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New Japanese antitrust guidelines target unfair contracts with artists

By Sachiko Sakamaki ( September 30, 2025, 06:30 GMT | Insight) -- Japan has unveiled sweeping antitrust guidelines aimed at the country’s powerful talent agencies, broadcasters and record labels. The new rules caution against contract clauses that lock artists into exclusive arrangements and restrict competition among agencies and artists’ activities. In joint guidelines released on Tuesday with the Cabinet Secretariat, the Japanese competition regulator warned that such practices could violate the Antimonopoly Act and other competition laws.Japan has unveiled sweeping antitrust guidelines aimed at the country’s powerful talent agencies, broadcasters and record labels. The new rules caution against contract clauses that lock artists into exclusive arrangements and restrict competition among agencies and artists’ activities....

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