Japanese TV system is slightly different as in Europe. At first, there is a public TV station called NHK which covers whole Japan. NHK, which headquarter is in Tokyo, has local stations in all 47 prefectures and has two TV channels which can be seen in all 47 prefectures.
Although NHK has its news programs but the programs are not the same everywhere in Japan. At first, it will broadcast the nationwide news for all 47 prefectures but later broadcasts local news for each regions. For example, news about North Korea will be broadcasted to whole nation from studio in Tokyo but a news about a small regional festival in Hiroshima will be broadcasted only at Hiroshima prefecture from the local studio in Hiroshima.
Then, there are 5 TV stations in Tokyo which are privately owned and flagship stations for their TV network in Japan. These five stations are NTV, TBS, Fuji, Asahi and TV Tokyo. These five stations can be watched not only in Tokyo prefecture but also in Greater Tokyo metropolitan area, for example, including in Hakone and Nikko. On the other hand, if you travel to Kyoto, you can not watch the same programs as in Tokyo.
There are also 5 stations in Greater Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe metropolitan area which are joining the alliances with NTV, TBS, Fuji, Asahi and TV Tokyo but the names are YTV, MBS, KTV, ABC and TV Osaka.
These TV stations' programs can be watched for free except for NHK, which collects television license (there is no TV commercial). Other private TV stations are run by TV commercials to broadcast their programs. There are also cable and satellite TV stations in Japan, but it is hardly introduced to hotels. Therefore English channels are limited to luxury hotels in big cities only.