New president takes charge at NHK

Ryoichi Ueda has stepped into the president role at NHK, taking over from Katsuto Momii who has completed his three-year term running the Japanese pubcaster.

Ueda was previously on NHK’s board of governors and audit committee. Prior to assuming these roles he was at Japanese multinational Mitsubishi, where he worked in the US and Japan.

Speaking as he stepped into the role atop NHK, he pledged to protect the autonomy and independence of the pubcaster and to provide content that Japanese viewers can trust.

Ahead of Japan hosting the summer Olympics in 2020, he acknowledged that the Games will be a key challenge during his tenure.

“Further, in this globalised world, the public broadcaster also has the great mission of displaying Japan’s presence in the world,” he said.

“NHK has declared in its corporate plan that it will provide broadcasts and services of the very highest quality in 2020, the year of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.”