WOWOW and NTT DOCOMO established the new company WOWOW Lemino and began operating Lemino. The monthly fee remains ¥1,540, while the AVOD and pay-per-view services will continue. The companies also announced plans to expand their lineup with new and existing content, including European football.
WOWOW and NTT DOCOMO established the new company WOWOW Lemino on 1 October 2024 and began operating the Lemino video streaming service. They held a press conference on 24 September before the establishment, and the ownership structure is WOWOW 51% and DOCOMO 49%.
The new company will take over Lemino, which DOCOMO had operated, and aims to expand its membership by combining WOWOW's content production and acquisition capabilities with DOCOMO's customer base and sales network. The monthly fee will remain unchanged at ¥1,540, existing users can continue using the service without taking any action, and the AVOD, channels and pay-per-view services will continue.
Content plans include live streaming every match of the UEFA Champions League in European football, as well as live footage from the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships, the 2027 Australian Open and DREAMS COME TRUE, together with new dramas. The company also aims to progressively stream more than 100 WOWOW original dramas.
The company will focus on 3 areas, music, sports and drama, and plans to promote the service using DOCOMO's customer base. It is also considering live events and other offerings beyond video streaming in the future, with the aim of becoming one of Japan's largest entertainment platforms.