Hiroyuki Nishimura

is a Japanese internet entrepreneur best known for being the founder of the most accessed Japanese message board, 2channel, and current administrator of 4chan. He is also a self-help author and TV personality. He is often known by his given name, , which he uses, rendered intentionally in lowercase, both as a pen name and as a username. Until February 2013, he was a director of, and advisor to, Niwango, best known for its video-sharing service Nico Nico Douga. Christopher Poole, the founder of 4chan, formally announced on 21 September 2015, that he had sold the website to Nishimura. Nishimura's tenure as administrator of 4chan has been described by former moderators as letting a moderator known as RapeApe, who strongly dissuade banning users for racism and bigotry, have full control of the site, while simultaneously firing left-wing moderators. After a dispute with 2channel's hosting provider, Nishimura no longer administrates 2channel, but instead operates a competitor to it, 2ch.sc. Career Nishimura was born in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, but raised in Tokyo. He founded Tokyo Access LP in 1998. In May 1999, he opened 2channel while he was studying at the University of Central Arkansas. In June 2001, he founded Irregulars and Partners KK with Ichirō Yamamoto, which was involved in 2channel's management, but later left.