Netflix boosted its Japanese streaming content slate this week, unveiling a deal to stream a renewed library of NHK drama titles and a separate collection of long-running variety shows on Nippon TV. Late Show Monday To watch global catch-up.
Starting June 22, six NHK dramas will premiere on Netflix in the first wave of ongoing viewing. The slate spans the three pillars of NHK’s signature drama production: the network’s Taiga series, sweeping historical epics traditionally broadcast during the Sunday night slot in Japan; Its morning drama series (known as asadora), 15-minute weekday installments that have been a staple part of Japanese daily life since 1961; and Drama 10, a late-evening primetime block known for tackling contemporary social issues.
The first batch of shows includes the Taiga series Strategic Kanbe; Morning series Mambuko; Three Drama 10 Titles – Descending Stories: Life in Rakugo, Science club and Tokyo salad bowl; And outstanding drama my family. Subsequent titles will be released over the remainder of the year and into early 2027.
Netflix has been building steady partnerships with major broadcasters in Japan in recent years, but the NHK deal is a particularly noteworthy drama library acquisition. NHK’s drama productions are a mainstay of mainstream Japanese pop culture: Taiga has been broadcast continuously since 1963 and remains among the most widely watched productions in the domestic industry, while the network’s morning soap operas have launched the careers of multiple generations of Japanese stars.
“By bringing works that Japanese broadcasters have curated over many years to viewers in more than 190 countries and regions, Netflix will continue to support Japan’s distinct entertainment culture on the global stage,” the company said in a statement.
Separately, Netflix has acquired the global streaming rights to Nippon TV Late Show Monday (Japanese title: Getsuyu Kara Yufukashior “Staying Up Late Even Monday Night”), is the broadcaster’s second pick-up for a weekly variety series from Nippon TV. Six golden tones. Episodes began airing on May 21.
Now in its fifteenth year on the air, Late Show Monday It airs every Monday at 10pm on Nippon TV and consistently tops its time slot among 13-49 year olds. The show is built around comedic analyzes of street interviews on hyper-local topics, hosted by SUPER EIGHT star Shingo Murakami and veteran TV personality Matsuko Deluxe. One episode in 2026 attracted more than 2.49 million views on the national TVer platform, according to figures provided by the network.
“The real magic of this show lies in how it delightfully shatters expectations about what Japanese people are like,” Kensuke Sawada, the show’s producer at Nippon TV, said in a statement. “It highlights ordinary citizens with extraordinary personalities, as well as the unique aspects of Japan that we look forward to sharing with the world, all presented with plenty of humor.”
Netflix chief content officer Rie Sawaoka, who oversees the streaming content slate in Japan, said in a statement: Late Show Monday It gained a notable following abroad despite having no official international distribution. “We are excited to partner with Nippon TV to bring this uniquely iconic Japanese show to Netflix members around the world,” she said.
The dual announcements come as Netflix continues to deepen its investment in Japanese content. Japan is one of the few mature streaming markets globally with plenty of room left for subscriber growth, and Netflix has continued to experiment and invest in live-action titles that have strong local appeal — while waiting and hoping for the first Squid game-Global breakout pattern.
