The plans, approved by an LDP panel the same day, would enhance the communications minister's power to discipline broadcasters that falsify information in their programs.

The minister would be able to demand that broadcasters found to have fabricated facts to submit plans on how they planned to prevent further fabrications.

A bill will be written to amend the Broadcast Law and will be submitted to the current Diet session.

The increase in power has been proposed due to a string of scandals in which such broadcasters as Kansai Telecasting Corp. and Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc. aired programs containing false information.

It was discovered earlier this year that Kansai Telecasting had programs on its weekly TV program Hakkutsu! Aruaru Daijiten in which it had fabricated data on the weight-loss and health effects of natto, fermented soybeans, and other foods.

The communications ministry has said that it does not have the power to prevent broadcasters from airing programs that may be harmful to the public.

The law gives the ministry the power to strip broadcasters of their licenses, although it has never happened.

Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshihide Suga has said the government "has a responsibility to propose" a bill to prevent deceptive TV programs that "can exert very serious effects on citizens."

The LDP panel also approved a proposal to give the ministry the power to qualify a TV broadcaster to set up a holding company to put several TV stations under it as wholly owned subsidiaries.

It agreed to strengthening the authority of a government-appointed committee so it will be able to directly supervise public broadcaster NHK. That decision is due to revelations that NHK producers had been misusing funds.

The panel also approved plans to authorize NHK to start an online service that will offer old programs for a fee and to begin overseas TV broadcasts through its subsidiary.

The Japan Times Weekly: March 24, 2007
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