Edgy Content and Global Ambitions: A Spotlight on Japanese Television Trends

By Chris Weatherspoon

Japanese television is undergoing a period of transformation. The changing tastes of Japanese viewers and the pressures of a contracting television market are forcing the industry to adapt, leading to more daring narratives in dramas and the pursuit of innovative distribution strategies. Breakthrough Now Media spoke with three industry experts: Setsuko YODA of TV Asahi, Kyosuke KASHIWAGI of TV Tokyo, and Takeshi MURAKOSHI of Yomiuri TV. Their insights offer a glimpse into the trends shaping Japan's drama and factual television landscape.

Setsuko YODA of TV ASAHI, Kyosuke Kashiwagi of TV Tokyo and Takeshi Murakoshi of Yomiuri TV  

Factual Programming: Adapting to a Changing Landscape

Kyosuke Kashiwagi of TV Tokyo highlights the unique challenges and opportunities facing Japanese broadcasters in the current media climate. With economic stagnation, a shrinking population, and the rise of internet-based content, the traditional television market is contracting.

"Japanese broadcasters and production companies have to rethink their strategies," says Kashiwagi. One crucial strategy is expanding overseas content exports, tapping into a wider audience and generating new revenue streams.

TV Tokyo, he notes, has been at the forefront of this trend, actively seeking international co-productions. Shows like How To Enjoy Solo and At 25:00 in Akasaka showcase successful collaborations with partners in Taiwan and the global LGBTQ platform GagaOOlala.

BL drama At 25:00 in Akasaka is a collaboration with LGBTQ platform GagaOOlala.

The drama All But Divorced represents another breakthrough, becoming the first Japanese drama remade in Arabic and gaining popularity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Even in unscripted formats, TV Tokyo is finding success with international adaptations, such as the upcoming TESAKI, a reboot of a segment from their iconic TV Champion show, set to release in Thailand and Indonesia.

Kashiwagi acknowledges that balancing domestic and international appeal remains a challenge, but co-productions offer a promising path forward.

TV Tokyo's All But Divorced is the first Japanese drama to receive a remake in Arabic.

Dramas: Balancing Edgy Content and Broad Appeal in the Age of SVOD

Takeshi Murakoshi of Yomiuri TV highlights a significant shift in Japanese dramas, driven in part by the changing business landscape. "Furthermore," he notes, "due to the rise of global distribution giants, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, the traditional business model doesn’t work anymore because the TV advertisement sales are rapidly decreasing."

This financial pressure has led to a rethinking of strategies: "Consequently, we have decided to produce new style drama series," Murakoshi explains. "The aim is a big hit on SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand), not on broadcasting, and the business is more important than the artistry."

This shift towards SVOD platforms has also freed creators from some of the traditional constraints of broadcast television: "As the aim is for SVOD, the time slot doesn’t matter," Murakoshi says. "Furthermore, there is no limit for the number of the contents on SVOD platforms unlike broadcasting. Therefore, the most important thing is distinctiveness, and the key word is 'extreme'."

This pursuit of distinctiveness has led to the emergence of late-night dramas like YTV's Do Me When You Come Home and Although I Love You, and You?, featuring explicit content and unconventional themes. Murakoshi elaborates: "YTV has launched a slot for that kind of drama series at 2am on Fridays’ morning." These are projects that would have been unthinkable in the past, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable on Japanese television.

Posters for Although I Love You, and You? and Do Me When You Come Home (respectively). These two shows are providing Japanese viewers with racier and unconventional content.

This bold strategy, Murakoshi reveals, is proving successful, with the late-night slot thriving. It signals a fascinating shift in Japanese television, where a nation known for tradition and modesty is experimenting with edgier, more provocative storytelling.

Alongside the trend towards edgier content, dramas that resonate with a broader audience have also managed to find success. The Netflix original series Tokyo Swindlers, a fictionalized account of a real-life fraud case, is noted as a recent hit with its fast-paced storytelling and echoes of reality having hooked viewers.

Setusko Yoda of TV Asahi also mentions the popularity of TV Asahi's own drama, Destiny, a female-led mystery that topped catch-up streaming charts. Written by veteran screenwriter Noriko Yoshida (The Hovering Blade), the drama follows Prosecutor Kanade Nishimura as she confronts a suspicious case from her law school days that leads directly to her father's death. Destiny also marks the return of Ishihara Satomi to the small screen, her first role since 2021's Love Deeply (NTV).

Yoda highlights the show's broad appeal, noting that "70% of the viewers were women, and the show was watched by a wide age range from 20s to 60s."

Destiny (TV Asahi) / Tokyo Swindlers (NETFLIX)

The Future

As technology continues to disrupt the television industry worldwide, Japan's broadcasters are proving their ability to navigate these challenges with creativity and flexibility. Though challenges remain, their willingness to experiment with new formats, push boundaries, and seek international collaborations shows that Japanese television is determined to succeed in this changing world.