Yaraku Inc. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Suguru Sakanishi), provider of Yaraku Honyaku, an AI-powered computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool, is pleased to announce a new management structure as of March 27, 2025. Hiroki Kudo has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Director, and Kazuhiro Nagao as Executive Officer and Head of Sales.
With this new leadership team, Yaraku aims to accelerate business growth and expand globally, delivering innovative translation experiences powered by generative AI (Large Language Models, or LLMs).
※CAT tools (Computer-Assisted Translation tools) are software that support translation work by improving efficiency and quality through features such as translation memory, machine translation, and terminology management.
Background of the Restructure
As a Japan-based pioneer in CAT tools, Yaraku has pursued a new kind of translation experience that blends machine translation with human expertise. In recent years, advancements in LLM-based technology have rapidly increased the sophistication and variety of multilingual needs in the business world.
In response, Yaraku has strengthened its management, sales, and operational structure to improve decision-making speed and execution capabilities. This positions the company to better deliver the value of “Human + AI” translation to a broader client base.
Mr. Kudo, as COO, will oversee overall business execution and lead global market development. Mr. Nagao, as Head of Sales, will focus on building a stronger sales organization and expanding the customer base both domestically and internationally.
New Executive Appointments
Hiroki Kudo — Director, Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Born in Canada and moved to Japan as a child. After completing his master’s degree at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2000, he joined IBM Japan as a project manager for large-scale IT projects. He earned an MBA from INSEAD in 2008 and later worked in strategic consulting at CVA. In 2010, he joined the founding team of Locondo Inc. and in 2011 founded MerryBiz Inc. (now MerryBiz Co., Ltd.), a SaaS company focused on streamlining accounting operations. Since 2021, he has resided in Canada, serving as a lecturer in entrepreneurship at the University of British Columbia and as a mentor at local accelerators. He joined Yaraku in September 2024 and was appointed COO and Director on March 27, 2025.
Kazuhiro Nagao — Executive Officer, Head of Sales
Born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Mr. Nagao began his career at a trading company after graduating from Kyushu Institute of Design (now Kyushu University). Over the past 30 years, he has held leadership roles in sales and business development. At McAfee Japan (from 2001), he played a key role in launching the consumer business in Japan, forming major alliances with telecom carriers and device manufacturers. He later worked at several global SaaS companies including Symantec, contributing to growth through channel development and strategic partnerships. He joined Yaraku in February 2024 and was appointed Head of Sales on January 1, 2025.
Current Management Structure (as of April 8, 2025)
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| CEO and Representative Director | Suguru Sakanishi |
| CTO and Director | Jonas Rydenhag |
| COO and Director | Hiroki Kudo |
| Outside Director | Kenichiro Kusuyama |
| Outside Director | Yuichi Yahashi |
| Outside Director | Nobutoshi Maeda |
| Executive Officer, Head of Sales | Kazuhiro Nagao |