The company was founded on April 2, 1954, as Kadokawa Shoten. It was renamed Kadokawa Holdings on April 1, 2003, transferring the existing publishing businesses to Kadokawa Shoten Publishing. The company was again renamed Kadokawa Group Holdings on July 1, 2006. The company inherited the management and integration businesses within Kadokawa Shoten Publishing in January 2007. The magazine businesses were transferred to the Kadokawa Magazine Group. The company was renamed Kadokawa Corporation on June 22, 2013. On October 1, 2013, nine companies in the Kadokawa Group (
ASCII Media Works, Chukei Publishing,
Enterbrain,
Fujimi Shobo, Kadokawa Gakugei Publishing, Kadokawa Production, Kadokawa Magazines,
Kadokawa Shoten and
Media Factory) were merged into Kadokawa Corporation. Eight of them operate now as brand companies. Kadokawa Production was dissolved and integrated into the General IP Business Headquarters. On December 30, 2013, Kadokawa had announced that the company has acquired 100% of publisher Choubunsha. On May 14, 2014, it was announced that Kadokawa Corporation and
Dwango, the owner of
Niconico, would merge on October 1, 2014, and form the new holding company
Kadokawa Dwango. Both Kadokawa and Dwango became subsidiaries of the new company. In February 2019, Kadokawa Dwango announced that Dwango would now be a direct subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation in a reorganization of the company. On July 1, 2019, Kadokawa Corporation was reorganized; the publishing business remained and the company was renamed to Kadokawa Future Publishing. Kadokawa Dwango itself became the second iteration of Kadokawa Corporation. On January 25, 2024, Kadokawa announced that it would acquire a majority stake in Vega from
Média-Participations.
Brand companies (divisions) •
ASCII Media Works • Chukei Publishing •
Enterbrain •
Fujimi Shobo • Kadokawa Gakugei Publishing • Kadokawa Magazines •
Kadokawa Shoten •
Media Factory Subsidiaries • Building Book Center • Kadokawa Key-Process == References ==