Founded in Hong Kong, specializing in music provision and musician dispatch services.

Q: First, could you tell us about Neo Music Production?

Neo Music Production is a company that specializes in the music business, established in Hong Kong in 2012 together with my Hong Kongese wife. Our business has two main components: providing music tracks I create as a musician and dispatching musicians for events. Our dispatch service supplies musicians for corporate events, weddings, and other occasions. Currently, we have contracts with dozens of musicians of various nationalities. 

Q: I understand you've also recently established a Japanese branch.

Yes, we established our Japanese entity in Nagoya at the end of 2022, but setting up a company in Japan was quite different from Hong Kong, and in the beginning, we felt lost. However, we received significant support from the Greater Nagoya Initiative Council (GNIC), which was incredibly helpful.  

Honestly, due to my busy schedule as a performer, we haven't been able to fully kick off our operations yet. Despite that, we have held live events in three cities—Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka—in 2023. To being with, our connection with Japan was minimal, but during the pandemic, I continued performing piano on streaming apps, which gradually increased our Japanese fanbase. The live events provided us with an opportunity to interact with these fans. 

Q: Could you share more about your activities as a musician?

I primarily work on arranging film and game music and am the youngest Japanese composer to receive the Hong Kong Film Award (Hong Kong's equivalent of the Academy Awards). I have also provided music for celebrities like Jackie Chan. The common perception is that musicians usually grow up receiving specialized music education from a young age, but my first real encounter with music was learning to play the piano when I was between 7 and 10 years old. It wasn't until after we moved to Malaysia for my father's work that I started composing music as a hobby. Later, I formally studied music at a university in Australia. 

Q: What are your impressions of Nagoya?

I have a very positive impression of it. When I transferred to a school in Nagoya as a teenager, I attended an international school in the suburbs of Nagoya city. The class was filled with returnee students and foreigners, and I was gratefully accepted without any issues. Revisiting Nagoya as an adult, I now realize how child-friendly the city is. Shopping malls and other places accommodate families for long periods, creating a cozy environment. It gives off the impression of being a town that is friendly towards children. 

Nagoya's Appeal: Strategic Location and Welcoming 'Harbor Mentality'

Q: What do you find appealing about conducting business in Nagoya?

One significant advantage is its location between Tokyo and Osaka. As I aim to bridge Japanese musicians from all over the country, Nagoya's central location is highly appealing. Another aspect I appreciate is what I refer to as the Harbor Mentality. Much like a harbor warmly welcomes ships from different shores, I've felt warmly welcomed in Nagoya as someone coming from abroad. This openness to new things is a trait I believe Nagoya possesses. The unique Nagoya cuisine, whether it's hitsumabushi (grilled eel on rice), miso-katsu (pork cutlet with miso sauce), or other local specialties, I think, is a product of this mentality. These unique aspects of Nagoya's food culture are something I always recommend to my friends from Hong Kong when they visit Japan. 

Q: What kind of support did you receive from the government when establishing the Japanese branch?

When establishing of our Japanese branch, we received assistance from the GNIC. The process of setting up a corporation in Japan differed significantly from that in Hong Kong, and initially, we were navigating in the dark. With their support, we smoothly kickstarted our operations with assistance in procedural guidance, introductions to judicial scriveners, and subsidy support. This experience left me feeling that the environment is conducive to new foreign enterprises launching a new business. 

Spreading the Charm of My Japanese Roots Abroad

Q: Can you tell us about your future plans in Japan?

Japanese music, both in performance and recording quality, has a high level and a substantial fan base overseas. However, the Japanese music industry tends to be insular and not very open to the international market, partly due to language barriers. For instance, when I worked on the film music for Dynasty Warriors, collaborating with Japanese musicians was challenging initially because I didn't know the appropriate channels to approach them. Our company aims to serve as a bridge connecting Japan with the international market, creating opportunities for Japanese musicians to thrive globally.

As a music performer, I also want to promote the allure of Japan. Being born in the United States and living abroad has made me more conscious of my Japanese roots. Although it may seem like a far-fetched dream, I'd love to travel across Japan in a camper van, performing piano at various famous sites. I already have a following on music streaming platforms, so I plan to share information about these scenic locations alongside my music. Additionally, I'm looking to collaborate with Japanese arrangers and introduce their work in English, expanding our outreach. While the details are still being finalized, we're also planning live events in Japan for 2024.