Japan Media Review Update: July 26, 2004

JMR Staff (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California)

Review
The following reviews are posted at: http://www.japanmediareview.com/japan/digest/digest.php

NHK Says Its Producer Took Kickbacks
From The Asahi Shimbun: NHK said one of its producers was involved in a scheme to steal at least 48 million yen ($436,000). The public broadcaster filed criminal charges against chief producer Katsumi Isono, who was fired on Friday. Isono is accused of hiring an event-planning firm for work that was never done and then sharing the proceeds of the contract with the firm's president. NHK disciplined seven executives -- including its chairman -- for inadequately supervising Isono.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Eric Ulken

Bullish on Broadband, Yahoo Japan Sees Profits Rise
From Bloomberg News via International Herald Tribune: Yahoo Japan announced that its profits rose by 83 percent during the first quarter on stronger online advertising and auction business. The company's net income grew to 8.31 billion yen (about $76.5 million) from April to June, on sales of 24.5 billion yen (about $222 million). Yahoo Japan has expanded its profit for nine quarters, helped along by a 20 percent penetration of broadband Internet service in the country. The company's CEO, Masahiro Inoue, looks to Korea's 80 percent broadband penetration as a sign that the market in Japan is likely to continue to grow.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

DoCoMo to Sell 'E-Money' Cell Phone
From Kyodo News via Japan Today: NTT DoCoMo will introduce Japan's first cell phones with electronic money and identification functions this summer. The wireless giant's new handset will allow users to purchase items online with identification, in addition to various functions such as credit card, computer pass and house keys. A representative for the company's popular i-mode Internet service said, "In the future, you will be able to do everything with cell phones." The company, which currently controls more than 50 percent of Japan's wireless market, will be the country's first carrier to add e-money features.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

Supreme Court to Hear Woman's Case Against NHK
From Mainichi Daily News: NHK's ongoing case against a woman who claims the broadcaster misrepresented her in a 1996 program will be heard by Japan's Supreme Court in October. The legal battle concerns footage from a morning program aired in June 1996 in which a man was depicted with a voice-over saying his wife had requested a divorce without an apparent reason. The unnamed Saitama Prefecture woman filed a damage suit for about 1.3 million yen (about $12,000) against NHK, claiming that the network gave him airtime to attack her in a nationally televised program. Though a district court ruled against her, the Tokyo High Court ordered the broadcaster to air a correction and compensate the woman.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori