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Naoshi Fujikura on 10 Years as President of Universal Music Japan & Success of Mrs. GREEN APPLE: Interview

Billboard Japan interviewed Fujikura in recognition of his selection on Billboard's "International Power Players" list.

One of the major benefits of working very closely with UMG’s leadership team in Santa Monica and around the world has been that we have had access to strategic insights around the broader shifts in the global industry, helping us to shape our own path over the last decade to stay ahead of the curve, navigating the arrival of streaming in the marketplace, and maintaining our physical business. My English wasn’t the best, but I would meet directly with overseas colleagues and reiterate that in Japan, unlike the rest of the world, there was still high demand for physical products, so we weren’t going to switch over completely to streaming, but instead advance on both fronts. Fujii Kaze, Joe Hisaishi and Ado have toured the U.S. in the last year, selling out large venues and arenas and as discovery and demand grows, there will hopefully be opportunities to reach those fans with physical media too, like K-Pop artists have experienced.

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