Comcast to buy majority stake in Universal Studios Japan

US entertainment giant Comcast is to buy a 51% majority stake in Universal Studios Japan (USJ) for $1.5bn (£987m).

Goldman Sachs, Korean private equity firm MBK Partners and others will keep a 49% stake in the Osaka-based theme park that opened in 2001, Comcast said.

The cable firm already owns Universal Studios and its theme parks through its NBC Universal unit.

USJ, a rival to Tokyo Disneyland, struggled to gain popularity and was sold to a consortium in 2009.

But visitor numbers have been picking up on the back of new attractions such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which opened in July last year.

The company reported its best financial year in the 12 months to March with 12.7 million visitors. That compares with over 30 million visitors for Tokyo's Disney Resort.

USJ also had plans for a public share listing this year, but Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts said there were no plans for a listing in the near term.

The firm plans to build another theme park in Okinawa.

Comcast said it expected to complete the purchase in November.