NEW YORK (AFP) - The International New York Times and Japan Times will be packaged in a single newspaper for readers in Japan starting in October under a joint venture, the two publishers said on Monday.

The agreement will create a jointly published six-day newspaper which will be known as The Japan Times/International New York Times starting October 16, according to a statement issued in Tokyo.

The International New York Times will be the new name for the International Herald Tribune, of which the New York group took over sole ownership in 2003.

The newspaper in Japan will consist of two sections, the first produced by The Japan Times office in Tokyo and its bureau in Osaka.

The second section will be edited from the Hong Kong, New York, Paris and London offices of the International New York Times and will draw on the global network of The New York Times.

"This is an important step in The Japan Times' 116-year history," said Mr Takeharu Tsutsumi, president of the country's largest English-language daily.

"We will remain a proudly independent newspaper, and will continue to offer our readers the very best in English-language journalism available in Japan.

"By packaging The Japan Times with the International New York Times, we will also provide our readers with the global edition of one of the best known and most widely respected newspapers in the world."

Mr Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, publisher of International New York Times, said: "We are thrilled that the International New York Times will be made available to Japan Times readers later this year.

"As the IHT we have built a reputation as the premier source of news, opinion and commentary for global citizens and as the International New York Times we will further build on this distinctive international voice."

Readers of the new daily, to be distributed from Monday to Saturday, will also have access to NYTimes.com digital content.

Last month, the Times Company said the 125-year-old offshoot of the defunct New York Herald Tribune will be rechristened sometime this fall as the International New York Times.