ADK Acquires Shares in d-rights Inc.

ADK Acquires Shares in d-rights Inc.

Beef up its content business by extending content portfolio

and accelerating overseas expansion

ADK (Registered name; ASATSU-DK INC., Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President & Group CEO: Shinichi Ueno) announces that its board of directors passed the resolution on December 9, 2014 on purchase of part of shares in d-rights Inc. (hereinafter, “d-rights”, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Daizo Suzuki), a wholly-owned company of Mitsubishi Corporation (hereinafter, “MC”, Head Office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President & CEO: Ken Kobayashi) to make it an affiliate. Upon resolution, ADK and MC concluded Stock Purchase Agreement, effective December 18, 2014.

1. Reasons for Acquisition

Since “Eight Man”, started broadcasting in 1963, ADK has developed content business and built its success by involving in a number of TV animation programs and live-action films. Our involvement has been evolved from planning and creating animation programs to merchandising of animation characters, utilizing them in sales & promotion activities, and to musical theaters and live events. We have recently stepped up our efforts in on-line distribution of Japanese anime titles to overseas markets where the number of fans is growing, along with e-commerce capability to promote anime-related goods.

d-rights, on the other hand, specializes in video picture production (animation and live-action), rights management and overseas sales with strong capabilities in producing content projects and established overseas network. Beyblade series, in particular among titles that d-rights was involved in rights management and overseas sales, has enjoyed a mega hit not only at home but abroad, mainly in the North America and Europe.

We had thorough examinations and negotiations over the investment in d-rights which has global track record in rights management and sales of quality content and also has the established global network. Consequently we came to a conclusion that adding d-rights to our Group will lead ADK’s content business to further extend its content portfolio and business areas, gaining a foothold in an overseas arena. We strongly believe that this collaborative and complementary business will definitely bring significant benefits to both companies since ADK and d-rights have their forte in the Asian market and the North America/Europe respectively.

ADK pledges to enhance d-rights’ corporate value, working closely with MC, the existing shareholder of the company.

2. Profile of d-rights Inc.

(1) Company name: d-rights Inc.

(2) Address: 2-11, 2-Chome, Kanda-tsukasa-machi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

(3) Representative: President, Daizo Suzuki

(4) Business line: Diversely producing content from planning of original characters, animation and game, Web to production and development

(5) Capital: 80 million yen

(6) Establishment: December 1, 1988

(7) Major shareholders and shareholding ratio: Mitsubishi Corporation 100.00％

3. Profile of Mitsubishi Corporation

(1) Company name: Mitsubishi Corporation

(2) Address: 3-1, Marunouchi 2-Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

(3) Representative: President & CEO, Ken Kobayashi

(4) Business line: General trading house

(5) Capital: 204,446 million yen (as of the end of March, 2014)

(6) Establishment: April 1, 1950.

4. The number of acquired shares and pre-and-post acquisition ownership status

(1) The number of shares held before transfer: 0 shares

(the number of voting rights: 0)

(the ratio of voting rights：0.0%)

(2) The number of acquired shares: 816 shares

(the number of voting rights: 816)

(3) The number of shares held after transfer: 816 shares

(the number of voting rights: 816)

(the ratio of voting rights: 51.0%)

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