Keiichi Ishizaka
| Keiichi Ishizaka | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 25, 1945 Saitama-ken |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Alma mater | Keio University |
| Employer |
Toshiba-EMI (1968 - 1993) Universal Music Japan (1994 - 2009) Warner Music Japan (2011 - 2014) |
| Known for | reputation as one of the more colorful and outspoken characters in the Japanese music industry |
| Relatives | Taizō Ishizaka |
| Awards |
2009 Medal of Honor for Public Service Awardee 2015 Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon Awardee[1] |
Keiichi Ishizaka (石坂 敬一 Ishizaka Keiichi, born August 25, 1945 in Saitama Prefecture), a close relative of Taizō Ishizaka, is the former chairman of Recording Industry Association of Japan.
Personal life
He learned the music of Japan while studying Business Administration at Keio University. He graduated in 1968 in the same school.
EMI days
He became an inside director in 1968 before being promoted at Toshiba-EMI in 1991 and stayed until 1993. He was called "Mr. Beatles" for endless efforts of promoting the British band's albums in Japan.
PolyGram/Universal days
In 1998, he became the executive director of Universal Music Japan. Three years later, he became the company's CEO, and in October 2006 he became the chairman until November 2009, when he retired. He was replaced as UMG Japan's CEO the same month by former A&R VP and Def Jam Japan GM Koike Kazuhiko.[2]
RIAJ chairmanship
He was the RIAJ's chairman from July 2007,[3] until he was replaced by Sony Music Japan CEO Naoki Kitagawa in the RIAJ presidency in June 2011.
Warner days
In November 2011, Keiichi Ishizaka became the CEO and chairman of Warner Music Japan, replacing Hirokazu Tanaka who served as the acting head of the company since the October 2010 death of Takashi Yoshida.[4] After three years, he resigned on April 1, 2014.
Awards
In November 2009, he was awarded with a Medal of Honour with blue ribbon by the Government of Japan.[5] He was later awarded the Order of the Rising Sun on November 3, 2015.
References
- ↑ Former RIAJ chairman Ishizaka Keiichi gets Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon medal
- ↑ "Universal Music Japan Appoints New CFO". Billboard. 2009-12-15. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
- ↑ "Ishizaka Named RIAJ Chairman". Billboard. 2007-06-06. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ↑ "Warner's Ishizaka says 'exterminate' illegal downloads". The Japan Times. 2012-02-02. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- ↑ List of awarded 2009 by prefecture - Tokyo