Yasushi Akimoto

Yasushi Akimoto (Japanese: 秋元 康, Hepburn: Akimoto Yasushi, born May 2, 1958) is a Japanese record producer, lyricist and television writer, best known for creating and producing some of Japan's top idol groups, Onyanko Club and the AKB48 franchise. Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 100 million copies, making him the best-selling lyricist in Japan.

Akimoto wrote horror novel Chakushin Ari (着信アリ), which brought to movie in 2003 before remade by Hollywood in 2008.

Akimoto became a television writer in high school, he has produced many television programs, such as Utaban.

Akimoto started as a lyricist with The Alfee in 1981; he has written lyrics for various artists such as Kinki Kids, Tunnels, Onyanko Club, AKB48, SKE48, SDN48, NMB48, HKT48. He also wrote Hibari Misora's last single during her lifetime, "Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni", and Jero's debut single "Umi Yuki".

He debuted an Indonesian version of AKB48 called JKT48. Auditions were held on October 8 and 9, 2011 and the official members were announced early November.

He became a professor and vice president at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

On March 17, 2014 it was announced that Akimoto was named a member of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Committee and was put in charge of producing the opening ceremony along with photographer Mika Ninagawa who has previously produced music videos for AKB48, including 2010's Heavy Rotation and 2013's Sayonara Crawl. A petition against his appointment has been created due his representing the "decline" of the Japanese entertainment industry, with 11,000 signatures as of March 23.

Akimoto married Onyanko Club member Mamiko Takai in 1988.

• 2008: 41st Japan Lyricist Awards — Grand Prix (for the song "Umiyuki", performed by Jero)
• 2012: 51st Japan Record Award Special Award

• 第41回日本作詩大賞 [The 41st Japan Lyricist Awards] (in Japanese). Japan Lyricists Association. Retrieved 2015-05-07. 
• 『第51回日本レコード大賞』候補11作品決定 最優秀アルバムはGReeeeN『塩、コショウ』に (in Japanese). oricon ME inc. Retrieved 2015-11-11.