It has been 10 years since Hiroshi Osaki took the reins at Yoshimoto Kogyo, and in that time Japan's oldest and arguably most influential entertainment agency has veered down several different paths. While comedy remains at the forefront of the company's activities, as it has for over a century, these days it's about much more than just promoting and showcasing owarai geinin (comedy performers).
During Osaki's tenure, Yoshimoto has continued to diversify its business profile, expanding into new fields like movie production, idol pop, sports and video games, and even working with the United Nations on sustainable development projects. Its latest venture is Laugh & Peace_Mother, a joint initiative with NTT and the government-backed Cool Japan Fund Inc. Its aim is to produce and distribute educational content via apps and videos.
"Some say Yoshimoto is trying to do too much. Yet I have this vision, 30 years from now, of us becoming an NPO," the 65-year-old Osaki says. "Though comedy is part of our DNA and always will be, I feel it's important to broaden our horizons and try new and innovative things as we are doing with Laugh & Peace_Mother.