Third Special Event Breaks Participation Records! Chairman’s Personal History Reveals Japan’s Future
On Tuesday, June 10th at 9:00 PM JST, an X Spaces AMA featuring YuruChara Grand Prix founder Chairman Nishi was held, recording the highest participation ever with 275 attendees. This session deeply explored Chairman Nishi’s personal career story, how his music industry experience led to the creation of YuruChara Grand Prix, and the ongoing Web3 project, spanning approximately one hour.
Speaker Introductions
Chairman Nishi (YuruChara Grand Prix Founder & Current Chairman)
- 1989: Mid-career entry to Toshiba EMI Records
- Collaborated with Jun Miura to produce numerous subculture works
- 2000: Independence, launched ringtone site business
- 2002: Produced Daikin Air Conditioner’s “Pichon-kun”
- 2011: Founded YuruChara Grand Prix
Kubo-san (MC & YuruCoin Marketing Manager)
- Active as Liberta Kubo
- MC for three consecutive Space sessions
- Operations manager for airdrop campaigns
Transformation Story: From Music Industry to Character Industry
Toshiba EMI Era: Passion for Subculture Works
Chairman Nishi joined Toshiba EMI mid-career in 1989, reflecting: “I only made content unrelated to hit charts.” His representative works include:
Major Production Works
- Collaboration with Jun Miura: Chiyo Okumura’s “Blood-Soaked Delinquent Girl Chainsaw Bomb” (Best Album)
- Nostalgic CM Complete Series
- Nostalgic Anime Complete Series
- Rakugo CDs by the Katsura Beichou family (exclusive Toshiba EMI contract)
Subculture Industry Achievements Self-evaluated as “a record director whose release numbers were huge but sales numbers weren’t high,” he was actually a prominent figure in the subculture world.
2000 Independence: Ringtone Business in the i-mode Era
Era Background
- 2000: Pre-smartphone proliferation
- i-mode launch, i-menu system operation
- Golden age when ringtone sites routinely exceeded 10 million members
“Shinchaku Commercial Gekijou” Success Chairman Nishi immediately launched the ringtone site “Shinchaku Commercial Gekijou” after independence, specializing in CM song ringtones. He quickly achieved success with 100,000 members. However, due to “many unpleasant experiences,” he sold the site and moved to the next business.
Daikin “Pichon-kun” Production Secret Story
2002: Fateful Encounter and FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan
Character Birth Background In 2004, Chairman Nishi graced the cover of Nikkei Ryutsu Shimbun to discuss Daikin Air Conditioner’s “Pichon-kun.” It was revealed that he has continued producing Pichon-kun for over 20 years since then.
Pichon-kun Birth Story
- Designer: Yumiko Ito from Tohokushinsha
- Product: “Ururu to Sarara” (released 2000)
- Challenge: Daikin’s expansion from contractor-focused to general consumer market
Marketing Strategy Turning Point
Corporate Manager’s Concerns The Daikin manager (Mr. Y) at the time faced these challenges:
- Daikin had a rigid image as successor to “Osaka Metal”
- Main customers were 15,000 specialty stores (contractors)
- Contractor managers found “Ururu to Sarara” difficult to pronounce
- Lack of general consumer marketing know-how
Chairman Nishi’s Proposal Around 2001, facing budget constraints requiring CM reuse, Hakuhodo staff and Mr. Y visited Chairman Nishi’s office. Drawing on his music industry experience, he proposed: “Let’s make Pichon-kun a star.”
The Importance of “Being Known”
Entertainment Industry Iron Rule Chairman Nishi shared principles from his music industry experience:
“The difference between known and unknown characters is enormous. Known characters attract children, but unknown characters get completely ignored.”
Importance of Vision in Human Five Senses Chairman Nishi’s unique theory, comparing human five senses to a 10-person company:
- Visual department: 8 people
- Other 4 senses (hearing, smell, taste, touch): 2 people
“Cigarettes don’t taste good with eyes closed, sushi doesn’t taste good with eyes closed – this is why.”
2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan and CD Debut Strategy
Perfect Timing
- Pre-Golden Week May: “Ururu to Sarara” CM broadcast
- Several weeks later: Pichon-kun CD debut planned
- FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan: All of Japan was excited
Kindergarten Strategy Execution Chairman Nishi’s strategy:
- Created Pichon-kun costume
- Partnered with kindergartens
- Planned folk dance with kindergarten children
- Utilized industry rule: “Situations where children can be filmed without consent make variety shows happy”
Media Strategy
- Sent press releases via fax to all stations and newspapers
- Japan’s team lost to Turkey, creating news shortage
- TV stations desperate for content covered Pichon-kun
- Motorcycle couriers rushed to kindergartens, evening news broadcast nationwide
CD Sales Strategy Innovation
Oricon Chart Countermeasures Daikin’s proposal: “Distribute one copy each to 15,000 specialty stores for 15,000 copies” Chairman Nishi’s opposition: “That won’t count on Oricon”
Legitimate Sales Approach
- Provided Oricon count store data
- Requested purchases from 15,000 contractor-related people
- Achieved debut ranking below 15th place (details unclear from memory)
- Became an instant hit
Pichon-kun’s Strategic Design
Cost-Efficient Character Design
- Colors: Only white, black, and red (cheeks) – 3 colors
- Achieved significant printing cost reduction
- Air costume specification wearable by salespeople
- Designed under 180cm to fit through doors
Daikin’s Current Success
“Daikin has now become the world’s number one air conditioner manufacturer for large units. While I won’t say it was the catalyst, Pichon-kun made me strongly feel the value and potential of characters.”
YuruChara Grand Prix Chapter 2: From 2020 End to 2023 Revival
True Intent Behind 2016 End Declaration
Crisis Awareness of Mainstream Integration
- 2016: Announced to media “Will end in 2020”
- Reason: “YuruChara is subculture and shouldn’t walk the mainstream path”
- Concerned about symbolization as recovery Olympics with Tokyo Olympics decision
- Uncomfortable with frequent NHK news coverage
2020 Final Event in Morioka
- Sandwich Man guest appearance confirmed
- Venue secured
- Despite Olympics postponement due to COVID, ended as scheduled
Revival Demands from Regions and New Policy
2022-2023 Turning Point
- Revival requests from regions most affected by COVID
- Chairman Nishi’s stance: “Don’t want traditional YuruChara Grand Prix”
- Tried restart with metaverse “YuruVerse”
- Judged metaverse alone as “premature”
Shift to Hybrid Strategy
- 2023: Combined metaverse + traditional voting
- 2024: Full-scale introduction of Web3.0 technology
- Utilization of YuruCoin and YuruToken as highlights
Japan’s Population Decline Crisis and Regional Revitalization Mission
Worsening Declining Birthrate Problem
Crisis Shown by Statistics
- Previous day’s TV programs (Good Morning, Morning Show) featured population decline
- 2023 births: 680,000 (some sources say 600,000s)
- Most important issue Chairman Nishi constantly considers
Root Cause Analysis
“Various reasons are cited like women not marrying or anxiety about living in rural areas, but the biggest factor might be that everyone isn’t living believing in a bright future.”
Problems with Furusato Tax System
Aspects as Rich-Favoring System While evaluating Furusato tax as a “wonderful system,” Chairman Nishi pointed out structural problems:
User Reality
- Resident tax payers: About 80 million people
- Furusato tax users: 6-8 million people (about 10%)
- Mandatory condition: Credit card payment
Inequality Expansion Mechanism
- Doctors, company presidents, entertainers: 10 million yen payment limits
- General citizens: Difficult to pay 1 million yen at once
- Result: High earners overwhelmingly advantaged
Web3.0 Solutions
YuruCoin’s Democratization Effect
“Want to create a system where small payments allow exchange and trading of fan activity coins and tokens, with fees returned to regions.”
Year-Round Regional Support
- Furusato tax: Temporary system at year-end
- YuruCoin: Continuous support throughout the year
Migration Promotion Policy Proposals
- Migration recommendation to YuruToken-issuing regions
- Regional expansion of student loan repayment support
- Student loan assumption system with 15-year residence conditions
Strategic Partnership with Major E-commerce Sites
Oligopoly Structure of Furusato Tax Market
94% Control by Four Major Players 1.1 trillion yen market breakdown:
- Rakuten Furusato Tax
- Satofuru
- Furusato Choice
- Furunavi
These four sites control 94% (about 1.04 trillion yen), leaving about 60 billion yen divided among 26 sites.
Market Distortion Through Ranking Manipulation
Selective Recommendation by Platforms
- Only top-ten products sell
- Overwhelming advantage for specialty product regions like Miyazaki beef
- Similar bias in portal site banner advertising
New System Innovation Chairman Nishi revealed major e-commerce site partnership details:
- Point allocation based on Furusato tax amounts
- Points directly convert to voting rights
“Prepared for controversy, but YuruChara might be forgiven”
Corporate Character Entry: Era Background
Talent Risk Avoidance Demand
Structural Problems of CM Talent Usage
- Contract fees proportional to media usage (TV, print, radio, internet)
- Contract cancellation risk due to scandals
- Double cost with production fees
Character Advantages
- Continuous use once created
- Deployment in both illustration and costume forms
- Long-term use without risk
Osaka Expo “Myaku-Myaku” Case Study
“Popularity comes from high exposure. Whether cute or creepy, the important thing is being known, including through controversy.”
Overseas Expansion Strategy and East Asian Markets
Japan’s Content Export Industry
Export Value Rankings
- Automobiles
- Anime content
“Japan’s anime export value has become very large, and YuruChara benefits from this.”
East Asian Expansion Possibilities
Existing Track Record
- Hosting experience in Korea, China, Hong Kong
- Participation of various countries’ YuruChara in Japan Grand Prix
Special Significance of Korean Market
- High interest in cryptocurrency
- High compatibility with YuruCoin
- China: Excluded due to cryptocurrency/NFT bans
ASEAN Expansion Prospects Considering expansion to ASEAN countries following East Asia
June 15 Important Announcement and Airdrop Details
Four Consecutive Airdrop Campaign
Participation Conditions and Acquisition Numbers
- June 6 (Fri) 1st: 10 coins
- June 8 (Sun) 2nd: 10 coins
- June 10 (Tue) 3rd: 10 coins
- June 15 (Sun) 4th: 10 coins (planned)
Recording Method
- Participants recorded at each snapshot moment
- Excluded if left Space during snapshot
- Strictly managed by operations
Application Process
- All four rounds distributed together
- Dedicated application form released around next week
- Announced via YuruCoin official X and FiNANCiE
June 15 Important Announcement Content
FiNANCiE YuruToken Related
- Specific crowdfunding methods
- Detailed explanation of acquisition methods
- Positioning as investment opportunity
Participation Number Progression
- June 6: 168 people
- June 8: 253 people
- June 10: 275 people (record high)
Chairman Nishi’s Life Philosophy and Feelings for Japan
Sense of Mission After Age 60
Life-Remaining Challenge
“Having passed 60, I’m the type who thinks about how to conclude the rest of my life. That’s why I can speak honestly.”
Love and Crisis Awareness for Japan
“To put it dramatically, I love Japan. I wonder why everyone doesn’t live in the countryside.”
Feelings About Rural Living
Questions About Land Issues
“When I go to the countryside, I really wonder why there’s so much land. I think it would be nice to live here, but when I consider why I can’t, there are surprisingly few obstacles.”
Telework Era Possibilities
“Especially my work can be done anywhere. There aren’t many jobs requiring in-person meetings. Sometimes I think the countryside would really be sufficient.”
Proposals for Agricultural Issues
Self-Sufficiency Society Proposals
“People complain about rice issues, but I think they should try rice planting themselves.”
Agricultural Reality
- Once fallow implemented, soil recovery takes 3-4 years
- Complex relationships between soil, weather, climate, and logistics
“Japan could go to the point where everyone can be self-sufficient.”
Expectations for Younger Generations
As Rural Charm Communicators
“I want young people especially to communicate rural charm. I hope to assist in that.”
Comprehensive Project Outlook
Three Time-Axis Strategy
Short-term (2024)
- September 27-28 final voting at Sumida Park
- Full operation of YuruCoin additional voting system
- Operation of partnership system with major e-commerce sites
Medium-term (2025-2027)
- Full-scale expansion in East Asian markets
- Mass entry of corporate characters
- Municipal-level Web3.0 understanding penetration
Long-term (2028 onwards)
- Brand establishment of Regional Coin = YuruCoin
- Completion of true regional revitalization model
- International expansion as successful Japan-originated Web3.0 case
Significance as Social Issue Resolution Model
Fusion of Entertainment and Social Contribution
“Even peace songs don’t resonate if too serious. There are parts forgiven because it’s YuruChara, but if too famous, it’s criticized as organized voting.”
Ensuring Sustainability
- Credibility from 14 years of track record
- Relationships with 5,000 local governments
- Innovation through Web3.0 technology
Summary: Journey from Music Producer to Social Innovator
Inevitability of Career Transition
Looking back at Chairman Nishi’s career, seemingly unrelated music industry experience actually forms the foundation of current YuruChara and Web3.0 projects:
- Toshiba EMI era: Deep subculture understanding and promotion techniques
- Ringtone business: Adaptability to new technology and business sense
- Pichon-kun: Essential understanding of character business
- YuruChara Grand Prix: Addressing social issues of regional revitalization
- YuruCoin: Innovation in problem-solving through Web3.0 technology
Value Revealed in This AMA
1. Practical Business Building Ability Not theory, but actual track record of successfully continuing character business for over 20 years
2. Deep Insight into Social Issues Structural rather than superficial understanding of population decline, regional revitalization, and economic inequality
3. Strategic Technology Utilization Positioning Web3.0 not as speculation but as means for social issue resolution
4. Clear Long-term Vision Mission of “wanting to improve Japan with remaining life”
Re-evaluation of Investment/Participation Value
This AMA clarified that YuruCoin and YuruToken projects distinguish themselves from other cryptocurrency projects in these ways:
Solid Business Foundation
- Over 20 years of character business track record
- Established network with 5,000 municipalities
- Annual traffic of hundreds of millions of page views
Clear Social Significance
- Direct contribution to national issue of regional revitalization
- Correction of Furusato tax inequality
- Promotion of young people’s rural migration
Fusion of Innovation and Tradition
- 14-year history of YuruChara Grand Prix
- Latest Web3.0 technology
- Balance of entertainment and practicality
Next Event Expectations
The June 15 AMA will finally announce specific YuruToken acquisition methods. Great attention focuses on how the grand vision emerging from Chairman Nishi’s personal history will be realized.
【Next Preview】June 15 (Sun) 9:00 PM JST
Theme: Detailed announcement of YuruToken acquisition methods Content: FiNANCiE crowdfunding participation methods Benefits: 4th airdrop (10 coins) planned Importance: ★★★★★ (Most important as investment opportunity)
【Final Airdrop Chance】
- Maximum 40 coins available for four consecutive participations
- Application form release planned for next week
- Announced via YuruCoin official X and FiNANCiE
【Important Notes】
- Investment decisions are your own responsibility
- Check official channels for latest information
- Beware of fraudulent sites
This article summarizes the content of the X Spaces AMA held on June 10, 2024. Speech content is based on audio transcription with some expressions adjusted for readability.
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