#Japan #Tokyo #AI Translation #Yaraku #CAT Tools

Yaraku Inc. Enhances Executive Leadership to Propel AI Translation

Yaraku Inc., headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, has recently announced a significant overhaul of its executive leadership structure, effective March 27, 2025. This restructuring aims to accelerate business growth and global expansion, particularly focusing on the innovative delivery of AI-driven translation experiences through their flagship product, “Yaraku Translation,” a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool. The announcement comes with the appointments of Hiroki Kudo as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Kazunori Nagao as Executive Officer for Sales.

Background of the Executive Restructure

Yaraku has been at the forefront of providing a domestically produced CAT tool, merging advanced machine translation with human expertise to redefine translation experiences. The rise of large language models (LLMs) has transformed the translation landscape, leading to heightened demands for multilingual responses from businesses worldwide. In response to these emerging trends, Yaraku has strengthened its management, sales, and operational structures to enhance decision-making speed and execution capabilities, ultimately delivering more value to customers through the hybridization of human efforts and AI.

Hiroki Kudo, now serving as COO, will primarily oversee the exploration of international markets and the overall execution strategies of the business. Kazunori Nagao, assigned as the Executive Officer in charge of Sales, is tasked with enhancing sales organizations domestically and abroad while also expanding the customer base.

New Appointments Profiles

Hiroki Kudo, COO

Hiroki Kudo was born in Canada and moved to Japan during childhood. After completing his master’s degree at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2000, he began his career as a project manager for significant IT projects at IBM Japan. In 2008, he graduated with an MBA from INSEAD and transitioned to strategic consulting with CVA, focusing on management strategies for large enterprises. He was integral to the establishment of Locondo in 2010 and later founded Lib, a company dedicated to streamlining accounting processes, prompted by challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Kudo has maintained a focus on business support and SaaS development.

Currently residing in Canada, Kudo has been involved in entrepreneurial development programs at the University of British Columbia and has served as a mentor for Canadian accelerators. He joined Yaraku in September 2024 and expects to lead significant changes in the company’s operations as the newly appointed COO.

Kazunori Nagao, Executive Officer for Sales

Hailing from Fukuoka Prefecture, Kazunori Nagao graduated from Kyushu Institute of Design (now Kyushu University) and began his career in a trading company. He brings over 30 years of experience in sales, business development, and management. In 2001, Nagao joined McAfee Japan, contributing to the establishment of its consumer business and facilitating extensive alliances with telecom carriers and device manufacturers. Subsequently, he took on pivotal roles in various global SaaS companies, focusing on strategy development and business growth in the Japanese market.

Nagao joined Yaraku in February 2024, and as the Executive Officer for Sales since January 1, 2025, he is poised to lead the charge in enhancing sales strategies and expanding the company's market presence.

New Executive Leadership Team as of April 8, 2025

• - CEO: Suguru Sakanishi
• - CTO: Jonas Rydenhag
• - COO: Hiroki Kudo
• - Outside Directors: Kenichiro Kusuyama, Yuichi Yahashi, Nobutaka Maeda
• - Executive Officer for Sales: Kazunori Nagao

Company Overview

• - Name: Yaraku Inc.
• - Website: www.yaraku.com
• - Location: 16F Link Square Shinjuku, 5-27-5 Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo 151-0051
• - Establishment: August 2009
• - CEO: Suguru Sakanishi
• - Business Focus: Planning, development, and operation of multilingual communication tools.

With this revitalized leadership team, Yaraku Inc. is set to enhance its innovative capabilities in delivering cutting-edge translation tools, responding to increasingly sophisticated demands in the language services market.