The company said one of its other designers, known only by the pseudonym “Aya”, has already been working alongside Yamaguchi and will take over by the end of 2026.
Yamaguchi will stay with Sanrio to provide advice and support.
The Hello Kitty character first appeared on a coin purse in 1980 and has become a global marketing phenomenon.
She has appeared on clothes, accessories, video games, and even an Airbus plane. She has partnered with brands such as Unicef, Nintendo and Balenciaga. She has also appeared in float form at the Macy’s thanksgiving parade.
There are Hello Kitty cafes around the world and a theme park in Japan. Another park is due to open in China.
Unlike other Japanese exports such as Pokemon, there is little backstory to the character of Hello Kitty. Sanrio has said she “isn’t a human, [but] she’s not quite a cat either”.
According to Sanrio, she was born in London and has a twin sister named Mimmy and a boyfriend named Dear Daniel.
Kitty will make her cinematic debut in a Warner Bros film in 2028. She has already appeared in several animated series but has never spoken, as she doesn’t have a mouth.