MPEG-H Audio Gains Ground in Japan’s Evolving TV Landscape
Japan is moving toward a new phase in terrestrial broadcasting with the recent standardization of its Advanced ISDB-T next-generation broadcast system. Approved by the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB) in March 2025 and developed primarily by NHK, the system is designed to support 4K/8K broadcasting and up to 22.2 immersive sound using MPEG-H Audio as the selected audio codec. This choice reflects a broader interest in enabling more flexible and personalized audio experiences, such as language switching and adjustable sound elements. The 22.2 sound systems that are unique to the Japanese broadcast system are particularly suited to deliver the full scope of the advanced audio system.
With services expected to begin around 2027, Japan’s adoption of MPEG-H Audio aligns with a growing international trend, as seen in countries like Brazil and South Korea. While timelines and deployment strategies may vary, Japan’s move suggests a continued global shift toward more immersive and adaptable broadcast technologies.
Large-scale verification tests of the Advanced ISDB-T system were carried out by NHK in four major Japanese cities (Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya) from 2022 on. They comprised the use of current hardware at transmitter stations to verify the feasibility of the system, which is designed for next-generation digital terrestrial broadcasting. The tests were designed to confirm the broadcast system’s ability to simultaneously provide both 8K services for fixed reception and 2K services for mobile reception through hierarchical transmission. For both use cases, MPEG-H Audio was used to deliver an interactive experience: 22.2 audio with 4 dialogue tracks for the main transmission and stereo with 2 additional dialog elements for the mobile reception.
To advance the market adoption and explore multiple application options, NHK Technologies and Spin Digital collaborate on live 8K streaming of concerts to multiple locations with 3D audio. The project relies on Spin Digital’s 8K live encoder and player, enabling the transmission of 8K content with 22.2 channel immersive sound in MPEG-H Audio over the public internet. It also resulted in the development of an 8K live streaming delivery system using AWS cloud and the general public internet.
