A split-screen graphic. The left half features a bright yellow background with bold, black text that reads "HYBE LABELS JAPAN" stacked over three lines. The right half shows a portrait of a woman (Michi Ijima) with short brown hair and bangs against a solid grey background. She is looking forward with a subtle smile, wearing a black blouse with white polka dots and a bow at the neckline.

Legendary producer Michi Iijima joins HYBE Japan to reshape next-generation J-pop.

Ex-SMAP Manager Michi Iijima is HYBE Japan’s New J-pop Producer

Japan's idol system is all set to evolve as HYBE recruits Michi Iijima to spearhead local talent creation that could redefine the Japanese music industry.

10 JUL 2026, 04:16 PM

Highlights

HYBE Japan has tapped former SMAP manager Michi Iijima to lead its J-pop Executive Producer role, signaling a major shift in their Japan strategy.
Under HYBE 2.0 plans, the company aims to redefine the Japanese entertainment industry by creating more J-pop artists.
Backed by Iijima's years of experience, HYBE Japan's expansion hints at a fresh approach in building new Japanese idol acts with global appeal.

South Korean entertainment powerhouse HYBE is actively moving to deepen its footprint in the world's second-largest music market, Japan. On July 7, 2026, HYBE Japan announced their new J-pop Executive Producer, veteran industry architect Michi Iijima, who will be leading the company's local artist development and intellectual property strategy.

This high-profile recruitment, made under the “HYBE 2.0” framework, reinforces the BTS label’s "multi-home, multi-genre" strategy. The company aims to discover next-generation J-pop artists with the former SMAP manager trying to combine its proprietary global infrastructure with traditional Japanese talent.

From SMAP to HYBE: Iijima's Next Chapter

Iijima reportedly brings about fifty years of deep market expertise to the role, having pioneered a "multi-talent model" which put Japanese idols into multi-format content like variety television, dramas, and cinema. Apart from her legendary tenure managing the popular J-pop idol group SMAP, Iijima is an accomplished film producer whose work includes Midnight Swan, a 2020 drama film that won the Japan Academy Award. According to reports from the Seoul Economic Daily and Chosun Daily, Iijima will oversee creative direction and artist IP planning at HYBE Japan while also maintaining her role as CEO of her independent agency, CULEN.

HYBE 2.0 Eyes Japan's Idol Industry Reset

The timing of Iijima’s appointment aligns with the ongoing structural disruption within the Japanese entertainment industry. After a scandal-led collapse of Johnny & Associates in 2023, which was Japan’s most popular talent agency, the domestic market has lacked a proper organizational framework for idol groups, especially the male ones.

Writing on LinkedIn, Dr. Ingyu Oh, a pop culture specialist and professor at Kansai Gaidai University, observed that the initiative is less about exporting the usual K-pop model and more about rebuilding the foundation of the Japanese boy band institution itself. With legacy groups like SMAP disbanding in 2016 and Arashi being minimally active, a multi-generational fandom vacuum has been created, which HYBE wants to fill. The organization’s success will depend on how they leverage Iijima’s local legitimacy to ensure that its Japanese ventures are not perceived as K-pop being repackaged or marketed as J-pop.

“At this turning point in the entertainment industry, I firmly believe the future lies in fandom,” Iijima said in a statement cited by South Korean media entities like The Chosun Daily, highlighting her commitment to guarantee that local Japanese content achieves long-term global viability. On the other hand, HYBE Japan Chairman Kim Young-min also echoed the sentiment by stating that Iijima’s domestic market insights will inject “powerful vitality” into the industry.

Diya Mukherjee

Author

Diya Mukherjee is a Content Writer at Outlook Respawn with a postgraduate background in media. She has a passion for writing content and is enthusiastic about exploring cultures, literature, global affairs, and pop culture.