Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno Retains Position in Shareholder Vote
Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno managed to retain his position in the shareholder vote held on July 9, 2026, despite calls for his resignation from the company's largest shareholder, the activist investment fund Oasis Management. According to Anime News Network, Natsuno's position was upheld in the vote; Oasis's attempt to place their own candidates on the board of directors also failed.
Oasis Management had been demanding changes to Kadokawa's board of directors for the past few years. The fund argued that Natsuno had failed to increase the company's value and that a more transparent management approach was needed. In contrast, Natsuno stated that he is pursuing long-term strategies by maintaining Kadokawa's strong portfolio in manga, light novels, and anime. Considering that the company houses major series such as Sword Art Online, Re:Zero, and Overlord, this conflict is of great importance to the industry.
Natsuno took office in 2021 following the resignation of former CEO Masaki Matsubara. At that time, Kadokawa was struggling with cyberattacks and copyright infringements. During Natsuno's tenure, the company took steps to increase anime production and grow in the international market. However, fluctuations in the stock price and pressure from rival investors caught the attention of funds like Oasis. Rumors of Sony acquiring Kadokawa last year also escalated this tension.
The voting result shows that Kadokawa's current management has the support of the majority of shareholders. However, Oasis Management is expected to take action again with new strategies in the coming months. According to industry analysts, such activist investor pressure has begun to be seen more frequently in Japanese media giants. The path Kadokawa will follow could directly affect both its content strategies in the manga-anime world and the company's independence.
