Career
Total sales of the singles he has written exceed 100 million copies, making him the best-selling lyricist in Japan. Akimoto became a television writer in high school, he has produced many television programs, such as Utaban. Akimoto started as a lyricist with The Alfee in 1981.
He has written lyrics for various artists such as Kinki Kids, Tunnels, Onyanko Club, AKB48, SKE48, SDN48, NMB48, HKT48.
He also wrote Hibari Misora"s last single during her lifetime, "Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni", and Jero"s debut single "Umi Yuki". He debuted an Indonesian version of AKB48 called JKT48.
Auditions were held on October 8 and 9, 2011 and the official members were announced early November. He became a professor and vice president at Kyoto University of Art and Design.
A petition against his appointment has been created due his representing the "decline" of the Japanese entertainment industry, with 11,000 signatures as of March 23.
