AKS Co., Ltd. (株式会社AKS, Kabushiki-gaisha AKS) is a Japanese talent agency, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is involved in various entertainment-related activities, including music, film and merchandise production.
AKS is the company managing the Japanese idol groups AKB48, SKE48,[1] and HKT48.[2] It is also the company that will be managing the Japanese activities of South Korean and Japanese idol group, Iz*One.
AKB48 employs a so-called "transfer system". All the participants who pass the auditions are contracted by AKS for a while. Having started her career as a member, an artist within a predetermined time period should receive a contract offer from another artist management company.[3] It is done until the 10th generation. After that, all members in the next generation are managed directly by AKS.
In 2019, Yasushi Akimoto is no longer part of AKS' administration and is only involved as the creative producer.[4]
