Ryuichi Sakamoto's Catalog Acquired Jointly by US-Based Exceleration and Japan's NexTone — Rights Management Split Inside and Outside Asia

US independent music company Exceleration Music and Tokyo-based rights administrator and distributor NexTone announced on July 2 that they have jointly acquired the recording and publishing catalog of Ryuichi Sakamoto directly from his estate. The two companies will act as joint custodians of the catalog through a joint venture.

Under the scheme, Exceleration will oversee rights management and revenue collection outside Asia, while NexTone handles the catalog within Asia, working with Fujipacific Music on publishing administration. Both companies will collaborate closely with Sakamoto's management company KAB to preserve his legacy and steer future posthumous releases.

While legacy catalog transactions are common in the US and UK, they remain rare in Japan. The deal marks Exceleration's first major acquisition in the Japanese market and stands as a case of a landmark Japanese catalog connecting to the international asset market in earnest.

On the practical side, a clearly defined rights holder should speed up decision-making around sync licensing for film and advertising, reissues, and streaming initiatives. The market for secondary uses of Sakamoto's internationally acclaimed work is likely to keep growing.

NexTone's position as a JV partner is also significant. Rather than a straightforward overseas buyout, the structure keeps Asian revenue collection with a domestic operator — a template that future Japanese catalog transactions may reference.

From the ZEN editorial desk: the trend of song catalogs being valued as long-term assets underscores, for working creators, the importance of getting rights ownership and administration in order early.

Sources: Music Business Worldwide, Music Week, Digital Music News (reported July 2, 2026)