March 26, 2021 Cancellation of Approval (BS No. 125) for Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. under Article 93, Paragraph 1 of the Broadcasting Act

Under Article 93, Paragraph 1 of the Broadcasting Act, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has decided to revoke the approval for Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. (Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. inherited the status of a licensed basic broadcaster on October 14, 2017, from Tohokushinsha Film Corporation under certification number BS No. 125 for the Cinema 4K.)
The details are specified below.

1．Person subject to administrative sanctions

Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. (headed by KOSAKA Keiichi, President)

2．Details and reasons for administrative sanctions

Tohokushinsha Film Corporation received the approval (BS No. 125) on January 24, 2017, under Article 93, Paragraph 1 of the Broadcasting Act (Act No. 132 of 1950). On October 13, 2017, Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. was approved under Article 98, Paragraph 2 of the Broadcasting Act to succeed to the status of the licensed basic broadcasting company. MIC received a stock distribution status table submitted to MIC by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation on March 9, 2021, and scrutinized the ratio of foreigners’ voting rights to the company’s total number of voting rights listed in the table. As a result, MIC confirmed that foreigners occupied more than one-fifth of the voting rights at the time of application for approval and at the time of approval. This status of the company fell under the grounds for disqualification of a person who intends to perform basic broadcasting under Article 93, Paragraph 1, Item 6-iv (currently No. 7-iv) of the Broadcasting Act (i.e., foreigners occupied more than one-fifth of voting rights). Therefore, MIC revokes the approval.

3．History So Far

March 9, 2021	Request for a report from Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
March 9, 2021	Receipt of a report from Tohokushinsha Film Corporation
March 17, 2021	Hearing from Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc. as the party concerned

4．Others

MIC allows Tohokushinsha Media Service Inc.’s transmission of signals for a black screen or Telop message until the required equipment disposal is completed to avoid the malfunctioning of subscribers’ receiving equipment (until no later than July 1, 2021).