Warner's Ishizaka says 'exterminate' illegal downloads
[Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012]
By STEVE MCCLURE
Special to The Japan Times
Not many music-business executives compare themselves to Oda Nobunaga or Napoleon Bonaparte.
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Third time lucky: Industry observers thought Keiichi Ishizaka would retire after leaving his post at Universal Music Japan, but he surprised everyone by taking the helm at Warner Music Japan. ARNI KRISTJANSSON |
But Keiichi Ishizaka is not your average Japanese exec. He cites those two historical figures as role models as he begins his campaign to build up Warner Music Japan (WMJ) into one of the country's top three record companies.
"I can be like Nobunaga or Napoleon by (harnessing) the power of our employees," says Ishizaka, with no hint of false modesty.
Ishizaka, who has been chairman/CEO of WMJ since November, sees his mission as changing the mind-set of the label's workforce by providing that kind of strong leadership.
"I'm 66, but I think I'm still powerful," Ishizaka tells The Japan Times during an interview at his office in Tokyo's central Aoyama district. "The important thing about rationalizing the company is making full use of my intellectual power. People say I'm a walking dictionary of music and the music business." That statement is borne out by the sight of a Delaney and Bonnie boxed CD set on his desk.
Ishizaka has a reputation as one of the more colorful and outspoken characters in this country's music industry. He proves this when asked what he thinks the greatest challenge facing the music business is.
"Illegal digital downloads," Ishizaka replies, his voice rising. "We have to exterminate them." I can only presume that he doesn't mean the downloaders themselves.