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Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai

Japanese corporation
Also known as: Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK
Written and fact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Updated:
NKH broadcasting station
Open full sized image
Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK) broadcasting station in Ōsaka, Japan.
© BirgerNiss—iStock/Getty Images
English:
Japan Broadcasting Corporation
Date:
1926 - present
Areas Of Involvement:
radio
broadcasting
HDTV
television

Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai (NHK), public radio and television system of Japan. It operates two television and three radio networks and is notable for its innovations in high-definition television.

NHK was founded as a state public utility corporation controlled by Japan’s Ministry of Communications. It began operations in 1926 with the merger of the radio stations in Tokyo, Ōsaka, and Nagoya. Beginning in 1930 NHK became a propaganda outlet for Japan’s increasingly militaristic government. With a new broadcast law in 1950, NHK was dissolved and a new public broadcasting corporation, also named NHK, was formed; the law forbade government intervention in programming and also, for the first time, permitted competition by private broadcasting stations. NHK began television broadcasting in 1953.

NHK, which does not broadcast advertising, is supported entirely by fees paid by its audience. One of its television networks provides educational programming, and the other provides general programming, including news (for which it is especially noted), cultural programs, sports (especially sumo wrestling and baseball), and entertainment. Both networks can be seen throughout Japan’s principal islands. The NHK laboratories developed a television system using 1,125 scanning lines, and some of its satellite programming uses this high-definition system daily.

Since 1951 the network has sponsored Japan’s oldest and largest classical music ensemble, the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.