Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim signed an agreement with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso on a digital TV standard on Thursday, said a text released by the Brazilian government.

Under the agreement, the two countries have the option of working toward the introduction of high-definition television in Brazil based on the Japanese standard, ISDB-T system, or Terrestrial Integrated Services Digital Broadcast.

Japanese companies would be in charge of training local staff, and Brazilian firms would be able to use the technology without paying royalties.

The Brazilian government said that no formal decision had been made to immediately install the Japanese digital television system in the country of 186 million people, but the memorandum was an important document should the government move toward installation.

Brazil has been considering changing from analog to digital over the past four years, but last year abandoned the idea of creating its own digital TV system because of the high cost involved. However, the country has now resumed negotiations with various international groups to find a standard. America's ATSC and Europe's DVB had been among the competitive options.

Source: Xinhua