Disney Channel (Japan)

Disney Channel
Logo used since October 1, 2025
CountryJapan
Broadcast areaNationwide
HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
Programming
Languages
Picture format
Ownership
OwnerThe Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd.
ParentDisney Kids & Family
Sister channelsDisney Jr.
History
Launched18 November 2003; 22 years ago (2003-11-18)
Links
Websitewww.disney.co.jp/tv/dc
Availability
Terrestrial
SKY PerfecTV!Channel 256
SKY PerfecTV! Premium ServiceChannel 620
J:COMChannel 603
eo Hikari TVChannel 821

Disney Channel (Japanese: ディズニー・チャンネル, Hepburn: Dizunīchan'neru) is a Japanese children's pay television channel and the Japanese equivalent of the American counterpart pay television channel owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company Japan. Part of Disney Kids & Family, a subsidiary of Disney International Operations, it was launched on 18 November 2003 exclusively on SKY PerfecTV!.

History

On 24 April 2003, The Walt Disney Company announced that Disney Channel would launch in Japan, following the 20th anniversary of Tokyo Disneyland. It took place on 18 November 2003 on SKY PerfecTV!, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of Mickey Mouse.

Disney held a countdown event at Tokyo Big Sight in Ariake on launch day, open to selected guests from the general public, VIP guests and celebrities, including president and director of operations Bob Iger, WDTV International president David Halbert, local administrative director Paul Candland and Japanese boy band Da Pump, who used the event to launch a new song, as well as performing a cover of Circle of Life, entirely in English. At 8pm, after airing one of Disney Channel's Wand IDs (featuring Mickey Mouse), actress Kumiko Mori made an opening announcement. Symbolically, the first program seen on the new channel was the 1928 short Steamboat Willie, which was followed by a message from John Lasseter and the premiere of the film Monsters, Inc.

On 8 July 2004, a VOD service was added to Hikari TV.

In the wake of the closure of the Asian and Korean versions on 1 October 2021, Disney announced that it would not close the Japanese version due to the channel being more popular in Japan than in Southeast Asia.

On April 7, 2025, the channel launched "Disney Channel Japan Anime" as programming block that shows other anime compilation differently.

Logos

References

  1. ↑ "Disney Channel to be launched in Japan". The Free Library. Kyodo News. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ↑ "Disney turns Japanese". C21media. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  3. ↑ ASCII. "ディズニー、"ディズニー・チャンネル"開局カウントダウンイベントを開催――DA PUMPが新曲を初披露". ASCII.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  4. ↑ @disneychanneljp (13 November 2013). "夜8時、ミッキーがディズニー・チャンネルロゴを描くおなじみのID（画像）の後、続いて森公美子さんのメッセージが流れました！" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ @disneychanneljp (13 November 2013). "開局メッセージに森公美子さんが登場したのはバラエティ番組「ディズニーパラダイス」MCのご縁から。" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  6. ↑ @disneychanneljp (13 November 2013). "2003年のディズニー・チャンネルの開局は、そのあと「蒸気船ウィリー」、ジョン・ラセターからのメッセージ、そして「モンスターズ・インク」へと続いていきました!" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 August 2023 – via Twitter.
  7. ↑ "フレッツ向けの多チャンネル放送とVODサービス「4th MEDIA」". Internet Watch (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "ニュースリリース(2004.7.8)". Plala (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ↑ Multiple sources:
  10. ↑ "日本アニメ | ディズニー・チャンネル".