By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS, Rafu Arts & Entertainment
TV Japan, the paid television service that has brought 24-hour Japanese-language programming to North America for more than 30 years, has announced it will cease broadcasting on March 31 and will transition to an online streaming service.
Operated by a subsidiary of NHK, Japan’s national public broadcaster, TV Japan features real-time programming from NHK World Premium, including news, drama and variety series, live sports and documentaries. Some programs include an English simulcast.
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our viewers for choosing TV Japan as your source of Japanese entertainment and news,” a statement on the TV Japan website read, inviting viewers to subscribe to its new streaming channel, called Jme.
Shimpei Fujino, executive vice president at CosmoMedia America, which operates TV Japan and Jme, said the programming on the new service will be mostly the same as the current broadcast lineup, with adjustments made for global time differences.
“The schedule of programs will be a slightly different,” Fujino explained. “NHK World Premium is distributed live from Tokyo, so it can be difficult for people in the U.S. to watch live in a timely manner, taking into account the time differences between Japan and North America, as well as between Eastern and Western Japan and Hawaii.”
Since its launch in 1991, access to TV Japan was only available through a cable or satellite TV subscription, with the Japanese channel requiring an additional premium charge.
The monthly fee of $25 for TV Japan will be the same for Jme, but the streaming service will not require any cable or satellite subscription. A key difference of Jme will be the ability to watch on-demand programming as well as live TV.
New subscribers who sign up for the Jme service between March 20 and April 30 will be offered a 30-day free trial.
The mainly English-language channel NHK World Japan continues to be available across the U.S. without any planned changes. Also broadcasting 24 hours, it is available for free over the air – using a traditional television antenna – as well as on most cable systems for no additional charge.
In Los Angeles, NHK World Japan is broadcast on Channel 28.3. It is also included via most cable carriers.
There have been fundamental changes in the way television is transmitted and received in recent years, and the transitions can be confusing for many viewers, notably seniors who might not be on the cutting edge of technical awareness. Fujino invites anyone with questions about the new streaming service to call the Jme customer service number at (877) 885-2726 or visit https://watch.jme.tv.
He added that his company is planning a series of seminars in the L.A. area to help viewers make the transition.