Naked News, possibly Canada’s most internationally-watched newscast, will soon debut in Japan:

Since making its debut in Canada in 1999, Naked News has become available via the Internet, television and mobile phones in North America, Australia and Europe.

“We believe there is a huge untapped market for the right kind of information if it was properly packaged,” Warga said. “So we created a news-entertainment program in which women, and later men, informed while removing their clothing.”

The service initially will be news that is provided for Naked News’ existing markets but with Japanese subtitles. The plan is eventually to produce content in Japan that will appeal to a larger percentage of the population.

AsiaPundit’s initial thought was that Naked News was prevented from making an earlier entry into to the country due to the prohibition on the depiction or display of pubic hair - a ban that AP understands was only recently lifted (while tentacle sex, guro and bukkake have long been acceptable in Japan, pubic hair was until recently illegal).

However, it seems that Japan’s Naked News will actually be Semi-nude News:

Disappointingly, the content will apparently be the same U.S.-centric mix of politics and sports news (sure, we’ve had the odd peek at the show) but with subtitles added for local readers. Oh, and there won’t actually be any nakedness — it’s underwear only, folks. Something’s gotta give in that plan if it’s to last.

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