OSAKA, Japan (Reuters) - Nintendo will launch a successor to its Wii game console in the U.S. and other key markets in time for the crucial year-end shopping season later this year, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata told reporters on Thursday.

He said the WiiU would be launched in the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan for the year-end season.

(Reporting by Yoshiyuki Osada; Writing by Edmund Klamann; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)