The Walt Disney Company announced on Wednesday, that it will be introducing a new bundled membership option in Japan that would include content from both Disney+ and Hulu Japan.
2014 saw the separation of Disney’s majority-owned Hulu service in the United States into Hulu Japan. A subsidiary of well-known Japanese broadcaster Nippon TV, which owns and runs Hulu Japan, offers a wide selection of locally produced Japanese programming, including drama series, animation, variety shows, live music, and sports.
The new Disney+ and Hulu Japan bundle package for Japanese customers was launched on Wednesday. It costs 1,490 yen per month, including tax (about $10.75), which is 25% less than purchasing each service separately. In addition to the regionally popular programmes on Hulu Japan, subscribers will now get access to Disney’s premier live-action and animation programming from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and Star.
The joint venture is built on a strategic collaboration agreement that Disney Japan and Nippon Television Holdings signed last year with the objective of utilizing both businesses’ content to develop their individual platforms
Carol Choi, MD of Disney Japan on part of collaboration said that by joining forces with Hulu Japan, they will bring high-quality global and local entertainment to audiences, offering more Choice for the buyer at a tempting price. They are sure that a larger audience would find this bundle plan appealing.
President of HJ Holdings, Kazuo Takaya said that they are thrilled to announce this collaboration between Hulu and Disney+, which will bring the world’s best entertainment across all genres to consumers in Japan at an affordable price. This bundle will be a chance for Hulu Japan to evolve into an even more attractive service. Their hope resides with consumers to enjoy and take advantage of this bundled service.
Akira Ishizawa, president of Nippon Television Holdings, added that Disney is one of the top entertainment corporations in the world, and has been a vital business partner throughout the years, including airing Disney films on Nippon TV’s Friday Roadshow.
For all international subscription video services, Japan continues to be a key long-term growth market. According to the regional consulting firm Media Partners Asia, Japan’s premium online video industry will generate $5.6 billion in revenue annually by the end of 2022, making it “the largest online video opportunity in APAC ex China.”
A platform for Everyone – Disney+
Disney+ is the exclusive streaming platform for content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, The Simpsons, and many other popular brands. It also contains the general entertainment content brand, Star, in a few overseas countries.
The Walt Disney Company’s main direct-to-consumer streaming service, Disney+, offers an expanding library of exclusively original material, including feature-length movies, documentaries, live-action and animated programmes, and short-form programming.
Disney+ is the unique streaming home for the most recent films and television shows from The Walt Disney Studios, offering unrivaled access to the studio’s extensive library of amazing motion pictures and television shows.
