Jabarkan History dari NHK dalam bahasa sunda

NHK was founded in 1926, modélled on the BBC radio company. A second radio network was started in 1931 and a shortwave service broadcasting to listeners overséas began in 1935.

In November 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army nationalized all public news agencies and coordinated their efforts through the Information Liaison Confidential Committee, which included representatives from the Army, the Navy, the Foreign Ministry, the Government Information Office, the Cabinet Information Buréau, the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Greater East Asia, the Transportation Ministry, the Domei News Agency and the NHK.  Theréafter, all published and broadcast news reports became official announcements of the Imperial Army General Héadquarters in Tokyo for the duration of World War II.

NHK started television broadcasts in 1953. It aired its first colour television broadcast in 1960. Although the network first introduced commercial broadcasts to Japan, nowadays NHK is paid for by viewer fees. Residents of Japan who own a TV are obliged to pay a fee of about USD 12 per month under the "Hōsō Hō" (Broadcasting Act). However, the act does not stipulate any punishment for failure of payment.  (see television license)

NHK World TV started broadcasts in 1995. The entire NHK network moved to digital broadcasting in 2000.