With new ways to listen and share, radio is making a comeback in Japan

With diversified ways to listen on the rise, radio is attracting renewed attention in Japan. Its popularity was also spurred by the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami and the April 2016 temblors in Kumamoto Prefecture, as its role in spreading key information during disasters came into view. Fans can listen to radio shows on personal computers and smartphones and share favorite programs online through social networking services. Some 12 million people a month listen through the Radiko internet radio service that makes programs from various broadcasters available. The service was developed by Fumio Miura, a professor at Kansai University and a fellow at operator Radiko Co. "I want to evolve radio into completely different new media by, for example, utilizing artificial intelligence," Miura said.