Management

Comments from the President

  • (Comments by INABA Nobuo, President)

    My name is Inaba and I became president of NHK on January 25th. I aim to make my best efforts in this role.
    Article 1 of the Broadcasting Act, the foundation on which NHK was created, stipulates that the goals of broadcasting are to deliver its benefits far and wide to the whole of society, to ensure freedom of expression and to contribute to the development of a healthy democracy.
    The Broadcasting Act was created in 1950, which is the year I was born, so I naturally feel an affinity for it. Looking back, I remember feeling impressed by the zeal of legislators to improve post-war Japanese society through broadcasting. So in accepting this role as NHK president, I feel a special connection to it and am very honored to have the opportunity to become involved in such an ambitious task.
    Looking at the reforms undertaken by my predecessor, former President Maeda, it is my understanding that by boldly pursuing operational efficiency, he has largely set the course for balancing the budget following a drop in income due to a reduction in receiving fees. Going forward, I would like to carefully assess whether the financial figures reflect our expectations as we proceed with the reduction in receiving fees this autumn.
    My role in this is “verification and advancement of reforms.” Because these reforms are very bold, slight discrepancies or downsides may occur. Therefore, first and foremost, if such issues do occur, I would like to resolve them carefully to bring about the best outcome.
    This especially applies to reforms of the personnel system, which are important in utilizing human resources, and I would like to personally verify and review changes in this area. I would like to build a caring personnel system in which each individual can perform to the best of their abilities in various career paths and concentrate on their duties with peace of mind. In doing so, I would like to listen to the voices of employees and have thorough dialogues with them in making improvements.
    Second, even if we realize a balanced budget, if that were to lead to a drop in the quality or amount of our content, it would mean we have our priorities wrong. We plan to use digital technology to boost the quality and amount of our output. This is an unfinished task, and I would like to pursue it as the heart of part two of our management reforms.
    Further utilization of digital technology would involve, for example, using metaverse technology to pursue a new way to represent images and expand our digital archives business. It could also mean fundamentally changing the production process, from production to delivery, to a digital one – although of course, it is not my intent to dismiss the knowledge and expertise of experienced staff. By doing so, I would like to propel NHK forward to create higher-quality content in a cost-effective manner.
    Finally, I would like to express my thoughts from the standpoint of NHK itself as an organization. In daily news reporting, we will conduct thorough news gathering in order to seek the truth even if it takes time. With a sincere attitude that is a hallmark of NHK, we will deliver an uninterrupted flow of information that is impartial and accurate. Amid various conflicting information in the media, we would like to become a bastion for everyone as they evaluate each day’s events.
    In addition, in the production of entertainment programs, we will take on new challenges as we strive to provide world-class high-quality programs. We will do our best to enrich and culturally enhance everyone’s daily lives. This is the perfect opportunity for me to reiterate NHK’s promise to everyone on these points.