1945 (December 1)

MPPAJ starts out as the Union of Motion Picture Producers. Motion picture bodies created under governmental control during World War II were ordered in rapid succession to dissolve after the war ended. Japan's film world fell apart and the Union of Motion Picture Producers was established as a voluntary association to maintain and revive the industry, with a lineup of three feature film companies (Shochiku Co., Ltd., Toho Co., Ltd., and Dai Nippon Film Production Co., Ltd.) as well as four news, short and educational film companies (Asahi Film Co., Ltd., Dentsu Film Inc., Riken Science Film Co., Ltd. and Yokohama Cinema Co., Ltd.), which had survived the postwar purge.

1947 (March)

The Union of Motion Picture Producers changes its title to Japan Motion Picture Union. The new Union consisted of four feature film companies (Shochiku Co., Ltd., Toho Co., Ltd., Daiei Co., Ltd. and Shin-Toho Co., Ltd.) plus five news, short and educational film companies (Asahi Film Co., Ltd., Dentsu Film Inc., Riken Science Film Co., Ltd., Yokohama Cinema Co., Ltd. and Japan Film Co., Ltd.). Its objectives were the maintenance of ethical standards through mutual cooperation among its members; the enhancement of the social value, and not only the entertainment value, of movies; cooperation in eliminating unjust and illegal conduct in the film industry; and the healthy development of the motion picture industry as a whole.

1949 (August)

Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd., Nagase & Co., Ltd., J. Osawa and Co., Ltd. and Shochiku Shoji Co., Ltd. join the Japan Motion Picture Union.

1949 (December)

Tokyo Film Distribution Co., Ltd., joins the Union, (Tokyo Film Distribution Co., Ltd., Toyoko Film Co., Ltd. And Uzumasa Studios Corporation were merged into Toei Co., Ltd. in 1951).

1955 (December)

Approved as a corporate juridical person by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the Union makes a fresh start as the Corporate Juridical Person Japan Motion Picture Union.

1956

Far East Laboratories Ltd. and Tokyo Laboratory Co., Ltd. join the Union.

1957 (June)

The Corporate Juridical Person Japan Motion Picture Union is reorganized into the Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc. (MPPAJ), consisting of five firms: Shochiku Co., Ltd., Toho Co., Ltd., Toei Co., Ltd., Shin-Toho Co., Ltd. and Nikkatsu Corporation.

 

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