Children in Japan and the Philippines will soon come face to face with Nickelodeon shows like Rugrats and Clarissa Explains It All. Nick has been selling programming to the Asian market since 1991, but beginning in September, the network is launching two channels in Asia.

According to Bruce Tuchman, GM of Global Network Ventures, the channels are the first of a variety of services that Nickelodeon is planning to develop for the Asian market.

The 24-hour network will run in Japanese via cable and DTH through a deal with DirectV Japan which reaches over 140,000 homes. In the Philippines, Nick is working with Asian Cable Communication to reach its 500,000 subscribers.

In Italy, Nickelodeon is launching a daily three-hour programming block beginning next January. The Italian-language, branded block will run on Ragazzi, the RAI’s children’s network. The slot will feature first-run episodes of Nick shows such as Rugrats, Rocko’s Modern Life, Eureeka’s Castle and The Adventures of Pete & Pete. In the past, Nickelodeon has sold shows like Ren and Stimpy to Italian broadcasters. This expansion is the beginning of what Nick execs hope will become a long-standing presence in Italy, which may eventually evolve into a stand-alone channel.