PARAMOUNT+ LAUNCHES IN JAPAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH J:COM, WOWOW

It's official: Paramount+ is finally available to consumers in Japan. As first tipped by the company in September, the streaming service launched in Japan Wednesday as a no-additional-cost addition to the on-demand services of local operators J:COM and Wowow. J:COM is one of Japan's top cable television operators and broadband internet providers, while Wowow is the longstanding leading premium pay channel in the market.

The Japan launch completes Paramount+'s entry into all of the world's top ten international subscription video growth markets. The partnership marks the second launch for Paramount+ in East Asia, following a similar arrangement set up last year in South Korea with TVing, the streaming service controlled by Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM. Parmount+ also launched in Australia via a partnership in August 2021. In Europe, the service is available through partnerships with SKY in Italy, the U.K., and Germany, and with Canal+ in France.

"The launch of Paramount+ in Japan marks a pivotal moment in our expansion," said Marco Nobili, executive vp and international general manager for Paramount+ in a statement. "We are incredibly excited to launch with two great local partners, J:COM and WOWOW, as this allows us to combine our powerful global offering with our partners' local platforms and content."

The Japan deal will give J:COM and Wowow subscribers access to Paramount+ originals like Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The Paramount+ Japan offering also will include titles from Paramount's deep library of films and TV series: Mission: Impossible, Bumblebee, and G.I. Joe from Paramount Pictures; popular CBS TV shows like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and NCIS; animated favorites, such as Nickelodeon's SpongeBob SquarePants and Comedy Central's South Park; and evergreen Showtimes titles, such as Dexter and Ray Donovan; and MTV's young-adult series and music shows, including the MTV Video Music Awards Japan. 

"I am confident that the exciting Paramount+ line-up will bring a new viewing experience to the Japanese audience," said J:COM president Yoichi Iwaki. "Together with Paramount and WOWOW, we look forward to exploring new dimensions of entertainment."

Added Akira Tanaka, CEO of Wowow: "This launch marks a significant moment for Wowow, which has long been delivering outstanding content from around the world as a premium pay channel. Together with Paramount and J:COM, we will bring Paramount's high-quality content and diverse offering, to provide new thrilling and engaging content to the Japanese entertainment scene."