People surf the Internet at a Tokyo cybercafe in 2007. MySpace have launched new services in Japan, a day after Facebook launched a Japanese version amid growing competition here between social networking sites.

MySpace launched new services in Japan on Tuesday a day after Facebook launched a Japanese version amid growing competition here between social networking sites.

MySpace said it was partnering with 33 companies in Japan to create and encourage new stars and strengthen its support for the 55,000 artists and professionals who are registered with the site.

"Due to this partnership, we will energise the market by offering opportunities to young creators to release a CD, produce or participate in various events," it said in a statement.

MySpace's partners include some of Japan's largest recording companies EMI Music Japan and AVEX Entertainment, as well as the music shop HMV. They will organise auditions and talent shows to seek out new artists.

MySpace entered the Japanese market in 2006 in a joint venture between News Corp. and Japanese Internet giant Softbank Corp., hoping to entice customers away from Japan's hugely popular online social networking site Mixi.

It launched an online video sharing service last year to entice customers away from YouTube.

Rivalry in Japan's online social world is heating up after Facebook's entry into Japan on Monday.

Facebook Japan is expected to reinforce access to the site through cellphones, which is a priority for Japanese users. Mixi's success has been helped by its mobile phone service for its 14 million and more users.

Last month, the blockbuster US microblog Twitter, on which users can post no more than 140 characters, launched a Japanese service after one-quarter of the world's access to Twitter in February originated from Japan.

© 2008 AFP