Person: Kawakami Nobuo

Kawakami Nobuo is a businessman and film producer born in Ehime Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from Kyoto University's institute of technology in 1991 and joined Software Japan. In 1997 he established Dwango Japan - the Japan branch of DWANGO (Dial-up Wide-Area Network Game Operation), which was an early online gaming service based in the United States. In August of the same year, he established the stock company Dwango and became its CEO. He would evolve Dwango into a telecommunications/media company. In 2006 he became a member of the board in Avex Group Holdings. In 2011 he joined Studio Ghibli, becoming Suzuki Toshio's apprentice (he did not receive a salary). In June of 2011 he became a member of the board in Kadokawa Group Holdings (later renamed to Kadokawa). In August of 2013 he became a member of the board in the animation production company Khara. In 2014 Dwango and Kadokawa merged to create a new holding company Dwango Kadokawa, which Kawakami became the chairman of, later in 2015 he was appointed as the president instead. In July of 2015 he became a member of the board for the newly established background art studio Deho Gallery.