Prime Video has named Keisuke Oishi as its new country manager for Japan, effective January 20. The former Amazon executive, who most recently served as director and general manager of Amazon Music Japan, will report to Gaurav Gandhi, Prime Video’s vice president of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. He succeeds Kodama Takashi.
Oishi brings with him ten years of experience within Amazon, having joined the company in 2014 after a stint at Sony Corporation. A graduate of Hitotsubashi University, he rose through the ranks at Amazon Japan holding key roles, including head of the software and video games division, as well as director of the entertainment media division, where he oversaw the sector of the company’s physical media across several entertainment areas.
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The appointment comes as the streaming giant continues to gain ground in the Japanese market, where it has established itself as a preferred destination for local content. In addition to its core SVOD offering, Prime Video Japan has expanded its additional subscription services and has one of the most comprehensive TVOD libraries in Japan. The platform has also made significant strides in live sports streaming, featuring boxing and baseball events that are proving popular with Japanese viewers. According to a recent study by Media Partners Asia, Japan has the third fastest growth rate in the Asian streaming market, at 15%.
In an internal communication to Prime Video’s Asia Pacific team, Gandhi expressed optimism about the platform’s trajectory in Japan. “We have had great success with our content and incredible customer growth for Prime Video in Japan over the past few years thanks to your great work, creativity and constant focus on customer satisfaction,” he said. -he declared, adding that he is “very enthusiastic” about the projects and service initiatives for 2025.
In 2024, Prime Video canceled original productions in Southeast Asia, but Japan and India were unaffected. “There is no change in our investment strategy in other APAC territories, including Japan and India,” Gandhi said in a memo to employees at the time.
-Prime Video recently announced a world premiere for “Broken Rage,” the latest feature film from renowned Japanese director Takeshi Kitano, scheduled for release in February.
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Overall, the arrival of Keisuke Oishi at the head of Prime Video in Japan highlights the growing importance of this market for the streaming giants. In an era where local content is taking center stage, it’s interesting to wonder how other platforms will adapt to meet this varied demand.
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