Netflix has linked up with telecoms firm Softbank for the Japanese launch of its TV streaming service next month.
The deal will allow Japanese consumers to sign up to Netflix in SoftBank’s retail stores, large electrical retailers and via the company’s website and call centres by adding the cost of the service to their Softbank bill.
Softbank will also begin pre-installing Netflix on its smartphones from October and the two companies will work on producing original content together. Netflix already has a deal with Fuji Media Holdings to produce original Japanese content for the service.
The Softbank partnership is part of Netflix’s plans to complete a global rollout by the end of 2016. The company currently has 65.6 million subscribers worldwide across 50 countries.
Netflix also unveiled its pricing for Japan, which will rang e from 650 Japanese yen (£3.40) for standard definition streams to 1,450 yes for an ultra-high definition family plan.
The announcement of the Netflix partnership comes just days after BuzzFeed said it would be launching a Japanese version in partnership with Yahoo Japan, which is part owned by Softbank. The tie-up is the first time BuzzFeed has decided to use a joint venture to expand into a new market.
