Bluetooth SIG names Ken Kurokawa to lead new Japan subsidiary
The announcement came at Bluetooth Japan Summit 2026, where the SIG also launched a member group for Japanese companies and outlined Auracast and 2027 audio plans.
Bluetooth SIG announced on October 15, 2026 that Ken Kurokawa has become representative of its Japanese subsidiary, Bluetooth SIG Japan. The announcement was made at Bluetooth Japan Summit 2026, a real-world event held at Bellesalle Roppongi Grand Conference Center that replaces the former Bluetooth Tokyo Seminar, according to gamebusiness.jp.
Alongside the subsidiary, the organization launched the Bluetooth Japan Member Group (JMG), a hub for Japanese member companies. Kurokawa said his immediate goal is to deepen exchange with those companies and make it easier for them to take part in standardization.
Bluetooth SIG CEO Neville Myers spoke at the summit about the history of Bluetooth and the founding of the organization in 1998. Bluetooth development began in 1994 as an internal project at Ericsson, and Ericsson, Nokia, IBM, Intel and Toshiba founded Bluetooth SIG in 1998. The SIG said in September 2026 that it was establishing the Japanese subsidiary.
Roadmap and certification
The event showcased Auracast, channel sounding introduced in Bluetooth 6.0, ultra-low-latency HID for gaming and XR, and existing uses such as electronic shelf labels, lighting control and air conditioning control. The SIG plans to provide high data throughput and IP Link, which carries IPv6 packets over Bluetooth LE, in November 2026, with high-resolution lossless audio and a higher frequency band planned for 2027.
An official UPF (UnPlugFest) is scheduled for March 2027 in Kyoto. Exhibitors at the summit included Nordic Semiconductor, Giro Logic, UL Japan, STMicroelectronics, TUV Rheinland Japan, Cornes Technologies, Silicon Laboratories, Seeed and BHW Technologies.
Quick answers
Who is the representative of Bluetooth SIG's Japanese subsidiary?
Ken Kurokawa became representative of Bluetooth SIG Japan, as announced on October 15, 2026.
When is the next official UPF in Japan?
An official UPF (UnPlugFest) is scheduled for March 2027 in Kyoto.
What Bluetooth features are planned for November 2026?
Bluetooth SIG plans to provide high data throughput and IP Link, which carries IPv6 packets over Bluetooth LE, in November 2026.