Top 30 highest-rated TV programmes in 2015 (Kanto region)

This ranking lists the top 30 TV programmes aired in 2015 which got the highest ratings. Note that the ratings are based on the Kanto region only and figures in brackets are the ratings. For dramas, I have put their names in blue:

1) The 66th NHK Kouhaku Utagassen Part 2 - 31 Dec - NHK (39.2%)
2) The 66th NHK Kouhaku Utagassen Part 1 - 31 Dec - NHK (34.8%)
3) The 91st Tokyo-Hakone Ekiden Return Leg - 3 Jan - NTV (28.3%)
4) The 91st Tokyo-Hakone Ekiden First Leg - 2 Jan - NTV (28.2%)
5) Asa ga Kita - 4 Dec - NHK (27.2%)
6) 24 Jikan Terebi 38 Ai wa Chikyuu wo Sukuu PART 10 - 23 Aug - NTV (26.7%)
7) News & Weather Report - 30 May - NHK (26.3%)
8) World Baseball Premium 12: Japan vs. South Korea - 19 Nov - TBS (25.2%)
9) Massan - 20 Mar - NHK (25.0%)
10) 24 Jikan Terebi PART 9 - 23 Aug - NTV (24.5%)

11) Shoten - 1 Mar - NTV (24.2%)
12) 2015 NHK Cup Figure Skating - 28 Nov - NHK (23.5%)
13) The Tetsuwan DASH - 8 Nov - NTV (23.3%)
14) Figure Skating Grand Prix Series 2015 3rd Round in China - 7 Nov - TV Asahi (23.2%)
15) NHK News Ohayou Nippon - 12 Sep - NHK (22.9%)
16) Mare - 7 Apr - NHK (22.7%)
17) Yuku toshi kuru toshi - 31 Dec - NHK (22.6%)
18) Houdou Station - 21 Aug - TV Asahi (22.5%)
19) Sekai no hate made itte Q! - 1 Feb - NTV (22.4%)
20) Shitamachi Rocket Last Episode - 20 Dec - TBS (22.3%)

21) Osumo Hatsu Basho Day 14 - 24 Jan - NHK (22.1%)
22) 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Preliminaries Japan vs. Singapore - 16 Jun - TV Asahi (22.0%)
23) News Watch 7 - 31 Dec - NHK / News Watch 9 - 21 Aug - NHK (21.6%)
25) Figure Skating Grand Prix Final 2015 - 11 Dec - TV Asahi (21.5%)
26) NHK News Ohayou Nippon Shutouken - 10 Sep - NHK (21.0%)
27) Gyoretsu no dekiru houritsu jimusho - 1 Mar - NTV (20.8%)
28) Figure Skating Grand Prix Final 2015 - 13 Dec - TV Asahi (20.7%)
29) Soccer AFC Asia Cup Quarter Finals Japan vs. UAE - 23 Jan - TV Asahi / National Figure Skating Championship 2015 Women's Free programme - 27 Dec - FujiTV (20.6%)

Source: Oricon

"Hanzawa Naoki" soars to new heights with 42.2% in Kanto for its finale

TBS summer 2013 drama "Hanzawa Naoki" which has been a ratings winner this season, finished on a high note with a rating of 42.2% in the Kanto region for its finale shown on 22 Sep. It got an even higher figure of 45.5% in the Kansai region as announced by Video Research on 24 Sep. With this result, "Hanzawa Naoki" is No.4 in terms of top average ratings for dramas in the Kanto region since ratings monitoring began in September 1977 and has grabbed the No.1 spot in Kansai, beating "Mito Komon" which had held the title since 1981. Amid low ratings plaguing Japanese dramas in recent years, "Hanzawa Naoki" has managed to buck the trend thus making it a rare ratings winner.

As for the highest single moment rating, "Hanzawa Naoki" scored 46.7% in Kanto and 50.4% in Kansai at the point right after the episode ended.

Source: Sanspo

Ratings of TV programmes shown on New Year's Eve

The 63rd Kouhaku Utagassen shown on NHK scored ratings of 33.2% for Part 1 and 42.5% for Part 2 which was 2% lower and 0.9% higher respectively compared to the previous year. Ratings for the Kansai region showed a drop for both parts with Part 1 slipping 1.5% to 32.6% and Part 2 dropping 2.0% to 39.9%. On the other hand, among the private TV networks which aired special programmes in the same timeslot, NTV's "Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya arahen de" took the No.1 spot with 16.8% for its Part 1 and 16.5% for its Part 2. TBS showed "Oomisoka Sports Matsuri! KYOKUGEN 2012 Shijou Saidai no Genkai Battle" which got 11.9%.

Source: Yomiuri Hochi