EDITORIAL | NHK Has a China Problem and it Needs Fixing Now

Recently false and inappropriate statements have been broadcast by programs of Japan's public broadcaster Nippon Hoso Kyokai, known as NHK. These have occurred in Chinese-language news programs, including NHK international radio broadcasts. For example, an announcer falsely stated that the Senkaku Islands were "Chinese territory."

According to NHK, an outside-hire Chinese staff member added comments not in the approved script. In effect, the Chinese hijacked a Japanese public broadcast to commit a crime. That should never have been allowed to occur. 

There must be a thorough investigation into how this came about and steps taken to prevent any recurrence. 

Inherent Japanese Territory

According to NHK, there was a problematic broadcast at 1:00 PM on August 19 during a Chinese-language news broadcast on Radio International and Radio 2. First, the male staff member read news about graffiti defacement at Yasukuni Shrine. Then, during a roughly 20-second time span, he added comments not in the script. At that time he stated, among other things, that the Senkaku Islands were "Chinese territory."  

However, the Senkaku Islands are an integral part of Japan's national territory. This repetition of false Chinese propaganda on Japan's public broadcast cannot be forgiven. Ishigaki City in Okinawa Prefecture has jurisdiction over the Senkakus. It appropriately demanded that that NHK ensure this unfortunate incident is never repeated.  

A Rogue Newsreader

The rogue newsreader was a Chinese male in his 40s whose services were contracted by an NHK-affiliated organization. This same person had been in charge of translating Japanese news into Chinese and reading it out loud since 2002. 

In the immediate case, the issue came to light after the program production staff realized what had happened. NHK strongly protested the individual's actions through the affiliated organization. That organization pledged to terminate its contract with him. But are those measures alone sufficient? 

Additionally, NHK issued an apology on the evening of August 19. It stated, "It was inappropriate to broadcast statements unrelated to the news and we deeply apologize." NHK is also considering prerecording broadcasts to prevent any recurrence. 

Mere Apology Not Enough

Settling for a mere apology and pro forma preventative measures is entirely inadequate. NHK must take serious responsibility for airing these inappropriate remarks. An investigation is also required to determine if any similar cases occurred in the past.

Twenty seconds of broadcast time is hardly a brief period. Just imagine what might happen if false information was spread during a natural disaster or other emergency. This incident cannot be considered minor.

Hijacking a broadcast like this is not only a violation of the Broadcasting Act, which requires fair broadcasting. It also amounts to criminal acts, including obstruction of business. Consequently, it should be dealt with strictly.

International broadcasts of the kind in which these false remarks were made are generally highly valued. There is a high expectation for the accuracy of the information conveyed in an increasingly internationalized world. That includes reporting of the government's views and Japanese culture overseas. Furthermore, these broadcasts are taxpayer-subsidized. 

The National Diet should also look into this debacle and prevent any recurrence. 

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun