Twenty years after the first international Disney theme park opened in Tokyo and the Disney Channel debuted in the U.S., Disney will launch the Disney Channel Japan on cable and satellite in winter 2003/2004. Satellite platform Sky PerfecTV will offer the 24-hour channel as an á la carte option in winter 2003/4, with the channel also going into basic tier on Japanese cable networks around the same time.
"Today's announcement is just as significant as those made 20 years ago and will have a major impact not only on the way that the Disney brand is enjoyed in Japan but also in the development of the pay television business," said David Hulbert, president, Walt Disney Television International. "I am confident that Disney Channel Japan will go on to become one of the most successful international Disney Channels." The move makes Disney Channels available around the world to more than 100 million homes in 63 territories.
Walt Disney Television International is responsible for all of The Walt Disney Companys free and pay television activities outside the U.S. These activities include branded and non-branded program distribution through Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), production and broadcasting, including the development and management of Disney Channels and other media investments.
