TOKYO. Aug 7: Twenty-four companies led by Japan's Fujitsu Ltd and Injernational Business Machines Corp of the United States have agreed or. a new standard for next-generation magneto-optical discs, a Fujitsu spokesman said today, reports AFP

The spokesman said the new standard would allow a single dfsc to store about 650 megabytes of date, the same as compact disc-read only memory (cd-rom) discs and about three times the capacity of existing magneto-optical discs. But the access speed will remain the same, he said..

The new discs would be able to store about 450 time a the amount of data contain in a single floppy dl$c or about one hour of compressed video pic tures, making them especially suitable for multimedia applications.

The two dozen companies, which expect the new standard to be accepted by the International standards organisation. also Inclqdes Japan's Nippon Telegraph and Tele phone Corp, Hitachi Ltd. Mitsubishi Electric Cor. Sharp Corp and Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands

The Nihon Kelzal Shimbun predicted the new discs and drives would be available by 1996. but the Fujitsu spokesman said the new prod ucts would not be launched soon.