Shinji Komiyama to lead Riot Games Japan

Riot Games has appointed Shinji Komiyama as executive officer and president of its Japanese subsidiary. He will oversee the company’s publishing and esports operations in Japan and replace Yasushi Fujimoto, who is scheduled to leave the company on Nov. 5, 2026, after eight years and eight months with Riot.

Komiyama returns to Riot Games Japan after serving as director of APAC Publishing & Esports Operations at Riot Games Services in Singapore. He previously worked as the company’s country manager and general manager for Japan from 2016 to 2022.

Before joining Riot in 2015, Komiyama spent more than 16 years at Microsoft. His work there included Xbox localization, product engineering and operations across Asian markets.

Fujimoto joined Riot Games Japan in March 2018 as director of publishing. He became country manager and president in March 2022. Before Riot, he spent nearly 17 years at Microsoft, where he led marketing divisions for Windows, Surface and Office in Japan.

During his tenure at Riot, Fujimoto highlighted the growth of competitive PC gaming in Japan. He credited games such as VALORANT and League of Legends with helping esports reach audiences beyond its niche following in the country.

Komiyama will lead Riot’s Japan publishing team and coordinate with the company’s global leadership and Japanese corporate partners. His appointment follows the consolidation of the 32-team partner ecosystem for the 2027 VALORANT Champions Tour.

Japan is among VALORANT’s largest markets for viewership and commercial activity. Japanese esports organizations including Crazy Raccoon and ZETA DIVISION have competed in the game’s regional and international competitions.

Follow our gaming coverage and visit our game gift marketplace for available digital products.