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Business News Labels & Publishers
Merlin opens Japanese office
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 11 October 2016
With Spotify’s recent launch there confirming that the streaming revolution is finally underway in Japan, indie label digital rights agency Merlin has announced it has opened a new office in Tokyo which, it says, “significantly expands the organisation’s operations in the fast-evolving Asian digital music market”.
Merlin’s new base will be headed up by Haji Taniguchi, who was previously President of the publishing side of Avex, what is generally seen as the fourth major in the Japanese market. Also working at the Tokyo office will be Kaoruko Hill, who will lead on label and service relations.
Confirming all this, Merlin chief Charles Caldas said: “Merlin was conceived as an outward-looking global organisation, and the Japanese market will be of paramount importance to our international membership. Over recent years, we have also seen a marked increase in members from the Asian territories, while in 2015 Merlin signed its first ever pan-Asian specific deal with KKBOX. For these reasons, the decision to open a Japanese office as an initial step into this region makes strong strategic sense”.
He went on: “That we have an executive as experienced as Haji to guide our membership through the idiosyncrasies of the Asian market, and to bring more local labels and distributors under the Merlin umbrella is a perfect combination. I would like to welcome both Haji and Kaoruko to the team, and look forward to years of further growth ahead”.
