Ebisawa, Ex-President of NHK, Japan Public Broadcaster, Dies as 91; Played Leading Role in Digitalization of Broadcasting in Japan

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:49 JST, October 21, 2025

Katsuji Ebisawa, former president of NHK and former advisor of Yomiuri Research Institute died on Sunday from aspiration pneumonia. He was 91.

Ebisawa was born in Ibaraki Prefecture and joined NHK in 1957. After serving as the head of the political news department, news department director and vice president, he became president in 1997.

Ebisawa played a leading role in the digitalization of broadcasting in Japan by promoting high-definition television through high-quality BS digital broadcasting, which started at the end of 2000.

He also served as president of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, contributing to the internationalization of broadcasting.

During his time as president, a series of scandals involving employees came to light in 2004, including a chief producer embezzling production money. This drew criticism against NHK, resulting in people refusing to pay their license fees or suspending their payments. Ebisawa stepped down as president in January 2005 to take responsibility for the scandals.

He was a member of the Yokozuna Deliberation Council, an advisory body that recommends wrestlers for promotion to yokozuna to the Japan Sumo Association, from 1999 and became its chairman in 2007. He also worked as an advisor to The Yomiuri Shimbun’s Yomiuri Research Institute from 2006 to 2024.