Celebrities never fail to charm us with their chart-topping music, award-winning movies, and acting, or their excellent ramp walk. They gain millions of fans and followers on social media. Some of these use their fortune and fame in businesses and build their empire. Here are some Japanese celebrities that became entrepreneurs:
1. Namie Amuro
The famous singer Namie Amuro is known for breaking the typical stereotype of Japanese pop. The leading figure of J-Pop in the early 1990’s bagged many international awards and sold millions of copies of her albums. Because of her tremendous fame, she got the nicknames, “Japanese Madonna” and “Queen of Japanese Pop.” The lesser-known fact about her is that she is also an entrepreneur. She has her management company, STELLA88, and her record label, Dimension Point.
2. Ayumi Hamasaki
Her music is still considered one of the most influential forces that changed Japanese music trends. With her breakthrough single, "Poker Face," this singer, songwriter, producer, actor, model, and businesswoman became well-known. Ayumi was dubbed the “Empress of J-Pop” because of her immense popularity. She has successfully ventured into the fashion industry and has her own brand. The singer also has a restaurant, Rainbow House.
3. Naomi Watanabe
Naomi is a comedian and actress. She rose to fame in 2008 with her Beyonce impression. Since then, she is called as the Japanese Beyonce. Aside from that, she is also a fashion designer. She launched her fashion line, Punyus. The brand is known for having clothes for people of all sizes, from small to plus-sized.
4. Rola
Rola is a Japanese fashion model, TV personality, actress, and singer. She is of Bangladeshi, Russian, and Japanese descent. Her real name is Eri Sato. She became famous for her numerous appearances in fashion magazines and commercials. She is a well-known due to her regular appearances on TV shows. In 2013, Rola launched her brand called “Vasilisa” for body mists and fragrances.
5. Ryogo Matsumaru
Ryogo is a quiz creator, and talent. He has appeared in many variety shows and TV shows in Japan. He studied at the prestigious University of Tokyo and has more than a hundred thousand followers on social media. He is the CEO of Riddler Co. Ltd.
6. Atsushi Tamura
Atsushi is a famous Japanese comedian. He and his friend, Ryo Tamura, formed the comedic “London boots Ichi-go Ni-go.” Two of them started their careers in Tokyo. He is under Yoshimoto Kogyo. Atsushi created his talent agency, London Boots.
7. Nobu Matsuhisa
Celebrity chef Nobu is known for his distinct style of food. He fuses traditional Japanese cuisine with Peruvian cuisine. His black cod with miso sauce is his signature dish. He has appeared in three major movies as a supporting cast. Nobu has 15 restaurants named “Nobu Restaurant” in many different countries.
8. Jin Akanishi
Jin Akanishi is a famous Japanese musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He started his career with the boy band KAT-TUN as the lead vocalist. In 2014, the actor decided not to renew his contract with his former agency and left Johnny & Associates. In July 2014, he set up his independent label, Go Good Records.
9. Hiroyuki Nishimura
Hiroyuki Nishimura is a Japanese author and TV personality. He prefers the name “Hiroyuki,” as a pen name and a username. He is the founder of the Japanese textboard 2channel.
10. Ko Shibasaki
Shibasaki is known as one of the most glamorous queens of Japanese dramas. Shibasaki is an actress and singer. She gained fame with her debut film, Battle Royale. And was highly praised for her deadly character and fantastic acting. She won many awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for the movie Go. Ko represents Les Trois Graces. Where she expresses her convictions and feelings, It launched a Vmedia platform in 2020.
