Netflix will launch its streaming television service in Japan on September 2, the latest stop in its mission to be a global entertainment powerhouse, it said yesterday. There’s no doubt that Netflix will host a lot of content that appeals to the local audience in Japan aside from the usual slew of movies, TV shows and documentaries. Now, with a Netflix-branded Twitter account and landing page in tow, Netflix has confirmed the official launch date with VentureBeat and the countdown can begin. (It’s now available in over 50 countries, meaning there’s still plenty of work to be done.).
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Netflix said in February it planned to launch this year in Japan, following rollouts in Australia and New Zealand in March.
Netflix already sells its services in dozens of other countries outside the U.S.as part of its ambition to be available throughout the world by the end of next year.
Earlier this year, Netflix launched in Cuba, even though only a small percentage of the population there has high-speed Internet access.
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With over 65 million subscribers worldwide, it would be interesting to see how the Japanese market responds to the forthcoming launch of Netflix, and how the service fares among the customers. A number of countries across Europe should also land the streaming-service in a few months, with reports suggesting that Netflix has its sights set on launching in Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Iceland.
