Chinese tech giant Tencent has recently upped its stake in Kadokawa, a well-known Japanese media company. According to Nikkei, Tencent grabbed an additional 1.11 percent of Kadokawa’s stock, bringing its ownership to a total of 7.97 percent. Tencent clarified that this move is “part of a capital and business alliance” between their entity and Kadokawa. The transaction was handled by Tencent’s subsidiary, SixJoy Hong Kong Limited.
This development comes on the heels of Sony boosting its investment in Kadokawa, amidst speculation that it might be planning a full acquisition. Instead, Sony increased its share, establishing a 10 percent ownership and becoming the largest shareholder in the process.
At that time, Kadokawa’s CEO, Takeshi Natsuno, expressed his satisfaction with the new alliance, stating, “We are thrilled to formalize this capital and business alliance with Sony.” He further explained that this partnership is poised to not only enhance Kadokawa’s IP creation capabilities but also broaden their IP media mix possibilities. With Sony’s assistance in expanding globally, Kadokawa aims to reach more audiences worldwide. Natsuno voiced his confidence that these efforts will significantly boost the value of their intellectual properties and improve their corporate value over the medium to long term. He emphasized their commitment to making this collaboration with Sony a success in the global market.
