, today announced a major organizational restructuring, effective June 1, aimed at deepening its presence and amplifying artist development in Japan.
Based on HYBE's new growth strategy, "HYBE 2.0," announced in August 2024, HYBE has been driving its "Multi-home, Multi-genre" strategy. This involves developing businesses tailored to the culture and characteristics of each region, with a focus on the U.S., Japan, and Latin America, to become a market leader in these areas. As part of this, HYBE JAPAN is restructuring its headquarters organization to enhance its presence as a Japanese headquarters and strengthen its ability to build global-ready artist brands.
To bolster HYBE JAPAN's label functions, Kenji Shima has been appointed Chief Labels Officer, overseeing all labels under HYBE JAPAN. Additionally, Jeff Miyahara has been appointed Chief Creative Officer, responsible for all creative aspects.
Kenji Shima, the new Chief Labels Officer, has extensive experience in artist management, A&R, marketing, and label operations at multiple music-related companies, including Sony Music. In 2017, he established fearless Inc., where he spearheaded artist brand strategies through comprehensive production covering music, live performances, visuals, fan clubs, and e-commerce.
Jeff Miyahara, the new Chief Creative Officer, has a distinguished career spanning over 2 decades as a music producer, having produced over 700 songs for approximately 330 artists, including renowned artists from the U.S., Japan, and Korea such as Girls' Generation, Miyavi, ONE OK ROCK, BoA, Timbaland, and NCT127. He also possesses extensive experience in the "Entertainment x Technology" field, having launched and exited multiple related companies and projects, focusing on the fusion of entertainment and technology.
By leveraging the rich experience and expertise of the newly appointed Chief Labels Officer Kenji Shima and Chief Creative Officer Jeff Miyahara, HYBE JAPAN will focus on enhancing artist brand value and developing powerful IPs. This will be achieved by strengthening solutions such as artist discovery and development, content creation that enhances artist value, and effective marketing.
"The primary goal of HYBE JAPAN's labels is to create artists who can succeed globally from Japan," says Kenji Shima, Chief Labels Officer. "To achieve this, we will build an integrated 'solution' encompassing all elements from creative and marketing to live performances, fan clubs, and e-commerce, thereby comprehensively enhancing artist value. Furthermore, we aim to contribute to the overall enhancement of Japan's entertainment industry by expanding these HYBE JAPAN solutions to external partners in the future."
"HYBE is known for creating unforgettable experiences powered by extraordinary talent. As global eyes turn toward Japan’s rich culture and creativity, I’m honored to help spotlight the next generation of global stars,” said Jeff Miyahara, Chief Creative Officer. “We believe in music—and its power to connect the world.”
Furthermore, YX LABELS, which manages global group &TEAM and J-POP boy group aoen, has been realigned under HYBE JAPAN as part of this organizational restructuring. The Representative Director of YX LABELS will be concurrently held by Hyunrock Han, CEO of HYBE JAPAN.
Going forward, HYBE JAPAN plans to establish a multi-label system, encompassing multiple independent labels under its umbrella. Through this, HYBE JAPAN is committed to providing diverse artists with richer entertainment experiences and driving forward towards the realization of "Beyond Japan," by actively disseminating content and experiences not only within Japan but also to audiences worldwide.
