Atos International

What Atos International does

Atos International (Atoss International Ltd.) is a privately held Japanese media company founded in 1989 and headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo, that operates a portfolio of niche satellite and cable television channels distributed primarily via SkyPerfecTV!, DirecTV Japan, and Japanese cable TV operators. The company's core business is channel operations: five branded specialty channels — Music Air (rock, jazz, world music concerts), Music Graffiti TV (nostalgic Japanese hits), Music Japan TV (J-POP, K-POP, anime, idol content), Yose Channel (comedy and rakugo), and Chihou Keiba Nine (regional horse racing from nine tracks) — distributed through its two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, Atoss Broadcasting Ltd. and Atoss Music Publishing Ltd. The company began broadcasting in 1997 after receiving commissioned broadcasting operator certification from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in 1997, expanded into HD broadcasting in 2012, and made its most recent major additions (Yose Channel, Chihou Keiba Nine, Gakki Cafe) in 2014.

Beyond broadcast, Atos derives revenue from planning, production, and sale of musical instrument instructional DVDs; music copyright management and licensing; broadcast program production and sales; corporate event planning and character copyright licensing; and satellite-based enterprise communications. The company reaches end consumers through B2C satellite and cable subscriptions, e-commerce (atoss.jp and channel-specific sites), and a single physical venue — Gakki Cafe in Tokyo Jinbocho, opened in May 2014 for music seminars and musician-led events. The headquarters in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo, and an Osaka office serve the company's domestic audience.

The go-to-market is a hybrid of B2C distribution (subscriber-funded via SkyPerfecTV! and cable carriage) and B2C direct commerce (DVDs, merchandise through owned e-commerce and the Gakki Cafe), with corporate services for satellite communications, event production, and copyright licensing serving a smaller enterprise segment. The company is owned by a compact shareholder base including founder Chiaki Shiromizu, Impress Holdings founder Keiichiro Tsukamoto, CCC Group affiliate Masuda and Partners, Television Kanagawa Inc., and Yamaha Music Entertainment Holdings. Registered capital is ¥300,750,000; revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Atos International

Legal name

Atoss International Ltd.

Website

https://atoss.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Atos International is a privately held Japanese media company founded in 1989 that operates five niche satellite and cable TV channels — three music channels, a comedy channel, and a regional horse racing channel — distributed via SkyPerfecTV! and cable TV, alongside DVD instruction products and music copyright management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Minato

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Satellite Broadcasting Subscriptions: Operating music channels (Music Air, Music Graffiti TV, Music Japan TV), comedy channel (Yose Channel), and horse racing channel (Chihou Keiba Nine) distributed via SkyPerfecTV!, cable TV, and DirecTV platforms.
2. DVD Package Sales: Planning, production and sales of musical instrument instruction DVDs and concert performance DVD packages.
3. Music Copyright Management: Music copyright management carried out by the Atoss Group with management and commission of various musical works.
4. Broadcast Program Planning and Production: Planning, production and sales of broadcast programs including live recordings and music programs.
5. Corporate Events and Licensing: Corporate commemorative events, concert planning and production, character copyright licensing services.
6. Satellite Communication Services: Satellite-based enterprise internal communication system construction and operation, domestic and international relay, material transmission, and broadcast breakout operations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Atos International operates a portfolio of satellite and cable TV channels focused on music (Music Air, Music Japan TV, Music Graffiti TV), comedy (Yose Channel), and regional horse racing (Chihou Keiba Nine), distributed via SkyPerfecTV! and cable operators. The company also produces and sells musical instrument instructional DVDs (guitar, bass, drums), manages music copyrights through Atoss Music Publishing, and operates the Gakki Cafe venue in Tokyo hosting musician seminars and events.

Product overview

Atos International is a Japanese media and entertainment company operating a portfolio of satellite/cable TV channels and content businesses. The core offerings include four music channels (Music Air, Music Japan TV, Music Graffiti TV), a comedy/entertainment channel (Yose Channel), and a regional horse racing channel (Chihou Keiba Nine). Complementing the broadcasting business are DVD package products for musical instrument instruction and live concert content, a physical venue (Gakki Cafe), and music copyright management services. The company operates through three subsidiaries: Atoss International Ltd. (parent/holding), Atoss Broadcasting Ltd. (channel operations), and Atoss Music Publishing Ltd. (copyright management).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Music Air (ミュージック・エア): Satellite music channel broadcasting rock, jazz, world music concerts and documentaries
• Music Graffiti TV (ミュージック・グラフィティTV)
• Music Japan TV (ミュージック・ジャパンTV)
• Chihou Keiba Nine (地方競馬ナイン)
• Yose Channel (寄席チャンネル)
• Musical Instrument Instruction (楽器教則)

Products and services

• Music Air (ミュージック・エア) Satellite and cable TV channel broadcasting high-quality rock, jazz, world music, and top artist concerts and documentary programs for music enthusiasts.
• Music Japan TV (ミュージック・ジャパンTV) Music channel featuring J-POP, K-POP, anime songs, and idol content with daily music ranking shows, offering 120% hit songs for fans of contemporary Japanese and Korean pop music.
• Music Graffiti TV (ミュージック・グラフィティTV) Nostalgic music channel centered on Japanese hits from old-time melodies, group sounds, folk, enka, new music, oldies, pops, and rock for fans of classic Japanese music.
• Yose Channel (寄席チャンネル) Entertainment channel featuring traditional rakugo (comic storytelling) and modern comedy from emerging performers for fans of Japanese traditional and contemporary comedy.
• Chihou Keiba Nine (地方競馬ナイン) Regional horse racing channel broadcasting live races from 9 regional tracks (Hokkaido, Ban'ei, Iwate, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Kasamatsu, Hyogo, Kochi) across dedicated channels 701, 702, and 703.
• Musical Instrument Instruction DVDs (楽器教則) Instructional DVD packages teaching guitar, bass, drums and other musical instruments, as well as live performance recordings from top artists, sold directly to music learners and hobbyists via atoss.jp.
• Gakki Cafe (楽器カフェ) Physical music cafe venue in Jinbocho, Tokyo offering music seminars, talk shows by famous musicians, and music-related events for enthusiasts.
• Music Copyright Management (音楽著作権管理) Music copyright management service operated by Atoss Group subsidiary Atoss Music Publishing Ltd., including management and commission of various musical works for rights holders and licensees.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Digital Planet Satellite BroadcastingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Atos Broadcasting Ltd. acquired the broadcasting business from Digital Planet Satellite Broadcasting in April 2013, taking over operation of Music Japan TV channel.
• DirecTV JapanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1998Satellite television platform where Music Air Network Gold was broadcast starting December 1998. Minor distribution channel compared to SkyPerfecTV!.
• Cable Television OperatorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1998CATV operators began receiving content distribution from Atos in 1998, with HD broadcasting services starting in 2012. Major distribution channel for broadcast content.
• SkyPerfecTV! (スカパー!)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1997Long-standing partnership with SkyPerfecTV! for satellite broadcasting of music, comedy, and horse racing channels. Music Air Network launched on PerfectTV in 1997, with formal HD broadcasting beginning in 2012. Core distribution channel for the company's broadcast content.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Space Shower Networks: Tokyo-based operator of SpaceShower TV, a Japanese music satellite/cable channel broadcasting music videos and artist content. Directly comparable to Atos's Music Air and Music Japan TV as a music-focused pay-TV channel operator in the same distribution ecosystem.
• MTV Japan: Music video television channel operated in Japan, distributed via cable and satellite platforms. Directly comparable in business model and audience (music video viewers), with broader scale and global brand recognition.
• Star Channel Inc. Japanese premium pay-TV operator distributing Hollywood movies and entertainment content via satellite and cable. Comparable to Atos as a pay-TV channel operator serving the same SkyPerfecTV!/cable distribution platforms, though focused on film rather than music/regional content.
• M-TEC (Music TV Entertainment Corporation): Japanese operator of music-focused satellite/cable channels distributed via SkyPerfecTV! and cable TV. Closely comparable to Atos's Music Air and Music Japan TV as a small-scale music satellite broadcaster in the same pay-TV distribution market.

Broad incumbents

• WOWOW Inc. Japan's leading premium pay-satellite broadcaster, operating three channels (WOWOW, WOWOW Prime, WOWOW Cinema) distributed via SkyPerfecTV! and cable. Comparable as a pay-TV broadcaster leveraging the same SkyPerfecTV! ecosystem, but with significantly larger scale and a broader entertainment focus.
• J-WAVE Inc. Tokyo-based FM radio station focused on music programming (jazz, pop, world music). Comparable as a Japan-focused music broadcaster targeting similar urban, music-curious demographics as Atos's music channels, though delivered via radio rather than TV.

Others

• Kushida Office: Japan's leading rakugo talent management agency representing traditional comic storytellers. Comparable as an upstream content partner/supplier for Atos's Yose Channel rakugo programming, with shared interest in the traditional Japanese comedy ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atossdvd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Atos International