America: My Time

Chapter 57 The Agency
Chapter Fifty-Seven: The Firm
The next day, John took Naoko to the company. The plan for the day was simple: to improve the agency and make new arrangements for Legendary Music. The trade dispute between the United States and Japan was quite serious at the moment, and his agency could not afford to have any problems and become the focus of public opinion.

Neon Company is very satisfied with its development. Although the number of idols signed by Elite Agency has not increased and remains the same, Legendary Music has made great progress and improved in all aspects. This is due to the great success of Naoko's single, Hideki Saijo's single, and the single they collaborated on, which has attracted many talents to the company.

The Japanese record market is very important, and the training of artists, whether it is the trio of Momoko Kikuchi, Yoko Minamino, and Minako Honda, or Miki Imai, has shown amazing improvement. Arranging their debut is also on the agenda. With the songs left by John, there shouldn't be any major problems!

Next, the record company and Elite Management will work together to fully promote the trio and Miki Imai. This is the company's current limit. If they want to go further, they need stronger support, which means they need the power of the TV station. This is why I am eager to know if TV Tokyo has acquired them.

During his meeting with Yoshiko Koizumi, the president of Elite Agency, John carefully pointed out that the artists should not be put under too much pressure, especially the trio. They are too young, and if the pressure is too great, they might cause a big problem. He also told her about the RV he ordered in the United States and his plan to acquire an apartment building in Roppongi for Elite Agency as a place to house the artists.

Koizumi Yoshiko was shocked by the huge investment the boss made, and she also felt immense pressure. The investment was beyond her imagination; even the big firms in Japan did not make such a large investment.

"Don't worry about the company's profits. In the first few years, I don't need the firm to make any profits, just enough to cover daily expenses. Now is the firm's investment period, so even if we lose a little, it doesn't matter. Don't worry about it. The company is fully committed to promoting them!"

To give Yoshiko Koizumi some confidence, John added, "Don't worry about resources. The relevant companies will soon invest heavily, and if there are no unforeseen circumstances, the company will move into the media industry. If needed, the US will also promote our artists. Legendary Entertainment has considerable strength in the US, and Phoenix Entertainment is equally capable of promoting its artists in Hong Kong. These will all contribute to the agency's strength!"

With the support of MTV, ESPN, and RTV, they now have the resources to invest in advertising and give their artists significant exposure. They are currently awaiting Akio Morita's response.

Although there are many trade disputes between Japan and the United States, there is a huge trade deficit between the two countries. John has the upper hand in the acquisition. As long as he can keep his promise and give up the broadcast on TV Tokyo, the acquisition will be very successful.

John never intended to control the Japanese media or influence their thinking. If we're talking about influence and control, Japan is already under the control of the United States. All he wanted was entertainment revenue. With TV Tokyo, not only could the artists under his elite agency receive strong promotion, but it would also revitalize Phoenix Comics and Animation, providing a stable broadcasting platform for the animation company's works, while also increasing his control over TV Tokyo!

John had already told Akio Morita all of this, which was why there was a chance to acquire the television station without causing concern from the Japanese government. Every country attaches great importance to the media, let alone a sensitive area like a television station!
In the film industry, Phoenix Entertainment has also set its sights on acquisition targets. Regardless of whether Akio Morita can successfully take over TV Tokyo, Phoenix Entertainment will still target Japanese film companies, with Nikkatsu Corporation as its primary target. This long-established film company is currently facing significant financial difficulties and can only survive by producing low-budget adult films. Under these circumstances, acquiring Nikkatsu would face minimal resistance, and as long as the price is right, there shouldn't be any problems.

Nikkatsu is one of Japan's five major film studios. Acquiring Nikkatsu paves the way for Phoenix Entertainment's entry into the Japanese film market and also paves the way for Phoenix Pictures' development in Japan. It also allows Phoenix Comics' IPs to be used in animated films. With so many benefits, Phoenix Entertainment's acquisition of Nikkatsu is inevitable.

With substantial financial investment, Tsutaya has achieved remarkable development, gaining considerable fame and recognition in Tokyo. Moreover, Tsutaya's development has ushered in a new era, an era that has surprised many.

However, Tsutaya's development is unique. Everything is owned; all properties are company-owned, not leased. This model is incomprehensible to many, who believe it will limit the company's rapid growth. If it hadn't insisted on company ownership, Tsutaya would have achieved even greater success. Not only Tsutaya, but John insists on owning all company properties in Japan, not leasing them—this is an unshakeable rule. If they don't acquire properties now, the capital required to invest when the bubble bursts will be even greater and more staggering!
John values ​​the investment in theme parks more than Universal's involvement in Japanese real estate. However, the fact that Universal hasn't acquired the rights yet significantly limits his investment in theme parks. The future success and profitability of Disneyland in Japan are already evident. He wants to seize a share of the profits and act preemptively before DisneySea is built, capturing Disney's development opportunities.

The investment in the park does not necessarily require a large amount of capital from the company itself. As long as Universal Studios is in hand, it can fully leverage the reputation of Universal Studios to collaborate with Japan and establish Universal Studios Tokyo Sea.

As for Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, I haven't made any plans yet. After all, funds are limited. If it can't be completed before the bubble economy arrives, then waiting until after 1995, after the Great Hanshin Earthquake and the devastating impact on Japanese real estate, is a good option.

Of course, all of this is just a hypothetical scenario, a plan. Whether it will develop in this way depends on the broader environment!
"Boss, do we only work with female idols, actresses, and singers? Do we have any needs for development in other areas?" Mika Koizumi had some doubts about the agency's development.

John smiled calmly and said, "Of course there are. Right now, the main reason we're not involved in other aspects is that we lack resources. Actually, with the fashion magazine under Phoenix Group, you can have room to maneuver in the modeling business. If possible, we also need to develop a few male idols, singers, and actors. In a few years, we might even need to invest in bands. After all, we don't know how long the idol market can last. We need to diversify our development to prevent ourselves from falling into crisis when the idol market collapses. Overall, we are taking a feminine approach!"

After hearing Koizumi Yoshiko's question, he also thought of a new problem. He had already made arrangements for the female artists and female employees of the agency, and he also needed to make arrangements for the male artists and employees of the agency. There should be no favoritism. Now is the early stage of the development of Japanese real estate, and it is necessary to acquire another apartment building. At least it can enhance the agency's foundation.

Other companies should also make similar preparations, but the conditions may not be as good as those of elite firms. Choosing ordinary residential buildings is most suitable! Increasing employee benefits will also help employees identify with the company and stabilize morale.

"Next, the firm is acquiring two apartment buildings in Roppongi. You will be in charge of inspecting them. Ideally, they should be close to the firm and in a quiet and elegant environment. Price is not an issue!"

If we're talking about housing needs, Phoenix Comics and Animation Company is the most severely affected, as most of their employees are otaku. This is a problem that Matsumoto Taro needs to solve. These otaku at the company also need cleaning staff; otherwise, their apartments will become incredibly dirty and messy.

John also considered whether doing so would provoke hostility from other companies, but the thought quickly disappeared. Companies need to retain talent, as talent is the most important asset. It would be truly foolish to fail to retain even one's own talent. The best option is to invest a little now to gain employees' recognition and loyalty.

Such an investment might be a bit large for elite matters, but for Phoenix Comics and Animation, it's nothing. The company's profits will far exceed this investment. Soon, the weekly magazine's advertising bidding will begin, and the company's revenue will increase significantly, so they won't care about this financial investment!

(End of this chapter)