TOKYO -- Gaga's Tom Yoda took over as chairman of the Tokyo Intl. Film Festival as expected at Thursday's meeting of the fest's board of directors.

Tsuguhiko Kadokawa, who served as the fest topper for five editions, starting in 2003 was the previous chairman.

Yoda, CEO and chairman of the Avex label and chairman of the Recording Industry Assn. of Japan (RIAJ), joined the Gaga board in 2000 and in 2004 became the company's CEO and largest individual shareholder.

Together with prexy Yasuhide Uno, he has led a massive restructuring of the once-failing distrib, following its take-over by Uno's Usen group in 2004, including ventures into Web-based services, the launch of a new film fund and the ramping up of local production.