Tom Yoda, founder and chairman of Gaga, Japan’s biggest independent film distributor, has sold 51 percent of the company, but will remain its biggest shareholder.
Huis Ten Bosch, operator of a theme park in Nagasaki, will take a 36 percent stake, while Creek & River, a staffing agency in the entertainment, gaming and advertising sector, will take 15 percent. Their combined stake makes Yoda, 76, a minority shareholder, though the board of directors and management are expected to continue in their present form.
Gaga announced a move into film and TV anime production in March, beginning with Itazura na Kiss, a live-action feature adaptation of a best-selling manga. The sale of the stake will raise money to strengthen such moves and diversify its business platforms, according to the company.
