Sony Music Entertainment Japan

In January 1988, after more than a year of negotiations, Sony acquired the CBS Records Group and the 50% of CBS/Sony Group that it did not already own.[12]

In March 1988, four wholly owned subsidiaries were folded into CBS/Sony Group: CBS/Sony Inc., Epic/Sony Records Inc., CBS/Sony Records Inc. and Sony Video Software International.[4][13]

The company was renamed Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), Inc.

Shugo Matsuo was named new president in January 1992, replacing Toshio Ozawa, who was appointed to the post of chairman.[14]

Overall sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1991 were 83.8 billion yen with a pretax profit of 9.2 billion yen.[14]

In June 1996, Ryokichi Kunugi became the new president. Shugo Matsuo was named chairman.[15]

Shigeo Maruyama was appointed to the new post of CEO on October 1, 1997 and replaced Kunugi as president in February 1998.[16]

As of 2019, Mizuno Michinori is the official CEO of the company.

In May 2018, SMEJ acquired a 39% stake in the Peanuts comic strip franchise from DHX Media.[17]

Sony Music Entertainment announced the launch of its first video game publishing label, Unties, in October 2017. Unties will publish indie games for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The name was selected by Sony as representative of helping to "unleash" the power of independent video game development and "unshackle" such developers from the traditional video game publishing process.[18]

Unties’ first release was Tiny Metal, a turn-based tactics video game developed by Area 35, for the Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PC. The game was first premiered at PAX West Indie Megabooth.[19] Published Azure Reflections, a side-scrolling bullet hell developed by Souvenir Circ., on May 15, 2018 for the PS4.[20] Published Touhou Gensou Wanderers Reloaded, a roguelike rpg developed by Aqua Style, for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.[21] Published Necrosphere, a platformer developed by Cat Nigiri, for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and PSVita.[21][22] Published Midnight Sanctuary, a VR/3D Novel game developed by CAVYHOUSE, for the PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.[21][23] Published Tokyo Dark, a visual novel mystery adventure hybrid developed by Cherrymochi, for the PC.[24][21] Published Chiki-Chiki Boxy Racers, an arcade racing game developed by Pocket, for the Nintendo Switch on August 30, 2018.[25][21] Scheduled to publish on Last Standard, a 3d action game developed by I From Japan, intended for PC.[26][27] Scheduled to publish The Good Life, a daily-life rpg developed by White Owls Inc., for the PS4 and PC.[28][21] Scheduled to publish Merkava Avalanche, a 3d cavalry warfare action game developed by WinterCrownWorks, for the PC.[29][21] Scheduled to publish Olija, an action adventure game developed by Skeleton Crew Studio, for the PC.[30][21] Scheduled to publish Deemo Reborn, a music rhythm and urban fantasy game developed by Taiwanese studio Rayak, for the PS4 with PSVR support.[27][21] Scheduled to publish Giraffe and Anika, a 3d adventure game developed by Atelier Mimina, for the PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.[31][21] Scheduled to publish 3rd Eye, a 2d horror exploration game, based on the Touhou franchise, for the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.[32][21] Scheduled to publish Gensokyo Defenders, a tower-defense game developed by Neetpia, for the PS4 and Nintendo Switch.[33][21]

The company's leading role on the Japanese market was increasingly challenged by labels such as Avex (where SMEJ formerly owned 5 percent of shares).[16][34] Net sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1997 were down 10% to 103 billion yen, while net income fell 41% to 7.7 billion yen.[34] The market share at that time was less than 18%.[34] In August 1997, Dreams Come True, until that point Sony Music Entertainment Japan's best-selling act, signed a worldwide multi-album deal with competing U.S. label Virgin Records America.[35]

Since then it was said that SMEJ ceded to Avex's challenge,[36] but SMEJ bounced back and regained leadership from its indie rival until 2012. SMEJ netted 22.4 billion yen for 1H 2012 and 14.3% of the market, second behind Avex (24.95 B yen, 15.9%).[37]

• Aniplex
• Sony Music Labels
  • Sony Music Records
    • Sony Records - formerly known as CBS/Sony since 1968
    • gr8! records (read "G-R-eight") – founded April 2003
    • MASTERSIX FOUNDATION
    • N46Div
    • Niagara Records – private label of Eiichi Ohtaki
  • Epic Records Japan – formerly known as Epic/Sony since 1971
  • Ki/oon Music – launched as Ki/oon Sony Records on April 1, 1992[38]
  • SME Records – founded 1998 and taken over the Japanese anime television series "Pocket Monsters" since 2013.
  • Sony Music Associated Records
    • onenation – joint venture with LDH
  • Ariola Japan – formerly known as BMG Japan until October 2009.[39]
  • Sacra Music – anison label since 2017
• Sony Music Direct – founded as Sony Music House in 1996. Continues to use "Walking Eye" logo.
• Music Ray'n[40][41]
• Sony Music Marketing – Oversees distribution of labels which have a distribution contract with SMEJ. Formerly known as Sony Music Distribution until 2014.

• Dohb Discs (1994–2000)
• Antinos Records was launched in 1994 with Sony Music director Shigeo Maruyama as its president. The first releases on August 21 were a mini-album by indie group Confusion and singles by the groups Aniss, Neverending Story, and Ginji Itoh.[42] (1994–2004, merged into Epic Records Japan)
• Studioseven Recordings (2006–2010, merged into gr8! records)
• Tofu Records (US Sublabel, 2003–2007)
• DefSTAR Records – (2000–2015, merged into SME Records)
• Pikachu Records - (1997–2012, merged into SME Records & Sony Music Labels)
• VVV records
• OKeh was launched in 1994 and headed by Sony Music deputy president Hiroshi Inagaki.[42]
• Former sublabels of Sony Music Associated Records
  • tributelink - Temporary label in 2001
  • TERRY DOLLAR RECORD$ - formerly private label of Oreskaband
  • Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Records - (2005–2010)
• Former sublabels of Ki/oon Music
  • Fitz Beat[38]
  • Haunted Records
  • Ki/oon Records2
  • NeOSITE
  • Siren Song - formerly private label of X Japan[38]
  • Trefort[38]

• Avex Group (once an affiliate of Sony Music, also the 2nd biggest record label in Japan.)[47]
• Universal Music Japan
• Warner Music Japan