Sony Music Entertainment Japan

Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. (SMEJ), also known as Sony Music Japan, is a Japanese entertainment company wholly owned by Sony Group Corporation. SMEJ's extensive operations encompass record labels, music publishing, anime production, and event organization. Founded in 1968 as CBS/Sony, the company operates independently from the United States–based Sony Music Entertainment due to its diversity and strength in the Japanese market. Its prominent subsidiaries include Sony Music Labels, which manages and operates its various record labels; Sony Music Solutions, which provides comprehensive support services like physical distribution, merchandise sales, and event planning; and the animation production company, Aniplex.

The company holds a dominant position in the Anime song market, with its artists providing songs for several series per year. Sony Music Japan has long utilized anime productions as a major platform for its artists, particularly through its subsidiary Aniplex. The establishment of the Sacra Music label in 2017 further cemented this focus, dedicated specifically to managing artists prominent in the anisong genre, such as LiSA and Aimer. This strategy leverages the global popularity of anime titles to propel Japanese artists to international audiences.

Sony Music does not hold the trademark rights to the Columbia name in Japan; therefore, releases from Columbia Records (outside of Japan) are issued under the Sony Records label in Japan, though they retain the usage of the "walking eye" logo. The rights to the Columbia name and trademark are instead controlled by Nippon Columbia, which served as the licensee for the American Columbia Records until 1968.

With Sony Corporation of America's buyout of Bertelsmann's stake in Sony BMG, Sony Music Entertainment Japan stepped in to acquire outstanding shares of BMG Japan from Sony BMG, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Japan.