Toru Ota Named President of Kansai TV

Kansai TV has named longtime Fuji Television Network executive Toru Ota as its new president.

Ota joined Fuji Television in 1981 and created dramas such as Tokyo Love Story, The 101st Proposal and In the Name of Love. He was appointed senior executive managing director in 2013 and executive VP in 2022.

As head of international business at Fuji, he played a central role in the overseas expansion of the Japanese content industry, resulting in an international drama co-production with Germany’s ZDF Studios and various strategic partnerships, including with China’s bilibili.

Ota was awarded the MIPCOM 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the international entertainment industry.

Kansai TV, established in 1958, is a terrestrial channel covering western Japan, including the major cities Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. It is an affiliate of Fuji Network System and produces and broadcasts dramas, entertainment shows, news and documentaries. Its drama series Crisis and Elpis were selected for the MIPTV/MIPCOM Asian World Premiere Screening in 2017 and 2022, respectively.