Hulu

What Hulu does

HJ Holdings, Inc. (HJホールディングス株式会社) operates Hulu Japan (hulu.jp), a Japan-only consumer streaming service headquartered in Tokyo (Minato-ku) and led by President and Representative Director 道坂 忠久. The company distributes subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) for rental/purchase of latest theatrical releases and live events, live TV streaming of sports and news from Japan/US/UK, and since October 2024 a pay-per-view electronic comic (manga/e-book) service. The service is offered under the Hulu brand, which is operated in Japan through HJ Holdings, Inc. following a 2014 ownership restructuring in which Nippon TV retained a stake and Disney acquired a portion of Hulu Japan. The legal entity is private, with no public ticker and no disclosed equity funding rounds.

The core product is a content library of 140,000+ programs — movies, dramas, anime, variety shows, catch-up streaming of Japanese broadcast TV, and Hulu Original exclusives — delivered through native apps across smart TVs (Sony BRAVIA, Panasonic VIERA, Sharp AQUOS, Toshiba REGZA, LG, Hisense, TCL, FUNAI), game consoles (PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch), streaming devices (Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV, Apple TV), smartphones/tablets (iOS/Android), web browsers, and cable set-top boxes (J:COM, KDDI, au Hikari). Offline downloads are supported on mobile devices, and up to four simultaneous streams are permitted. The platform is a media distribution business rather than a technology-IP business; there are no patents, trademarks, or proprietary AI capabilities disclosed.

Revenue is generated from three streams: (1) monthly SVOD subscription at ¥1,026/month (tax included) through September 30, 2026, rising to ¥1,320/month thereafter — with iTunes/Google Play/Amazon in-app payment priced higher at ¥1,050 and ¥1,450 respectively; (2) TVOD rental/purchase of premium titles via a points system; and (3) digital comic pay-per-view purchases. Distribution channels include direct web and app self-serve sign-up, carrier payment integrations (PayPay, d払い, au PAY, Softbank, Y!mobile), cable set-top box bundling, and convenience store prepaid Hulu Tickets. A Disney+ set plan bundle is offered through a dedicated onboarding page, formalizing the cross-platform partnership. Service is geo-restricted to Japan; access from outside Japan is prohibited.

Name

Hulu

Legal name

HJホールディングス株式会社

Website

https://hulu.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HJ Holdings, Inc. operates Hulu Japan, a Japan-only consumer streaming service offering 140,000+ programs via SVOD, TVOD, live TV, and electronic comics across smart TVs, game consoles, mobile devices, and cable set-top boxes to Japanese consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Video Streaming

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

General Entertainment SVOD Platforms (MPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Video Streaming Platforms (SVOD/AVOD/TVOD) (BPAMAJAA), Transactional VOD Distribution (TVOD) (MPADAJAF), Sports Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAE)

Keywords

• Video streaming service
• Subscription video on demand
• Digital content platform
• Digital comic distribution
• Live TV streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. SVOD Subscription: Monthly subscription-based streaming service providing unlimited access to 140,000+ programs including movies, dramas, anime, and variety content. Includes catch-up streaming of popular TV programs and exclusive Hulu Original content. The standard plan includes 400 limited-time points monthly.
2. TVOD (Rental/Purchase): Transactional video-on-demand service allowing users to rent or purchase latest movies, drama series, music events, and stage performances on a per-title basis without subscription. Uses point system for payments.
3. Electronic Comic Sales: Pay-per-view digital comic service offering manga, e-books including anime and drama originals, with free samples and trial reads available

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hulu Japan provides unlimited subscription video streaming (SVOD) of over 140,000 programs including movies, dramas, anime, variety shows, catch-up TV, and live broadcasts from Japan, the US, and the UK. The service is supplemented by transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) rentals and purchases of latest theatrical releases, streaming of live music and stage events, and a digital comic (manga/e-book) service launched in October 2024.

Product overview

Hulu operates as a multi-content streaming platform combining subscription (SVOD) and transactional (TVOD) models. The core Hulu見放題サービス provides subscription-based streaming of 140,000+ programs including movies, dramas, anime, variety shows, live TV, and (since October 2024) digital comics. The separate Huluレンタル/購入サービス (TVOD) enables pay-per-view rental/purchase of the latest theatrical releases and live event streaming. Additional services include Huluチケット (prepaid cards) and Huluオリジナル (exclusive original productions).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hulu見放題サービス (Hulu SVOD) Subscription-based video streaming service offering unlimited access to over 140,000 programs including movies, dramas, anime, variety shows, catch-up broadcast content, and live TV from Japan, US, and UK. Priced at ¥1,026/month (tax included) through September 30, 2026, increasing to ¥1,320/month from October 1, 2026.
• Huluレンタル/購入サービス (Hulu TVOD) Transactional rental and purchase service for the latest movies not included in the subscription library, popular music events, stage performance live streams, and other content available on a pay-per-view basis using a point-based payment system.
• Huluコミック (Hulu Comic) Digital comic service offering popular manga including anime and drama adaptations on a pay-per-view basis, with free samples and trial reads available to subscribers.
• Huluチケット (Hulu Ticket) Prepaid subscription card available at convenience stores for monthly subscription payment, offering an alternative payment method for users without credit cards at ¥1,026/month equivalent, with up to 12 months registrable.
• HuluライブTV (Hulu Live TV) Live streaming service offering real-time content including sports events, news from Japan, US, and UK on a predetermined streaming schedule as part of the subscription.
• Huluオリジナル (Hulu Originals) Original dramas, films, and variety content produced or exclusively distributed by Hulu, including exclusive simulcasts and original series not available on other platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Access to 140,000+ programs
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Disney+ (Set Plan Partnership)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerHulu offers a combined Disney+ set plan allowing subscribers to access both services. The Hulu main site notes that the standard signup page cannot be used for the Disney+ bundle - a dedicated page is required. This partnership enables cross-promotion and bundled pricing for subscribers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• U-NEXT: U-NEXT is Japan's largest domestic SVOD/TVOD hybrid service, operated by U-NEXT Co., Ltd. (subsidiary of USEN-NEXT HOLDINGS). It directly competes with Hulu Japan across subscription streaming, transactional rentals/purchases, and electronic book/comic offerings—sharing the same SVOD+TVOD+comics product structure and Japan-only geographic focus.
• Disney+ Japan: Disney+ operates as both a bundled partner with Hulu Japan (via the Hulu | Disney+ set plan) and a standalone competitor. It offers Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content alongside growing Japanese and Korean originals—directly contesting the same Japanese streaming consumer.
• Lemino: Lemino (formerly dTV) is NTT Docomo's streaming service offering SVOD with a strong anime and entertainment catalog. It directly competes with Hulu Japan for Japanese consumers, with carrier-billed distribution through Docomo's mobile subscriber base.
• ABEMA: ABEMA is CyberAgent's ad-supported streaming service featuring live TV channels, news, sports, and on-demand anime/drama content. It overlaps significantly with Hulu Japan's live TV and entertainment SVOD offerings within the Japanese market.
• Tver: Tver is a joint venture of major Japanese commercial broadcasters (Nippon TV, TBS, Fuji TV, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo) offering free ad-supported catch-up streaming. It competes with Hulu Japan's catch-up streaming value proposition and has begun expanding into original content.
• FOD (Fuji TV On Demand): FOD is Fuji TV's streaming service offering SVOD, TVOD, and electronic manga. It directly mirrors Hulu Japan's SVOD+TVOD+comics product structure and competes for Japanese consumers seeking broadcaster-affiliated content.
• WOWOW: WOWOW is a Japanese premium pay-TV broadcaster offering subscription streaming with movies, dramas, sports, and music content. It competes with Hulu Japan for Japanese consumers seeking premium subscription entertainment with strong live and original programming.

Broad incumbents

• Netflix Japan: Netflix Japan is the global SVOD leader's Japan operation, offering subscription streaming across smart TVs, mobile, and game consoles. While operating with a global content strategy rather than Japanese-broadcaster content pipeline, it competes directly with Hulu Japan for Japanese consumer subscription dollars.
• Amazon Prime Video Japan: Amazon Prime Video Japan bundles streaming video with the broader Amazon Prime ecosystem. It competes with Hulu Japan on SVOD pricing and content, with significant additional resources from Amazon's logistics and retail operations in Japan.
• Apple TV+ Japan: Apple TV+ operates in Japan with a global SVOD offering focused on premium original content. While smaller than Hulu Japan, it competes for the same high-ARPU consumer segment with strong iOS device distribution advantages in Japan.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hulu_japan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HuluJapanLLC
• Instagraminstagram.com/hulu_japan
• Facebookfacebook.com/HuluJapan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hulu-japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hulu