Japanese Community Radio: YES-fm Osaka - Serving Community Needs and Disaster Resilience

Abstract

This article examines the development, administrative structure, and roles of YES-fm, a commercially operated community radio station in Japan, using a multi-source qualitative approach. The findings indicate that YES-fm is operated by a for-profit organization and represents one of Japan’s three recognized models of community radio. It was established in response to the need for community-based disaster-prevention media following the Great Hanshin Earthquake. The station is owned by a well-established entertainment company, with a major educational corporation serving as its principal shareholder. It operates with five core staff members and volunteer contributors, while technical operations are outsourced to an external firm. Broadcasting in analog via a 10-watt rooftop transmitter installed on a 32-story building, the station covers Osaka City and the surrounding areas. Despite financial constraints in the face of intense competition in a media-saturated urban environment—combined with the audience’s increasing exposure to social media and web radio—YES-fm continues to play a vital role in fostering disaster resilience. It also offers diverse musical programming, with comedy as a distinctive element, and provides local news, information, and knowledge for Japanese residents, foreign nationals, and tourists. Most programs are in Japanese, with just one hour of English-language content each day. Additionally, the station serves as an advertising and public relations platform for its owner, partner, airtime purchasers, and sponsors. A key challenge for YES-fm lies in expanding its role in promoting multiculturalism.