America: My Time

Chapter 152 Idol Market
Chapter 152 Idol Market

Many agencies believe that although Yunyi let go of Naoko, a top idol, it gained more resources, which made many agencies envious. Ken-On was one of them, so they seized the opportunity and took action.

"I have no problem. You can discuss the cooperation with Miko!"

Upon hearing these words, Hua Jianhe breathed a sigh of relief. Although his actions were a little impulsive, the result was good, and that was enough. If he hadn't done it, he wouldn't have had this opportunity to cooperate. Opportunities are earned.

"Mr. John, you have high hopes for the Japanese idol market?"

"No, I'm not optimistic about Japan's idol market, but rather its record market. Although the record market is shrinking right now, it will eventually recover. As for the idol market, it may be very hot now, but even the hottest market will eventually have its ice age. Especially now that major agencies are investing heavily, the impact on the idol market is huge. If something unexpected happens, the idol market could very well fall into an ice age. We have to be wary of this with any agency. Solo singers will never be scarce in any era. If we're talking about importance, solo singers are the ones who are truly important. No matter how the record market changes, they won't be affected. The same goes for actors; as long as film and television exist, there will be no downturn!"

The Japanese film industry is currently in a slump, already facing difficulties due to the impact of foreign films, particularly those from Hollywood and Hong Kong.

How did the Japanese idol ice age begin? It started with the scandal involving Onyanko Club. With Onyanko Club's disbandment, the Japanese idol market entered an ice age, leading to the rise of bands. John, who is very familiar with the trajectory of the Japanese record industry, had planned and prepared for this. While it may seem like there aren't many artists now, Elite Entertainment, true to its name, cultivates elite artists, prioritizing quality over quantity.

Elite Entertainment now boasts more than four artists, including beautiful action stars like Michiko Nishiwaki and Yukari Oshima, as well as newcomers like Takako Okamura and Miwako Fujitani. This is to ensure the agency's well-rounded development without any significant weaknesses. With Phoenix Pictures, Nikkatsu Pictures, and TV Tokyo involved, Elite Entertainment must also prepare to cultivate its own stars, ensuring that film studios and television stations have sufficient talent.

During this period, Japanese film studios all cultivated their own talent. Kadokawa trained Hiroko Yakushimaru, and other studios did the same, including Nikkatsu. However, Nikkatsu originally focused on pink films, and now, wanting to change, it needed its own new pillars. TV Tokyo was in a similar situation; it couldn't allow its own high-quality productions to nurture talent for other agencies. The elite agencies that controlled TV Tokyo had to consider this aspect.

"So generous, so incredibly generous!" That was Hanami He's first impression of John. To agree to his collaboration request on their very first meeting and to offer so much guidance was truly remarkable. In any other agency, such a secret would never be shared. While it might sound alarming, it made perfect sense; the idol market couldn't last forever!

"Thank you for your guidance, Mr. John. I have benefited greatly from it!"

John shook his head slightly and said, "It's not really guidance, just my personal opinion. And it will take time to prove whether it's right or wrong. After all, I don't know much about the Japanese entertainment industry, so this can only be a rough reference!"

"Mr. John is joking. Your insights are far deeper than those of us in the industry regarding the idol market!"

After achieving his goal, Hua Jianhe did not linger and quickly got up to leave, showing great foresight. Although John appeared to value elite affairs very much, in reality, they were probably not that important. The assets of the elite agency were actually insignificant in the eyes of a big shot like John!
"Boss, does our agency also need to change its development direction?" Koizumi Yoshiko asked with some concern. Now that Elite Agency has finally opened up the idol market, changing its direction would affect previous investments and even future development. The development direction cannot be changed at will; it takes time.

"No need, just stick to the original plan. Although there are many uncertainties in the idol market, there won't be any major problems in the short term. It's just that the agency can't put all its resources into the idol market; it needs to expand in other directions. The most important thing is still recruiting creators. And haven't we already started the transformation? You need to pay attention not only to the many things at the agency, but also to understanding the development of television stations!" Michiko Nishiwaki, Yukari Oshima, and Miwako Fujitani were the beginning of Elite Agency's transformation. None of the three were idols; it's just that Elite Agency had too few artists, and no one had thought about it carefully, which led to this situation. Yoshiko Koizumi also noticed her own problem, but everything was just beginning.

Yoshiko Koizumi has been actively recruiting creative staff, but Elite Affairs is too small, and many creatives simply look down on this small company. Even though it has made some progress, there are still many shortcomings, which makes those creatives hesitant, worried that they will not get enough development opportunities. Many people are still observing!

"Boss, I'll keep that in mind and speed up the improvement of the firm!"

"It's good that you've noticed the problem. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. People aren't machines; they can't be constantly on edge. Relax a bit; we still have time. Besides, we're training elites, not just ordinary artists. You need to be patient and wait. We're not in a rush, and we don't need to worry about short-term gains or losses. Long-term development is the key!"

John was patient and waited, but Koizumi Yoshiko, the president of the elite agency, was under a lot of pressure. The agency's investment in the artists had not yet been recouped. Even if the boss didn't care, as the president, she couldn't think that way. The president had to take responsibility for the development of the agency; it was her responsibility!
Yoshiko Koizumi was deeply moved by John's understanding; such a considerate boss was a rare find in Japan. In the Japanese workplace, leaders never considered their subordinates' thoughts or circumstances; they simply assigned tasks, and completing those tasks was mandatory, with no excuses allowed.

The pressure in the Japanese workplace is immense, and managers like Yoshiko Koizumi who follow John are acutely aware of this. Throughout the entire Japanese corporate world, bosses like John who truly care about their subordinates are extremely rare.

Just as Koizumi Yoshiko was about to speak, someone hurried over. It was obvious that they were coming for John. It seemed that the battle for shares was over and it was time to move on to the next topic. Ambitious banks like Dai-ichi Kangyo Bank and Mitsui Bank hoped to have new cooperation talks with John!

John stood up before the other person even reached him. After John left, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Although John appeared calm, it still put immense pressure on these idols. Facing such a top figure, they felt somewhat uneasy. As long as John was around, they instinctively felt the pressure and became even more uncomfortable!
"The god of investment"—that's how the Japanese bank describes John. Every move he makes is a victory, never a failure. This makes all the banks envious. No one would give up the opportunity to participate in such a large project as Universal Studios and SeaWorld. Moreover, this is not just a small profit, but a long-term profit. Everyone understands that missing out would be a huge loss. They would argue endlessly about even a small percentage of the shares, and no one wanted to give up.

The exchange of interests was also constantly unfolding. To acquire more shares, an exchange was necessary, even between Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank and Mitsui Bank. With everyone optimistic about the Universal Studios and Ocean Park projects, no one could monopolize all the profits. All the conglomerates present tacitly chose to start construction on Universal Studios and Ocean Park simultaneously. This meant they could use their massive financial advantage to eliminate many competitors. Not all companies could withstand such enormous financial strain; those unable to bear the financial pressure would naturally be forced out.

John's offering of such a lucrative prize was incredibly tempting to all parties in Japan, who were vying for their share. Although Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank held a dominant position, it didn't gain much advantage in this struggle for profits. The biggest winner was Mitsui, because Mitsui had Sony, which had already entered the fray. This situation greatly annoyed Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, but they were powerless to stop it.

How did Sony begin its collaboration with John, and why did they develop such a good relationship? This inevitably brings to mind Naoko Naoko. From the very beginning of the collaboration, Sony maintained a good relationship with John, and was all of this due to Naoko Naoko's presence? Is that really the case? There are some reasons for this, but that's not the main point. The main point is that John was constantly scheming against Sony. How could he get Sony involved without offering some benefits, and how could he leverage Sony's strength to accelerate his own development?

The distribution of profits from the Universal Studios and SeaWorld projects was completed quickly. Although Dai-Ichi Industrial Bank felt a little resentful, it was a done deal and there was not much to say. But this was just the beginning. John had other investment projects in hand, and Dai-Ichi Industrial Bank was unwilling to let go of these new projects. Many people present shared this thought and were secretly determined to secure even more profits.

(End of this chapter)