AKS Co., Ltd. changes name and announces massive changes
The management of AKS Co, Ltd. announced on 20 January 2020 that AKS Co, Ltd. will change its name to “Vernalossom” and withdraw from the direct management of its three remaining Japanese idol groups AKB48, HTK48 and NGT48. The groups will be placed under independent management. “Vernalossom” will officially dedicate itself to new business areas. AKS had sold its shares in SKE48 to Keyholder and from NMB48 to Yoshimoto in 2019. As this is usually done by share exchanges and as the three future companies will remain 100% owned by “Vernalossom”, the question arises as to how far “Vernalossom” will or can continue to maintain its influence. Furthermore, “Vernalossom” has not made any statements about its overseas groups and the AKB48 Group, except that all groups will continue to participate in AKB48 Group events.
AKB48, HKT48 and NGT48 will be managed in the future by the following provisional companies:
from March 2020:
– HKT48: Kabushiki Kaisha HKT (Managing Director: Maeda Harumasa, currently on the AKS executive board)
– NGT48: Kabushiki Kaisha NGT (Managing Director: Okada Tsuyoshi, currently in NGT48 Theater Management)
from April 2020:
– AKB48: Kabushiki Kaisha AKB (Managing Director: Uchimura Kazuki, currently CEO of OSARE Company Inc.)