Kyodo Tokyo Co., Ltd. (株式会社キョードー東京) is an event promotion company operating primarily in Tokyo and the Kanto region. It is also the core company of the Kyodo Group, which is centered on the company.
Credited On
- T.M.Revolution - T.M.R.Live Revolution '06 ~Under Cover~ - T.M.Revolution, released April 18, 2007 (
ESBL-2192). Promoter (Atsushi Kondo), Promoter (Yuji Okamoto). - L'Arc~en~Ciel - TOUR 2007~2008 THEATER of KISS - L'Arc~en~Ciel, released August 27, 2008 (
KSBL-5909). Promoters (Junichi Tayama), Promoters (Reiko Sakai).
History
Translated from the ja.wikipedia article キョードー東京 (CC BY-SA 4.0), revision 110654744.
In 1953, Tatsushi Nagashima established Shinshin Production (新々プロダクション) as a promotion company, and Jiro Uchino joined the following year as its accounting manager. Since then, the company has managed Japanese singers while also inviting and promoting overseas artists. In 1957, the company changed its name to Waei Production (和栄プロダクション), and subsequently to Kyodo Kikaku (協同企画). Around this time, Saburo Arashida, the current chairman, joined the company.
From 1959, it began producing shows at the New Latin Quarter, a well-known nightclub in Akasaka. Takeru Iwamiya, Hiroshi Nogami, and Hikotaro Yoshida, who were involved in the management of the New Latin Quarter, had worked in the Kodama Agency under Yoshio Kodama in Shanghai before the war. Through this connection, Tatsushi Nagashima, Jiro Uchino, and Saburo Arashida developed close ties with Kodama.
In 1962, Uchino left Kyodo Kikaku and established Han Geino Kikaku Jimusho, taking on the “arrangements” for nightclubs such as the New Latin Quarter. In 1964, Han Geino Kikaku Jimusho changed its name to Kyodo Kikaku Agency (協同企画エージェンシー). The company divided its work with Nagashima’s Kyodo Kikaku: Nagashima handled artist invitations, while Uchino oversaw the organization of entertainment events.
In 1965, the company took notice of the Monkey dance and planned Go-Go a Monkey, a forerunner of go-go clubs. The Ventures and the Astronauts performed at its opening, attracting considerable attention. Kyodo Tokyo spared no expense on stage design, lighting, and sound effects, continuously adopting new developments.
In 1966, it staged the Beatles’ Japanese concerts at Nippon Budokan, attracting media attention.
In 1968, it established a sports division headed by Saburo Arashida, and in April began regular broadcasts of roller games, which were popular on the west coast of the United States, on Tokyo 12 Channel. Nippon Television subsequently asked whether it could produce kickboxing, which was being televised by TBS Television. The company established Kyodo Gym and entered the kickboxing promotion business. This was made possible through the connection between Arashida and Nippon Television producer Tatsuhiko Goto, who had been classmates at Keio University. As Arashida was unfamiliar with martial arts, he had Eiichi Kamimura, who had been employed by Jiro Uchino, procure fighters. Kamimura, who had come from the Oyama Dojo, recruited Akio Fujihira and Hatsuo Royama, with whom he had trained, as well as Toshihiro Nishikori of Japan Kenpo Karate-do. Fujihira was given the ring name “Osawa Noboru,” in reference to TBS star Tadashi Sawamura; Royama was named “Arashi Goro,” after Jiro Uchino and Saburo Arashida; and Nishikori was named “Nishiki Toshihiro.” In February 1968, the Tanabe Boxing Gym in Koishikawa, Bunkyo, which had been managed by Nippon Television, was renamed Kyodo Gym and made its base of operations.
Osamu Noguchi and TBS, which had previously promoted kickboxing, openly expressed anger at Kyodo and Nippon Television for entering the field in violation of business ethics. Backed by Yoshio Kodama, Kyodo poached fighters, initiated a promotional war, and ultimately interfered with business operations in an effort to prevent the use of venues. Noguchi had originally been in a position to register “kickboxing” as a trademark, but Kodama persuaded him to join Kyodo’s umbrella and cooperate with it, saying that an appropriate post would be prepared for him. Noguchi had been connected with Kodama since his father’s time, but Kodama sought to make him submit because he believed that expanding Kyodo’s business would bring him even more money. Although Noguchi remained committed to independence, he was not as close to Kodama as Tatsushi Nagashima, Jiro Uchino, and Saburo Arashida, and his company lacked Kyodo’s financial strength; consequently, he could not register the trademark in defiance of Kodama.
In 1970, the company changed its name to Kyodo Tokyo Co., Ltd. (株式会社キョードー東京) and planned the “Rock Carnival” series. It also successfully promoted concerts by Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. Rock stars and rock fans of the period, however, were extremely radical. At Grand Funk Railroad’s 1971 concert at Korakuen Stadium, audience excitement nearly led to a riot, while Uchino collapsed during Led Zeppelin’s Hiroshima concert because of the group’s outrageous behavior during its subsequent Japanese tour. Eventually, prank calls claiming that bombs had been placed at concert venues led to the checking of attendees’ bags. The unpleasant sight of these bag checks directly prompted Uchino to withdraw from rock concerts after the Elton John concert. Thereafter, the invitation of rock stars was handled by Udo Artists, run by Seijiro Udo, who was close to both Nagashima and Uchino.
From 1972, the company developed the “Love Sounds” theme into a series in tie-ups with sponsors, broadcasters, and record stores. It invited artists including the Ventures, Nini Rosso, Paul Mauriat, and the Carpenters. It also established Kyodo branches in major cities throughout Japan and developed the Kyodo Network.
From the 1970s onward, it began handling concerts by Japanese singers as well as overseas performers. Beginning with Eiko Shuri’s nationwide tour following her return to Japan in 1976, it promoted Akira Inaba in 1977 and, from 1978 onward, Alice, Yuming Matsutoya, and Eikichi Yazawa. It also planned and successfully staged charity concerts in Japan and abroad. From 1986, Saburo Arashida served as representative director in place of Uchino.
In addition to the above, Kyodo Tokyo has promoted concerts in Japan by overseas artists including Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, the Boston Pops Orchestra, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lionel Richie, Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson, Kenny G, the Pat Metheny Group, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and Daniel Powter. It has also handled concerts by domestic artists including Kazumasa Oda, Shinji Tanimura, Yosui Inoue, Kosetsu Minami, SMAP, Namie Amuro, Ayumi Hamasaki, Hikaru Utada, BoA, Kumi Koda, L'Arc-en-Ciel, EXILE, Fumiya Fujii, Ryuichi Kawamura, T.M.Revolution, Taro Hakase, and Kotaro Oshio; cinema orchestra concerts featuring film music by John Williams and others; sports events including K-1, WWE, X-TRAIL JAM, and the World Figure Skating Championships; theatrical productions including blast, CHICAGO, Movin’ Out, and RENT; contracted event operations including the Tokushima City Awa Odori; and the invitation of musical productions.
Often Credited With
Credited on 2 or more of the same releases, most shared first.