The telecommunications ministry will relax restrictions on satellite and cable TV businesses in order to promote competition and encourage the entry of communication firms and foreign capital, ministry officials said.
The Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry will submit a bill to the Diet early next month under which anyone will be able to get a CS or CATV broadcasting license merely by registering, rather than having to get approval from the authorities, the officials said. Moreover, the bill will eliminate the current rule that foreign firms can only hold a maximum 20 percent of a Japanese CS broadcaster's equity.
The ministry apparently aims to satisfy growing demand among communication firms and foreign companies which want to enter the CS and CATV business in Japan.