List of radio stations in Japan
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The list of radio stations in Japan lists all the national/regional
radio stations Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio sta ...
in Japan. Because of governmental regulation, Japan has a relatively small number of radio stations. Japan also has a comparatively smaller number of radio listeners nationwide than most other
developed countries A developed country (or industrialized country, high-income country, more economically developed country (MEDC), advanced country) is a sovereign state that has a high quality of life, developed economy and advanced technological infrastruct ...
as well as countries in the geographic
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
. This is because of several factors, including the cultural difference in perception of radio, the fact that cars in Japan come with dashboard televisions fitted as standard, as well as general disinterest in the medium among working younger audiences compared with other mediums, especially
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
. Generally, each prefecture has three NHK stations (two by 2025), one commercial AM station (some are also on FM), and one commercial FM station. Heavily populated areas, such as Kantō region or
Kansai region The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...
, have more stations. There are also an increasing number of AM stations that start broadcasting on FM (on 90-95 MHz) as a supplement. The stations that air on the band are called or . The listed stations with ★ signs also broadcast
television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...
. Many stations have multiple frequencies (
repeater In telecommunications, a repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions so that the signal can cover longer distances or be received on the other side of an obstruction. Som ...
s). Certain AM-only radio stations (or AM stations with limited FM simulcast coverage) will be broadcasting solely in FM by 2028. The switch will not affect Hokkaido and Akita Prefectures and will continue AM-FM radio simulcasts. NHK is excluded from the switchover, as they have separate plans to consolidate its radio services.


Networks

All networks are broadcast in
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
, except
MegaNet The or is Japan's only network of multi-lingual commercial radio stations. The network was established in December 1999. Currently all such stations are members of the network. The flagship station is InterFM in Tokyo. They all broadcast in ...
and AFN.


Former


Educational

*
Open University of Japan is a distance learning university which has students from all over Japan; it accepted its first students in 1985. History Although founded by the national government initiative with a single-issue law and heavily subsidized by the government, i ...
: FM, Satellite (radio closed down in October 2018) **JOUD-FM: ***77.1 MHz Tokyo ***78.8 MHz Maebashi


Hokkaidō


Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (''ken''): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku reta ...


Kantō region


Chūbu region


Kansai region The or the , lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo and Shiga, often also Mie, sometimes Fukui, Tokushima and Tottori. The metropoli ...


Chūgoku &

Shikoku is the smallest of the four main islands of Japan. It is long and between wide. It has a population of 3.8 million (, 3.1%). It is south of Honshu and northeast of Kyushu. Shikoku's ancient names include ''Iyo-no-futana-shima'' (), '' ...
Region


Kyūshū region


Nationwide stations

''Some stations have multiple channels.''


Shortwave

* Nikkei Radio Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Nikkei, 2 channels) **Radio Nikkei 1: 3.925 MHz SW, 6.055 MHz SW and 9.595 MHz SW **Radio Nikkei 2: 3.945 MHz SW, 6.115 MHz SW and 9.76 MHz SW


Satellite broadcasting

Certain satellite providers distribute radio channels that are tailored to every musical genres such as from
SKY PerfecTV! is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides satellite television, audio programming and interactive television services to households in Japan, owned by parent company SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation. SKY PerfecTV! is also a direct ...
and Usen (Music AirBee! and Sound Planet). In the education field, the
Open University of Japan is a distance learning university which has students from all over Japan; it accepted its first students in 1985. History Although founded by the national government initiative with a single-issue law and heavily subsidized by the government, i ...
broadcast educational programming only on satellite TV (radio broadcasts and free-to-air TV broadcasts ended since October 2018).


Community FM stations

Since January 10, 1992, the
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications The is a cabinet-level ministry in the Government of Japan. Its English name was Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications (MPHPT) prior to 2004. It is housed in the 2nd Building of the Central Common Government Of ...
started accepting applications for community FM licenses which are allowed on
municipal A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
level. Currently, as of April 2021, there are roughly 335 community FM stations across Japan. Community FM stations with English articles include: ;Kanagawa Prefecture * Zushi Hayama Community Broadcasting (Shōnan Beach FM):
Hayama 260px, Morito Beach is a town located in Kanagawa Prefecture, on central Honshū, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 32,961 and a population density of 1900 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Since 1894, the Japan ...
and
Zushi is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. As of June 2012, the city has an estimated population of 58,087, and a population density of 3,350 per km². The total area is . Geography Zushi is located at the head of Miura Peninsula, facin ...
, 78.9 MHz FM ;Chiba Prefecture * Ichikawa FM JOZZ3AZ-FM: Ichikawa, 83.0 MHz ;Shizuoka Prefecture * Hamamatsu FM Broadcasting Company JOZZ6AB-FM (FM Haro!):
Hamamatsu is a city located in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. the city had an estimated population of 791,707 in 340,591 households, making it the prefecture's largest city, and a population density of . The total area of the site was . Overview Ha ...
, 76.1 MHz FM ;Aichi Prefecture * FM Toyohashi JOZZ6AA-FM:
Toyohashi is a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 377,453 in 160,516 households and a population density of 1,400 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . By area, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-lar ...
, 84.3 MHz FM ;Hiroshima Prefecture * Chūgoku Communication Network JOZZ8AG-FM (FM Chupea): Hiroshima, 76.6 MHz FM *
FM Fukuyama FM Fukuyama (RADIO BINGO) is a Japanese local FM radio station in Fukuyama. The station was founded on January 9, 1996, and went on the air on August 8, 1996. External linksFM Fukuyama (RADIO BINGO) Mass media in Fukuyama Radio in Japan Comp ...
JOZZ8AA-FM (Radio Bingo): Fukuyama, 77.7 MHz FM * Onomichi FM Broadcasting Company JOZZ8AF-FM (FM Onomichi): Onomichi, 79.4 MHz FM


Others

*
Highway advisory radio A travelers' information station (TIS), also called highway advisory radio (HAR) by the United States Department of Transportation, is a licensed low-powered non-commercial radio station, used to broadcast information to the general public, inclu ...
: 1620 kHz AM * Roadside Station radio: 1629 kHz AM


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Radio Stations In Japan Japan