NHK General TV

Logo (Startup/Closedown; 1953-1958)
Visuals: Only 3 still images survive of this ident: an image of black birds flying in the sky, a TV antenna in a cloudy background, and a picture of the same TV antenna in another cloudy background with the stacked text JOAK-TV 映像 103.25MH 映像出力 5KW 音声 107.75MH 音声出力 2.5KW to the right.

Technique: Unknown, but according to the available captures of the logo, most likely a mix of live-action and camera-controlled animation.

Audio: Unknown.

Availability: As of now, only 4 images can be found on the book "My History of Television Art - Exploring the Possibilities of Set Design and Images" (Japanese: 自分史 テレビ美術 ―セットデザインと映像の可能性を索めて) written by Kiyoshi Hashimoto. The logo probably survives on Japanese kinescopes of the period today.

Logo (Startup; 1970-2001)
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Visuals: On a sky is the flag of Japan waving. It later fades into a satellite dish rotating. A few seconds later is the white text NHK zoom in. After the NHK text zooms in, the text "総合テレビジョン" ("General Television") in white appears under it.

Later Variants:
 * Starting in 1984, the video was re-recorded with videotape compared to film used in the 1970 variant, and the NHK and General Television text now has a black outline. The globe in the closing variant also does not fade out.
 * In 1995, the NHK logo was changed, with three eggs with the letters "NHK" flipping in. The General Television Text is also smaller.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: A patriotic fanfare starting with ascending chimes with some "ding-dong" sounds.

Logo (Closedown; 1970-2006)
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Visuals: On a sky is the flag of Japan waving. It later fades into a live-action model of a globe rotating counterclockwise and zooming in. Once the globe centers on Japan is the white text NHK zoom in from Japan. After the NHK text zooms in, the text "総合テレビジョン" ("General Television") in white appears under it. A few seconds after the "General Television" text zooms out, the globe fades out.

Variants: Same as the startup.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: The national anthem of Japan, Kimigayo.

Logo (Startup; 2001-2006)


Visuals: On a space background, a CGI model of the Earth rotates slowly counter-clockwise, while the video zooms on Japan. After that, it fades to the flag of Japan waving and the lyrics of the national anthem of Japan, "Kimigayo", displayed vertically on on the right. The name of the network doesn't appear.

Technique: CGI for the Earth part, and live-action for the flag of Japan part.

Audio: Synthesized chorus music for the Earth part, and Kimigayo for the flag of Japan part.

Logo (Closedown; 2003-)
Visuals: On a sky is the flag of Japan waving. Near the end of the national anthem, the background fades into the Earth rotating in space. Later, the NHK logo fades in. A few seconds after the NHK text zooms in, the text "総合テレビジョン" ("General Television") in white appears under it.

Later Variant: Starting in 2020, the eggs logo is replaced with a modified version of the wordmark.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: The national anthem of Japan, Kimigayo.