Koike CEO At EMI Japan

Universal Music Japan President and CEO Kasuhiko Koike will as of Jan. 15 take on the added role of president and CEO of EMI Music Japan, according to online newsletter McCLureMusic.com.

EMI Music Japan is being taken over as part of Universal Music Group’s global takeover of EMI.

Hitoshi Namekata, who held the top EMI post before, will become president of Universal Strategic Marketing and Classics and Jazz in Universal Japan.

The two merger will be completed by April, with management and creative activities handled at Universal’s offices and administration at EMI. Together, the two companies account for 15 to 20 percent of Japan’s recorded music market, which is the second-biggest in the world. No personnel cuts have been announced so far in Japan.