Fusosha Publishing

Fusosha Publishing is a Japanese publishing company operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Media Holdings and as part of the wider Fujisankei Communications Group. Its business developed from a publishing operation established by Fuji Television, initially known as Living Magazine Co., Ltd. The company adopted the Fusosha name in 1984, marking the formation of the identity under which it later expanded its magazine, book, textbook, and program-related publishing activities. The company’s publishing portfolio has included consumer magazines, special-interest periodicals, textbooks, books, and publications connected with media properties owned or operated by companies in the Fujisankei group. Among its better-known magazine titles are Spa! and Esse, which represent different areas of the Japanese consumer-magazine market. Fusosha has also published Mamor, a magazine associated with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, since 2006. Its catalogue therefore combines general-interest and lifestyle publishing with institutional, educational, and media-related content. Fusosha’s corporate history is closely tied to the integration of publishing and broadcasting assets within the Fujisankei network. In 1987, Fusosha Co., Ltd. merged with Sankyo Publishing Co., Ltd., a publishing division of Sankei Shimbun, another company within the same communications group. This transaction broadened the company’s organizational base and connected it more directly with the newspaper and publishing assets of the group. In 2007, Fuji Television acquired additional shares in Fusosha and Pony Canyon, converting both companies into wholly owned subsidiaries. Fusosha consequently became more tightly integrated into Fuji Television’s corporate structure and the broader Fuji Media Holdings organization. In addition to periodicals and books developed as standalone publishing products, Fusosha has issued monographs and related publications based on programs produced or distributed by sister companies. Examples include books connected with the radio program All Night Nippon and the television program Waratte Iitomo!. These activities illustrate the group’s cross-media model, in which broadcasting and entertainment properties are extended into print products. Fusosha is best understood as a Japanese media-group publishing company rather than as an independent international consumer brand. Its principal market is Japan, and its identity is based on editorial publishing, magazine franchises, educational and reference materials, and the exploitation of intellectual property originating in affiliated broadcasting and entertainment businesses.

Fusosha Publishing originated as a publishing business established by Fuji Television under the name Living Magazine Co., Ltd. The operation was created to develop publishing activities alongside the broadcaster’s core television business, placing it within the cross-media structure that characterized the Fujisankei Communications Group. In 1984, Living Magazine Co., Ltd. changed its name to Fusosha Co., Ltd. The renaming established the corporate identity associated with the company’s later publishing activities. Three years later, in 1987, Fusosha Co., Ltd. merged with Sankyo Publishing Co., Ltd., a publishing division of Sankei Shimbun. Sankei Shimbun was also part of the Fujisankei Communications Group, so the merger consolidated publishing resources within the same corporate network rather than representing an entry by an unrelated outside company. Fusosha subsequently developed a catalogue spanning magazines, books, textbooks, and other printed materials. Its magazine portfolio has included Spa! and Esse. The company also became the publisher of Mamor, described as the official magazine of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, beginning in 2006. Alongside recurring periodicals, Fusosha produced monographs connected with programs and personalities associated with affiliated media companies. These included publications related to All Night Nippon, a Nippon Broadcasting System radio program, and Waratte Iitomo!, a Fuji Television program. Such titles extended the commercial life of broadcast properties into the publishing market. A further ownership change occurred in 2007, when Fuji Television acquired additional shares in Fusosha and Pony Canyon. The transactions made both companies wholly owned subsidiaries of Fuji Television. This strengthened the relationship between Fusosha and the television broadcaster and reinforced the group’s integrated approach to television, radio, music, film, and publishing. Following the corporate reorganization of the Fuji group, Fusosha became associated with Fuji Media Holdings while remaining part of the broader Fujisankei Communications Group. The available reference material does not provide a detailed account of later management, financial performance, headquarters location, or changes to individual publishing lines. It does establish Fusosha’s continuing role as a Japan-focused publishing company within a major domestic media group. Its historical significance lies in the way it connects magazine and book publishing with broadcasting, newspaper publishing, and entertainment intellectual property.

1. 2007Fuji Television makes Fusosha wholly owned

   Fuji Television acquired additional shares in Fusosha and Pony Canyon, making both companies wholly owned subsidiaries.

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2. 2006Fusosha begins publishing Mamor

   Fusosha began publishing Mamor, identified as the official magazine of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.

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3. 1987Merger with Sankyo Publishing

   Fusosha Co., Ltd. merged with Sankyo Publishing Co., Ltd., a publishing division of Sankei Shimbun within the Fujisankei Communications Group.

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4. 1984Living Magazine adopts the Fusosha name

   Living Magazine Co., Ltd. changed its corporate name to Fusosha Co., Ltd.

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5. Fuji Television establishes a publishing business

   Fuji Television established Living Magazine Co., Ltd. as a publishing operation, creating the business that later became Fusosha.

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A Japanese cross-media publisher serving consumer, lifestyle, specialist, educational, and program-related publishing markets through the Fujisankei communications network.

• Spa!General-interest magazine

  Spa! is a Fusosha magazine title included in the company’s general-interest publishing portfolio. The available reference identifies it as one of the company’s notable magazines but does not provide further detail on its editorial frequency, audience metrics, or current publication status.

• EsseLifestyle magazine

  Esse is a Fusosha lifestyle magazine and one of the company’s named periodical publications. It represents Fusosha’s participation in consumer-oriented magazine publishing, although the available material does not specify its launch date, circulation, or current editorial structure.

• MamorInstitutional and specialist magazine2006

  Mamor is a magazine associated with the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Fusosha has published it since 2006, giving the company a specialist publishing role in addition to its consumer and lifestyle magazine businesses.

• All Night Nippon publicationsProgram-related books and monographs

  Fusosha has published monographs and related print material based on All Night Nippon, a program associated with sister company Nippon Broadcasting System. These publications extend the reach of a radio property into books and other printed formats.

• Waratte Iitomo! publicationsProgram-related books and monographs

  Fusosha has issued monographs connected with Waratte Iitomo!, a Fuji Television program. The line exemplifies the company’s use of affiliated broadcast content as source material for publishing products.

• 2007Fuji Television acquires additional Fusosha sharesM&A

  Fusosha operated within the Fuji and Fujisankei media structure, alongside companies such as Pony Canyon.

  What changed. Fuji Television acquired additional shares in Fusosha and Pony Canyon, making both companies wholly owned subsidiaries.

  Aftermath. Fusosha became more tightly integrated into Fuji Television’s corporate organization and the Fuji Media Holdings and Fujisankei group structure.

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• 1987Merger with Sankyo PublishingM&A

  Sankyo Publishing was a publishing division of Sankei Shimbun, another company within the Fujisankei Communications Group.

  What changed. Fusosha Co., Ltd. merged with Sankyo Publishing Co., Ltd.

  Aftermath. The merger consolidated publishing operations and strengthened Fusosha’s position within the group’s media network.

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• 1984Corporate renaming as FusoshaStrategy

  The publishing operation founded by Fuji Television had operated as Living Magazine Co., Ltd.

  What changed. The company changed its name to Fusosha Co., Ltd., establishing the name used for its subsequent publishing business.

  Aftermath. The renaming provided the corporate identity under which Fusosha later expanded its magazine, textbook, book, and media-related publishing activities.

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1. Fusosha Publishing