WSJ inks Japanese licensing deal

Japan -  The Yomiuri Shimbun has inked a deal with The Wall Street Journal Asia to print and distribute the publication for the Japanese market.

The deal, which looks likely to cover circulation and marketing, will see which The Yomiuri Shimbun publish Mondays to Fridays edition of the WSJ as well as the Asia edition of Weekend Journal. The Yomiuri Shimbun will commence printing The Wall Street Journal Asia from today (2 March) at its Koto (Koto-ku, Tokyo) plant.

The Yomiuri Shimbun will also provide assistance with distribution of WSJ Asia in Japan including the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya metropolitan areas.

At a signing ceremony held in Tokyo Shoichi Oikawa, president & executive editor of The Yomiuri Shimbun, described The Wall Street Journal Asia as highly influential and widely respected.

Todd Larsen, chief operating officer of the consumer media group at Dow Jones & Company, said the agreements signal The Wall Street Journal Asia's strong commitment to serving its growing base of readers in Japan.

"As The Wall Street Journal Asia begins to roll off the Yomiuri Shimbun's presses on Monday, and with the publication of selected Journal content in The Yomiuri Shimbun commencing the day before, our two companies will be setting off together on an exciting new journey," he said.