Japanese Govt to Set Up Panel on Widening Access to Sports Broadcasting for Major Events

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:43 JST, April 25, 2026

The Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry will set up an expert panel in cooperation with the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry to examine the broadcasting of popular sporting events, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister Yohei Matsumoto said Friday.

The minister also revealed that he had requested the organizers of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) and the International Olympic Committee to consider ensuring future events are accessible to a wide range of viewers.

The WBC games held in March were streamed on a paid basis by major U.S. video streaming service Netflix, and not broadcast on terrestrial television.

“We have received concerns regarding the public’s ability to watch sports,” Matsumoto said at a Friday news conference. “It is extremely important to ensure opportunities to experience and watch sports.”

The panel is scheduled to hold its first meeting as early as May to discuss issues and measures regarding creating an environment in which the public can easily access sporting event broadcasts.