Channel V is looking to make a dent in the lucrative Japanese market.

To this end, the joint venture between Star and EMI Music will work in tandem with Space Shower Networks, Japan's dominant music network, to develop a new music television channel.

Currently, V's international channel is available in Japan on the SkyPerfecTV! platform. Space Shower network started in 1989 as the first Japanese music specialty network. Channel V will take a 10 per cent stake in Space Shower Networks. Only the Itochu Corporation has a larger stake in the Japanese network as of now. The alliance will take advantage of the exciting range of programming fare that Channel V dishes out, as well as Space Shower Networks' strength in the local music scene.

The new channel will be built on the existing Space Shower TV. Space Shower TV which reaches 3.8 million households, has set itself the target of increasing the figure to four million by the end of the current fiscal.

Channel V sees value in the relationship because the Space Shower channel raps with the Jap youth who groove to pop music. Channel V claims to reach over 46 million homes in the pan Asian region. In India, the channel is rejigging its programming structure to counter the stiff competition from MTV. It also has channels in Greater China, Thailand, Australia and Korea.

The mutually beneficial alliance will help Space Shower to broaden the reach of its content in the Asian region.