Hulu Japan: History and Key Facts

Hulu is a Japanese subscription streaming service owned by Nippon Television Network Corporation. It originally launched on September 1, 2011, as a localized version of Hulu, the American video-on-demand joint venture between The Walt Disney Company, 21st Century Fox, and NBCUniversal. On February 27, 2014, Hulu's Japanese operations were acquired by Nippon TV and spun off into a distinct, independent entity.

The platform offers an extensive library of television programming from Nippon TV and other major domestic broadcasters, alongside original productions, international films, and foreign series. In recent years, Hulu Japan has expanded its offerings beyond traditional video streaming; notably, in October 2025, it launched an integrated e-comic service that allows users to purchase and read digital manga directly within its application and website.

The service has experienced consistent growth since its inception. By March 2015, memberships had reached one million. As of October 5, 2021, Hulu Japan reported a total of 2.8 million subscribers. Furthermore, as of 2022, it ranked as the sixth highest-grossing subscription video-on-demand platform in the Japanese market.

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