Figure 1.--Quiz shows are a popular format on Japanese television. I'm not sure what the title of this quiz program was. Hopefully our Japanese readers can provide some information.

Television is hugely popular in Japan, much as it is in the United States. The television situation varies regionally. Japan's largest and most important city is Tokyo. Viewers in Tokyo can receivev five local commercial channels and two national Japanese Broadcasting System (NHK) channels. Viewers in some parts of Japan receive viewer channels. I do not yet have details on satellite and cable television, but they are reportedly becoming increasingly popular. Some of the most popular shows in Japan are dramas, movies, news, sport programs, quizes, and contests. I don't know if sitcoms are popular. Japanese television used to run a lot of American programs, but I'm not sure if this is still true. and shows are the most popular program types. One observer reports that there is an educational component to many programs. Well know TV personalities are known to appear during prime time on programs dealing with science. One feature of Japanese television is "Wide Shows" which dominate morming and early afternoon television before the kids come home from school. They offer a wide range of entertainment and informative programing for stay-at-home mothers. Movies are popular, but are mostly available on pay channels. Many foreign films can be viewed and the system is set up so the viewre can watch with sound tracks in either Japanese or the original language. Japanese televisions come with a bilingual mode. The Japanese entertaiment industry is becomoing increasingly sophisticatedcand attracting attention in other countries. Japanese animation in recent years has become a major force in the animation industry. We have begin to collect some information about individual TV programs.

Popularity

Television is hugely popular in Japan, much as it is in the United States.

Television System

As in Europe, experiments with tekevision began (1920s). Kenjiro Takayanagi conducted pioneering experiments. Television was introduced (1939), about the samne time as in America and Europe (Britain and Germany), but on a more limited bassis. The electronics industry would play an imprtant part in the war. And Japan's smaller anf lease advanced industry put them at a considerabvle disadvantage in naval warfare. This was especially true of radar, but also in radio communication. This is intering, because their German ally was a leader in elect=tronics, including radar. Britain shred its secret tchnology ith Anmerica. The Germns did not with Japan. We are not sure this involved Germn rekluctabc or Japasnese lack of entrance, give their exoertise in night optics. TV broadcasting was halted by World War II. Regular television broadcasting did not begin until after the War (1950). And the elecvtronics industry would play an immprtnt role in the country's economic revovery. The television situation varies regionally. Japan's largest and most important city is Tokyo. Viewers in Tokyo can receivev five local commercial channels and two national Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) channels. Viewers in some parts of Japan receive viewer channels. I do not yet have details on satellite and cable television, but they are reportedly becoming increasingly popular. NHK is Japan's public broadcasting system. NHK began radio service (1925) and television service (1953). NHK is financed like the BBC. Japanese household with a television pay an annual fee. The NHK thus does not rely on government funding which is designed to ensure its independence from both government and private industry. NHK launvched digital satellite broadcasting servuce (2000) and digital terrestrial service (2003). About 80 percent of Japan's general TV is broadcast in HD as of 2004. NHK operates a domestic system of five television and three radio services. The core channels are both General and Educational TV and three radio channels. These services provide a diverse range of programs, including news, education, and family entertainment. The three satellite channels also offer a varied and versatile range of programs. NHK also operates an internationalsrvice. There are three TV and radio services under the NHK WORLD umbrella. NHK has 54 broadcast stations located throughout Japan and correspondents in 35 overseas posts (2004).

Programming

Some of the most popular shows in Japan are dramas, movies, news, sport programs, quizes, and contests. I don't know if sitcoms are popular. We have noted some particularly zanny contest/games on Japanese television. In fact in terms of creativity in contest/game shows, no other country can match the Japanese. An eexample is a game show in which a suitably elderly grandmother has to answer questions about pop culture so that her son is not catapulted into the air by a bungee machine. Of course the man is soon screaming "Grandma, Graaaandmaaaa!" and the grandmother bowing in apology as he is launched. Japanese television used to run a lot of American programs, but I'm not sure if this is still true. There is programming aided at children, but we have few details on that yet. One observer reports that there is an educational component to many programs. Well know TV personalities are known to appear during prime time on programs dealing with science. One feature of Japanese television is "Wide Shows" which dominate morming and early afternoon television before the kids come home from school. They offer a wide range of entertainment and informative programing for stay-at-home mothers. Movies are popular, but are mostly available on pay channels. Many foreign films can be viewed and the system is set up so the viewre can watch with sound tracks in either Japanese or the original language. Japanese televisions come with a bilingual mode.

Japanese Entertainment Industry

The Japanese entertaiment industry is becomoing increasingly sophisticatedcand attracting attention in other countries. Japanese animation in recent years has become a major force in the animation industry.

Accessibility

Unlike movies, TV programing is an uniquely national phenomenon. Novies can be easily dubbed ot probived with translated subtitles. Not so TV because of the phemomenl volume of programming, Thus TV stars and prhrams are basically unknown outside their own country. America is an exception because of the volume of America oprogramming, espcially in the early years of televidion. Lanaguag here is a key ossue, especually in countries like Japn where no other country speeks the language.

Indivividual Programs

We know very little about Japanese TV series. We have begin to collect some information about individual TV programs. Hopefully our Japanese readers will provide us more information.

Created: May 15, 2004
Last updated: 3:50 AM 4/3/2023