Are there cable companies in Japan like there are in the US?

Question

You know, like Time Warner (Now Comcast, however). Are there similar companies in Japan or is tv free?

Answer 1

Actually, there's not such thing as free TV in Japan because you are expected to pay for even broadcast TV through NHK fees. There is CATV in urban Japan, but digital satellite seems to be the way everyone is going these days.

Answer 2

Yes, there are cable companies in Japan, but the way they work is very different. For example, I live in the southern part of Japan. My city has only on cable provider. It has only one because it was the only one that was able to get permission from local government and the broadcast ministry to conduct their service in that area. So, there is no competition among cable companies. Aside from that, the technical aspects are the same.

Answer 3

Yes, there is cable. (-: There's even Cartoon Network and some other US cable channels that have been tweaked for the Japanese market.

And as mentioned, you are supposed to pay a yearly fee for each television to help support NHK, the public TV channel. No phon-a-thons for these guys! You pay extra for a satellite that gets the special NHK channels -- NHK has four or five channels (I'm not sure how the digital channels work -- we get two satellite channels called BS1 and BS2 ((I kid you not)) and two regular channels that can be gotten with a regular TV antennae). My friend has cable, but she lives in a city.

Answer 4

Yes, there are. Several companies with millions of subscribers each. Read about them in the attached link.

Note: The key to remember when it comes to electronic and automotive industries: Whatever we have here in the US; they have it in Japan, only more advanced.

Answer 5

U mean bloodsucking whores. Rip you off for everydollar you have.