Tokyo, December 9, 2025 —The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has warned four major livestreamer management agencies for using contract terms that could unlawfully restrict streamers’ ability to work independently or join rival agencies after leaving their firms.
Findings
According to the authority, the companies — among the top-earning agencies on the Pococha streaming platform — inserted clauses in management contracts that prohibited creators from livestreaming, signing with other agencies, or operating similar businesses for a set period after their contracts expired.
The JFTC said these post-exit restrictions lacked reasonable justification and appeared designed to deter streamers from switching agencies or launching their own ventures. Such provisions could reduce rivals’ opportunities to recruit popular talent and make it harder for former streamers to establish competing agencies, potentially distorting market conditions.
The conduct may amount to a breach of Japan’s Antimonopoly Act, specifically provisions covering tying, coercive conditions, or interference with a competitor’s business. The authority issued warnings on a preventive basis and noted that all four agencies have pledged to review and revise the problematic clauses.
During the course of the review, the four companies notified the JFTC that they plan to review the contract terms.
Sector Context
The warning follows a broader investigation into the treatment of performers and creators in the entertainment and broadcasting sectors. The JFTC last year published a fact-finding report and, in coordination with the Cabinet Office, released detailed guidance in September 2025 outlining acceptable contracting practices between performers, agencies, broadcasters, and record companies.
Next Steps
The authority said it will continue monitoring the livestreaming and wider creative industries and will take strict action when encountering conduct that may hinder fair and open market conditions.
Source: https://www.jftc.go.jp/houdou/pressrelease/2025/dec/251209_daisan.html
