X Files' Supernatural Hold On Japan

It looks as though intrepid TV FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Sculley have cracked their toughest case yet: the mysterious Japanese market. Forget autos--when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of the Japanese, it takes a hot new television show with a cult following to break through.

So the planets are aligning for The X-Files, Fox Broadcasting's hit about two FBI agents assigned to investigate all manner of unexplained phenomena. Starting Nov. 22, this Twilight Zone of the '90s will become the first U.S. TV import to run on Japanese prime time in eight years. Plots have included prehistoric organisms brought back to life, visitors from outer space, and secret government experiments. With the tag line "the truth is out there," the show, now in its third season, has helped Fox's Friday-night ratings and propelled actors David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson into international fame.