General Assembly “xeva live 2025”:
Weaving the Future of Avex
with Passion of Each Individual

In July 2025, Avex held its general employee assembly, “xeva live 2025.” As in previous years, the program included the “Really! Mad+Pure Award,” an award determined by employee votes, as well as live performances by Avex artists. True to Avex’s identity as an entertainment company, the assembly unfolded with an energy and excitement rarely seen in a typical corporate gathering. Each participant carried that lingering passion back with them into their daily work.

For this roundtable, we invited five young employees who took part in planning and producing the assembly to share their reflections on “xeva live 2025.” Looking back on the event, they discussed what it means to be an Avex employee and shared their ambitions for the future.

Feeling the Passion
Our Legendary Artists
Hold for the Company

When asked what left the strongest impression at this year's general employee assembly, everyone’s first response was the special live performance, given by Avex artists exclusively for employees.

Kanae Sano, who works in A&R for EXILE at Avex Music Creative Inc., spoke about the performance that left the deepest impression on her:

Sano "The moment that stayed with me most was when DJ KOO suddenly appeared on stage and revisited Avex’s history through a DJ performance that combined video and MC. It was a heartfelt performance, in which DJ KOO, in his own words, praised and encouraged the efforts of every employee in the room."

Similarly deeply moved was Riku Osawa of Avex Alliance & Partners Inc., where she works on collaborative planning and creative production between Avex’s own IP and client projects.

Osawa "Seeing artists perform at the general employee assembly made me realize once again that I’m part of an entertainment company. Kumi Koda’s performance, in particular, was truly breathtaking. From the very first tone, the atmosphere in the venue changed instantly. At the same time, her MC was so empathetic to the feelings of employees, she even spoke about her own thoughts on Avex and what defines its uniqueness. I left feeling really energized."

Additionally, Natsuki Ozawa, who is in charge of retail sales and sales promotion for packaged video content at Avex Pictures Inc., spoke about the sense of unity created by the music and the energy of the venue:

Ozawa "I was glad to see the new artists perform, but what really struck me was hearing “EZ DO DANCE,” a song we always hear at the general employee assembly, and which I think of as our company anthem (laughs), performed live this year by DJ KOO himself. Even watching the excitement in the audience during Kumi Koda’s performance, I truly felt the “madness” of this company, just as our tagline goes. Rather than doing things in a stiff or formal way, we approach everything with enjoyment, immerse ourselves completely, and take it on with a “pure” spirit. I was reminded again that it’s from this attitude that new and exciting ideas are born."

Artists may seem like distant figures, but for Avex employees, they are in fact “comrades” walking the same path. It was this message that came through strongly in the performances. Receiving the passion that these long-standing artists hold for Avex surely gave many employees new encouragement.

A Close Relationship and Trust
Between Artists and Employees

Meanwhile, the annual employee awards program, the “Really! Mad+Pure Award,” also left a strong impression on the younger employees. The Best Individual Award went to a manager who contributed to Avex producing two consecutive heroines, Akari Takaishi and Juri Kosaka, for Morning drama on NHK.

Takahashi "Since I was in charge of the award ceremony, I saw the two actresses waiting backstage for their turn while the award recipient was giving their acceptance speech. It was truly impressive to see them listening intently, eyes shining, to my senior’s words. I realized just how remarkable the relationship between talents and employees is."

Ozawa "The two actresses said they had never seen my senior in tears before. Watching my senior give the speech with such emotion, I could feel how much love was put into their work. It was a moment that reminded me how important it is to approach any job at Avex with genuine care for the IP."

The general employee assembly also serves as an opportunity to reflect on Avex as a company. What became clear is that the strong passion that artists and talents feel for Avex, and that each employee feels for the IPs, is what has consistently driven the company forward.

Diverse IP Development:
Each One the Result of “People’s” Efforts

The Best Team Award at the “Really! Mad+Pure Award” went to the team behind the animated film “Look Back,” which won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation.

Ayaka Kato, who works in administrative support for artist management at Avex Management Inc., reflects on the insights she gained from this award.

Kato "When you think of Avex, the music business often takes the spotlight, but seeing the “Look Back” team win this award really makes me realize how diversified Avex’s business activities are."

Later at the general employee assembly, each group company presented the IPs they are focusing on this fiscal year.

Kato "As I watched the announcements for the various projects, I was surprised to see Avex involved in unexpected areas. It really reinforces my view that Avex is a company that manages a wide range of fascinating IPs."

Osawa "I agree. With so many diverse projects underway, and so many people contributing to each one working toward their goals, it makes you realize the scale of Avex as an entertainment company. The “Look Back” project also demonstrates that even a mid-length film can have a significant impact on the world, which reflects the uniqueness of Avex. That willingness to take on challenges is something I can learn from in my own daily work."

Within the group, a variety of projects are always ongoing, sometimes crossing company and departmental boundaries as they work toward major goals.

The general employee assembly provides a rare glimpse into the dedication and passion behind these efforts, things that are often invisible in day-to-day work. This experience is bound to influence the way each of them approaches their own work.

What They Take Away from the general employee assembly:
Reaffirming Individual “Contributions”

So, what impact did this year’s general employee assembly have on the five participants? We asked them to reflect on their experiences in light of their daily work.

Takahashi, who is primarily involved in recruiting new graduates at Avex Inc., shares how her approach to communicating with young people aspiring to join Avex has changed.

Takahashi "In my regular recruitment work, I'm in a position to convey the appeal of Avex to students. I feel a sense of mission to be able to better communicate not only the excellence of the IP this company handles, but also the love that goes into its creation. Since I'm in the management department, it's difficult to have direct contact with the creators, but I share the same desire to see these heartfelt works reach audiences around the world."

Kato, who works in management, although mentioning, “Because I work at a desk, I don't have many opportunities to interact directly with artists as well, but my job is to support them from behind the scenes,” as a side note, explains her contributions passionately:

Kato "I've renewed my awareness that one of the contributions I can make is to create an environment that makes it easier for people on the front lines to move forward when they need to navigate difficult procedures, such as internal applications, in order to carry out their work."

Reexamining the
“Essense of Avex”

Considering that all five participants had been involved in this general employee assembly from the planning stage as representatives of the employees, Kato pointed out that one of Avex’s defining characteristics is its “corporate culture of incorporating the opinions of younger employees.”

Kato "I hope this company continues to actively incorporate the opinions of young employees. As I continue to build my career here, I would like to be in a position where I can properly incorporate the opinions of young people, and I believe that is what makes Avex unique, too."

Osawa seems to have felt the same about the company’s culture of valuing young employees’ ideas.

Osawa "In my work, for example, I’m sometimes responsible for directing advertising projects, rather than being an assistant. I think Avex has a strong desire to make use of ideas from young people who aren’t bound by convention or standard practices. I see that as a major part of Avex’s appeal, and I think that attitude is also reflected in the general employee assembly. Of course, we want our clients to enjoy advertisements and events that leverage our IP, but after the general employee assembly, I feel that my desire to contribute to enhancing the value of our IP, through raising awareness, generating buzz, and other initiatives, has grown even stronger."

Ozawa, meanwhile, said that by bringing members together from across the company to contribute their opinions to the general employee assembly, he saw potential for strengthening cross-company collaboration within the group even in day-to-day work.

Ozawa "Someday I hope to be involved in a project that fully harnesses Avex’s power, transcending company and department boundaries, and even generations, making full use of horizontal and vertical connections. One of the strengths of Avex’s 360-degree business model is that it can create multiple touchpoints from a single IP. I hope our company continues to be a place where people, friends, family, and perhaps even my future children, can experience our IP in a variety of ways."

Even the "Success" that Blossoms
One Day Begins with One Step at a Time

Now, after being transferred in April of this year, Sano is working hard every day as an A&R for EXILE, a role she has long dreamed of, and she is renewing her determination, saying, “First, I need to grow as an individual.”

Sano "We live in an age where artists can release music and entertainment directly to fans without being affiliated with a label or a management company. No matter how talented an artist or how remarkable a work is, it’s hard to see the value of them being with Avex if there isn’t staff to bring them to life. That’s why I want to grow and strengthen my abilities."

Of course, this is not something that can be achieved overnight; at this general employee assembly, Sano came away with a strong sense that maintaining passion and putting in daily effort is the most important thing.

Sano "Even our award-winning senior colleague, as CFO Hayashi mentioned in his closing remarks, highlighted that what’s being announced today was planned years ago, and only after long-term effort has it finally borne fruit. This was an opportunity to really appreciate that mindset. Next time, whether it’s next year, the year after, or even further down the line, I want to work hard to achieve results at that event, collaborating closely with the artists I manage and contributing to the company over the long term."

Each participating employee took home insights and a sense of accomplishment from this general meeting. It may be several years before those efforts take shape and bear fruit. Yet their step-by-step challenges are surely the very definition of the new possibilities entertainment holds. We look forward to the future they are building as they move forward, embodying what Avex should be as a group.