Eitaro Shibasaki named CBO at Warner Music Japan

Warner Music Japan has appointed Eitaro Shibasaki as Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer; the company says he joins the board and takes up the role on October 1 (Warner Music Japan; checked 18 Sep 2026). The appointment was announced on September 11 (Warner Music Japan; checked 18 Sep 2026).

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) shows Japan is the world's second-largest recorded music market and the largest physical market, and that Japan's recorded market expanded 8.9% year-on-year in 2025 (IFPI; checked 18 Sep 2026). That scale and recent growth are a commercial backdrop to Shibasaki's brief: business development, commercial operations, partner relations and market-share growth.

Practical consequence for freelancers and small companies: expect labels to prioritise domestic commercial partnerships, physical-product campaigns and licensing opportunities. Actionable steps — update your contact and demo pathways for Warner's A&R/commercial teams; prepare pitch materials for sync, physical manufacturing and retail campaigns; and make sure rights, metadata and master-delivery specs are Japan-ready. The figures above come from Warner Music Japan and the IFPI (checked 18 Sep 2026) and mark where demand is likely to concentrate.