Live Nation Acquires Japan’s Hayashi International Promotions

Live Nation’s aggressive international buildout has officially reached Japan, where the promoter has acquired Hayashi International Promotions (HIP).

The Ticketmaster parent announced its newest buyout in a brief release. Founded some four decades back and currently led by the namesake Kaori Hayashi, Hayashi International has, of course, organized concert series for a variety of Japanese acts.

Additionally, the Tokyo-headquartered business has promoted a number of shows in Japan for international talent. Global clients include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Fall Out Boy, and Linkin Park, the appropriate website shows.

Now, at least as Live Nation sees things, today’s deal “will enhance Japan’s live music landscape” both by attracting “global superstars” to the nation and by “elevating J-pop on the international stage.”

While the involved parties opted against divulging the transaction’s financials, they did indicate that Kaori Hayashi will remain at the helm moving forward. In a statement, Live Nation head Michael Rapino touted the purchase as a means of bringing “even more live music to fans across Japan.”

And in remarks of her own, Kaori Hayashi emphasized the sale’s perceived ability to help Hayashi International Promotions operate on a “greater scale.”

“HIP has been at the heart of Japan’s live music scene for over 40 years,” the exec communicated, “and our focus has always been on delivering incredible concerts for fans.

“Partnering with Live Nation allows us to keep doing this with greater scale, giving Japanese artists the opportunity to perform to new audiences and strengthening Japan’s position as a must-visit destination for major acts,” Kaori Hayashi concluded.

For Live Nation, the play is just the newest in a line of international expansions to arrive as the company grapples with a fresh round of stateside antitrust scrutiny.

Furthermore, the promoter is also encountering regulatory hurdles in Europe, where rivals like CTS Eventim are expanding aggressively and reporting solid growth.

At the intersection of those points – the antitrust crackdown and the stiff competition in Europe – Live Nation is apparently zeroing in on different regions. Besides today’s buyout, that refers to recent venue investments in Singapore, Portugal, Canada, and South Africa, on top of ticketing pushes throughout Africa and elsewhere.

Separately, Japan-focused expansions aren’t confined to the events side. Universal Music bought A-Sketch in February, Hybe rebranded its Japanese division that same month, and Believe in March scored a Teichiku Entertainment distribution deal.