Netflix Inc. (NFLX) and SoftBank Group are considering a content partnership for the video streaming service set to start in Japan on September 2, according to Bloomberg report.
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With 37 million cellphone customers, Softbank company is one of Japan’s top phone providers, and is a leading tech and entertainment investor.
The users of SoftBank’s mobile or broadband services can pay Netflix subscription fees via a payment system. In a statement released earlier today, SoftBank confirmed the partnership and revealed its strategy for introducing Netflix to the Japanese masses.
In Japan, it will compete with Hulu, which sold its Japan business to domestic television network Nippon Television Network Corp.in February past year .
The Basic Plan will offer single-stream standard definition for JPY 650 (pre-tax), the Standard Plan will provide two-stream high definition for JPY 950, while the Premium Plan will be a four-stream 4K ultra-high definition family plan available for JPY 1,450.
SoftBank already operates its own streaming service called Uula, with a subscriber base of 1.57 million users paying 467 yen a month, which it says will continue to run, but with more focus now falling on Netflix.
Netflix Japan president Greg Peters made the announcement with Ken Miyauchi, head of SoftBank’s mobile operations.
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Details were announced Monday at a presentation in Tokyo. Netflix has previously announced a content deal with Japan’s Fuji TV. The two offered no details of theor potential involvement in Japanese content production or investment. Shares of the US company were up 54.16% on an annual basis as of Friday’s close.
