Educational television is used in Japan at the early childhood, elementary, and secondary education levels. Educational broadcasting is provided by the public broadcasting company, NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai) and various commercial broadcasting companies. Instructional aids are produced by either NHK or one of the commercial companies, and there is currently no system to develop equipment and aids within the Japanese Ministry of Education. NHK has three major sections actively engaged in educational broadcast production: (1) the School Education Section; (2) the Correspondence Education Section; and (3) the Youth Education Section. Educational television is designed to bring the outside world directly into the classroom and to generate interest, enthusiasm, and imagination for learning. NHK surveys indicate that Japanese children aged from two to four years watch an average of three hours of television each week day. However, many of the programs appear to be educational in nature, teaching customs and manners, numbers, and music. One program, "With Mother," is an audience-participation program, where children are invited to attend the program. Educational television is also incorporated into the daily, weekly, and monthly teaching plans of most pre-school and primary school teachers, and the educational objectives are clearly defined. In summary, the use of educational television is increasing in Japanese schools and there is considerable room for future expansion and development to meet new educational requirements. (22 references) (EW)