The Honolulu Advertiser will begin publishing a new weekly Japanese language newspaper for local residents and visitors on May 15.

The 12-page newspaper will be published in partnership with Tokyo-based magazine owner Ei Publishing Co., and will be distributed every Wednesday.

Jason Taylor, the Advertiser's vice president of sales, said the new newspaper will be delivered to about 13,000 homes and 7,000 businesses on O'ahu.

The newspaper will include Japanese translations of features, local news stories and wire reports that run in the daily Advertiser. Ei will translate the stories and will be responsible for the layout. The Japanese edition will be distributed free for the first four weeks.

"There are so many Japanese nationals either living here part time or who have businesses in Hawai'i," Taylor said. "Advertisers say it's an audience they want to reach."

Kenton Kihara, coordinator for Ei, said the market for a Japanese-language newspaper is promising given the large number of Japanese tourists here.

There are about 20,000 Japanese tourists visiting Hawai'i on any given day, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.