Hulu to launch subscription video service in Japan

Online streaming site Hulu.com plans to launch a subscription video service in Japan this year.

In a blog post Wednesday, Hulu said the new service will provide access to popular television shows and movies on computers, televisions and mobile devices for one monthly price.

The company offered no further details, but said it chose Japan for its first international expansion because Japanese audiences are "passionate about premium video content" and because Japan is a "major producer of world-class TV and feature films."

The company added that Japan is a particularly attractive market for delivering video over the Internet because of its extensive broadband penetration and the ubiquitous presence of Internet-connected mobile devices.

Hulu is owned by The Walt Disney Co., News Corp., Comcast Corp. and Providence Equity Partners.