NHK and 5 Private Broadcasters Launch Joint Disaster Prevention Project: Special Program on 'Saving Lives from Extreme Heat'

This summer, NHK and five private broadcasters—Nippon Television, TV Asahi, TBS Television, TV Tokyo, and Fuji Television—are collaborating on a joint initiative titled 'Saving Lives from Disaster-Level Heat' to raise public awareness about the growing threat of extreme heat.

The 'Six-Station Disaster Prevention Project' was launched in 2021, marking the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since then, the broadcasters have shared archival disaster footage and jointly produced documentaries and news programs focused on disaster preparedness and risk reduction.

This year’s theme is 'heat.' Breaking down organizational barriers, the six broadcasters are uniting around the shared goal of saving lives from extreme heat, delivering vital safety information to the public.

[Introduction to NHK’s Special Program]

Asu o Mamoru Navi: NHK and Private Broadcasters’ Joint Disaster Prevention Initiative – 'How to Survive Extreme Heat and Flooding' (Tentative Title)

Scheduled Broadcast: NHK General TV, August 30, 2026 (Sunday), 10:05 AM JST

Intensifying heavy rains and 'extremely hot days' exceeding 40°C—Japan’s summer is entering a new era of disasters where past norms no longer apply. Through the 'Six-Station Disaster Prevention Project,' NHK and the five Tokyo-based private broadcasters are reporting on the reality of a 40°C society, with presenters from each station conducting on-site interviews with flood survivors. Drawing on firsthand testimonies and the latest disaster prevention research, the program will explore practical steps viewers can take to protect their loved ones.

<Hosts>

Izumi Yamauchi (NHK), Toshihiko Ito (Fuji Television)

<Presenters>

NHK: Keiichiro Ehara Nippon TV: Nao Iwamoto

TV Asahi: Yumiko Matsuo

TBS: Ryusuke Ito

TV Tokyo: Haru Saito

Fuji TV: Reina Uchida