MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide has announced the creation of BBC Japan. The new channel will bring the best of BBC programming to TV audiences in Japan.

It launches on 1 December 2004.

 
 
BBC Japan will offer viewers a mix of comedy, drama, factual entertainment, children's and learning programming, as well as talk shows and documentaries. Comtent will include Fawlty Towers , The Weakest Link, Pride and Prejudice and Tweenies.

The channel will be headed up by BBC Worldwide director of channels India, Europe, Middle East, and Africa Wayne Dunsford.

BBC Worldwide MD Asia Pacific David Vine said, "Establishing our own BBC channel in Japan is a major step for us. Audiences there associate the BBC name with top quality television and the time has now come to offer them a channel where they can see such programming from the BBC every day."

BBC Japan will carry advertising and the channel will be distributed and marketed by media company Japan Mediark.