Report: Kutaragi To Join Kadokawa Board

According to a Nikkei report translated by consumer site IGN, former Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. CEO and chairman Ken Kutaragi will be brought into Kadokawa Group Holdings’ board of directors as an outside director. The post at the prominent Japanese firm is expected to be finalized at the holding company’s June 22nd shareholder meeting, according to the statement. Kadokawa Group Holdings brings together 56 publishing and cross media companies, most of them subsidiaries of 12 larger companies, including ASCII Media Works and Enterbrain which manage video game publications Dengeki and Famitsu. Also, umbrella companies Kadokawa Shoten and Asmik Ace Entertainment both publish and develop video games for various platforms. Known by many as the “father of the PlayStation,” Kutaragi stepped down from his executive management position at Sony in June 2007 to serve as SCEI’s Honorary Chairman. His responsibilities were passed down to then president and chief operating officer Kazuo Hirai. Tsukuhiko Kadokawa, chairman of Kadokawa Group Holdings, said that the firm hopes to benefit from Kutaragi’s international business sense.