Japan - FOX and National Geographic Channel (NGC) have come up tops in the first Peoplemeter research for Cable and Satellite channels in Japan in the first-week data collated by Video Research on a sample of 600 multi-channel homes in Tokyo and Osaka.

FOX is the number one entertainment channel and fourth highest rated channel in prime time ratings amongst the 38 channels measured by the panel while NGC came out first in prime time ratings for documentary channels.

This sees FOX in fourth position after two animation channels and a sports channel, which was airing the popular Japanese professional baseball league playoff. National Geographic Channel has surpassed prime time ratings of key competitors in the documentary category.

"We are very excited to see the way Japan is embracing Pay Television with over 80% tuning in. What is even more heartening is the fact that both our channels, FOX and National Geographic Channel, are doing extremely well and are being well received by audiences," Ward Platt, president, FOX International Channels Asia said.

Video Research conducts bi-annual diary surveys in Japan and has recently switched to peoplemeter methodology using set top boxes. Approximately 60 channels are measured but only data for 38 subscribing channels are revealed.