Nobuo Inaba, former NHK chairman, dies at 75

Nobuo Inaba, the former chairman of NHK, has passed away at the age of 75. He died on January 6 at a hospital in Tokyo due to aspiration pneumonia.

Inaba served as the chairman of NHK for three years, starting in January 2023. During his tenure, he focused on strengthening the organization's management foundation and driving structural reforms. He was notably involved in the implementation of ‘NHK ONE’, a new streaming service launched following the mandate to treat internet services as essential duties.

A graduate of the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Economics, Inaba began his career at the Bank of Japan in 1974, where he held several high-ranking positions, including Director of the System Information Department and Director of the Inspection Department. He later served as a special advisor to Ricoh before leading NHK. NHK Chairman Hidehiko Inoue expressed condolences, praising Inaba's leadership and sense of responsibility during a period of significant change for the public broadcaster.