Nichiyō Tōron is a Sunday morning talk show broadcast in Japan by public broadcasterNHK. It often takes the format of a moderated debate between several politicians from parties represented in the National Diet and sometimes leading bureaucrats or non-political guests, although some editions feature interviews with only one guest. Nichiyō Tōron debuted in 1994, but replaced a range of several talk shows on political and economic issues including, a similar Sunday morning political talk show that had been on air since 1947 on radio and since 1957 on television. Nichiyō Tōron airs live Sundays between 9 and 10 a.m. JST on national NHK General TV and NHK Radio 1, and is rebroadcast as free-of-charge "NHK international broadcast" by NHK's international television and radio affiliates. Nationally, it airs just after Fuji TV's Shin Hōdō 2001 and before TV Asahi's Hōdō Station Sunday, two competing Sunday morning talk shows. As of 2011, it is hosted by Toshio Shimada and Yasuhiro Kashina. The debate is usually held in NHK's Chiyoda Hōsō Kaikan studio in Kioichō in central Tokyo, close to Nagatachō, where the Diet building, the nationalLiberal Democratic and Democratic party headquarters as well as the prime minister's office and residence are located.
Special editions
On days of national elections, political campaigning is restricted by national election laws for 24 hours before the closing of polls and Nichiyō Tōron is not broadcast in its usual slot. On days of by-elections for the national Diet or the unified local elections, Nichiyō Tōron also generally avoids presenting partisan positions by inviting non-politicians. In the legal campaigning period before a national election, Nichiyō Tōron sometimes takes the NHK Special 9 p.m. slot or airs on Monday night after an election. On election night, the Nichiyō Tōron host anchors a special programme with all party leaders relayed from their election headquarters. The first Nichiyō Tōron of a new year usually invites party presidents – or another leading politician where the party president is prime minister, namely the secretary general of the party or the vice prime minister.
