Photo/Illutration Tatsuhiko Inoue, set to become the head of public broadcaster NHK, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Dec. 9. (Koichiro Yoshida)

Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) has appointed former political reporter Tatsuhiko Inoue as its next president, marking the first time in 18 years that an internal candidate will lead the public broadcaster.

Inoue, 68, who currently serves as NHK’s executive vice president, will begin his three-year term in January.

Speaking at a news conference on Dec. 9, Inoue stressed that his appointment was not due to being a homegrown candidate while highlighting the strength of NHK’s internal talent pool.

“I know capable people across the organization and that helps us tackle challenges as a team,” he said.

Because of Inoue’s former role as NHK’s chief editor for political news, some argue that his extensive network in political circles could work against him in his new position.

He rejected the notion that this would compromise NHK’s independence.

“Yielding to political pressure or catering to authority would undermine the lifeblood of a news organization,” he said. “As a journalist, I have consistently upheld independence, and I will continue to do so.”

As a public broadcaster, NHK’s budget must be approved by the Diet, a process that raises concerns about government influence on its operations.

Inoue takes the helm at a time of financial strain at NHK.

NHK cut its viewer license fees by 10 percent in 2023, a move that significantly reduced revenue.

The broadcaster now expects to run deficit budgets until fiscal 2026, aiming to balance its books in the following year with projected expenditures of 577 billion yen ($3.6 billion).

NHK plans cost reductions of 100 billion yen compared to fiscal 2023 to achieve this goal.

Adding to the challenge are steadily declining subscription numbers. Contracts peaked at 42.12 million at the end of fiscal 2019 but had fallen to 40.43 million by September.

“In this difficult environment, we will see through spending cuts and ensure that subscription revenues stop declining,” Inoue said.

NHK is also adapting to Japan’s rapidly shifting media landscape. It launched NHK ONE, a revamped online streaming service, in October.

The move reflects a legal change making online distribution a core responsibility, thereby establishing grounds to collect fees from viewers who access NHK exclusively via the internet.

Inoue emphasized the importance of strengthening NHK’s online role as a public media provider, particularly in disaster reporting and combating misinformation.

A 12-member panel of business and academic leaders selected Inoue on Dec. 8 with exactly nine votes, the minimum required under the law to appoint an NHK president.

The public broadcaster has appointed outside business leaders as presidents for nearly two decades following calls for reform after insider trading and other employee misconduct came to light.

(This article was written by Yasuyuki Onaya and Yusuke Miyata.)

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