“853 (TBS),” premieres on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 9 p.m.

853 refers to the precinct where Detective Shinnosuke Kamo used to work. But this was before he accidentally shot a criminal in his custody. After that incident, Detective Kamo is reassigned to a smaller, rural jurisdiction.

For 10 years, he keeps his nose to the grind, continuing to do great investigative work despite the demotion to a smaller police precinct. Until one day, he is called back to put his detective skills to work again in the 853.

“Do You Remember Me? (NHK),” premieres on Friday, Dec. 4, at 8 p.m.

This is a suspense drama about five former school classmates who are reunited after each of them receives a mysterious email. The email is from a classmate who disappeared on a school trip over 20 years ago. Who sent the email? And why?

As the five classmates try to investigate the source of the email, bad luck and misfortunes begin to occur.

“The Interrogator (TV Asahi),” premieres on Monday, Dec. 7, at 9 p.m.

Yukiko Makabe is the only female interrogator in a department full of men. Their job is to question suspects immediately after a crime, using interrogation skills and psycho-analysis to solve crimes.

As the only female in the department, Yukiko has a different perspective and style from her colleagues. This brings her success in her interrogations of suspects, but Yukiko continues to be troubled by an unsolved cold case from years ago.

“Losing Heaven,” premieres on Sunday, Dec. 27, at 5 p.m.

Bridgette and Ellery are childhood best friends, and their bond becomes even stronger when Bridgette’s parents are killed, leaving her an orphan. Ellery’s father adopts Bridgette, making them sisters.

The best friends/sisters grow up and attain careers they love. Everything is going well until Bridgette meets Jonas. Instantly, she falls in love with him, but he only has eyes for Ellery. After Ellery meets him, they fall in love and marry.

Their happiness is shattered when they learn Ellery cannot conceive. Bridgette steps in and offers to be a surrogate mom through in-vitro, and births a daughter.

Ellery gets into a car accident and is in a coma. Bridgette convinces Jonas to annul his marriage to Ellery for the sake of the baby and marry her.

But what happens to the best friends/sisters if Ellery regains consciousness?

“Chasing Moments,” Sunday at 6 p.m.

A thrilling story about love and intertwined relationships.

Alex and Cindy find love and inspiration in each other’s arms. However, when Cindy leaves to study abroad, though devastated, Alex decides he must continue his life and pursue his dreams of becoming a photo journalist. Janice, an older woman, works as an editor-in-chief at a famous tabloid, but her successful career is not mirrored in her personal life. Despite her age gap and social differences their special friendship grows into an unlikely romance. Things get more complicated when Alex learns that Janice is Cindy’s mother!

“Oyaji Samurai (NHK),” Sunday at 8 p.m.

One day, after drinking too much alcohol in a drinking contest, Kotoji fails to perform a major duty for his lord. As a result, he is released from service and becomes a wandering samurai. To avenge his lord, Kotoji comes up with a scheme to steal the lances (spears) that are the symbols of prestige for traveling processions of feudal families. He steals the lances of several families, which creates an unlikely alliance amongst them as they scheme to avenge their losses.

In the series, Kotoji’s desire to settle down and spend the rest of his days quietly continues to be disrupted by samurai seeking revenge for the stolen lances.

And as Kotoji finds himself picking up the sword again, he also deals with love and raising a child for the first time in his life, and begins to find a new meaning in life.

“The Emperor’s Chef,” Sunday at 9 p.m.

This is based on the true life story of Tokuzo Akiyama, head chef of the Imperial Household Ministry’s Cuisine Division from 1921 to 1989.

As a young boy growing up in the country, Tokuzo tastes a new food and this awakens his awareness and interest in cooking. Tokuzo goes to Tokyo and Paris to pursue the culinary arts.

Fighting against discrimination and prejudice, he becomes a chef at Hotel rits in Paris, the epitome of high society and luxury.

At the young age of 26, he rises to become the Emperor’s Chef in Japan.





“Mother Class (TBS),” Monday at 8 p.m.

When Kiko Kanbara’s 5-year-old son, Haruto, is admitted to a prestigious kindergarten, Kiko is unprepared for the reality of this school.

High-end cars line up to drop their kids off, moms are dressed in fancy clothes, carrying brand-name bags and wearing heels and dripping with jewelry.

As a poor single mom, Kiko is out of her element. But her unpretentious nature and down-to-earth personality slowly begins to change the thinking of the other mothers.

“Hana Moyu,” Tuesday at 8 p.m.




“Behind the Noren (Fuji),” Tuesday at 9 p.m.

A noren is the short curtain often seen hanging at the entrance to a Japanese business. This is a family drama about the laughs, tears, and battles between a mother-in-law, the madam of an old-style Japanese inn (ryokan) and her new daughter-in-law, that go on behind the curtain.

Naoko, a career woman working in Tokyo, marries the eldest son of a family that owns a distinguished traditional inn in Kanazawa. Naoko’s new mother-in-law, Shino, views her as an outsider and refuses to accept her.


“Omiya-san 7,” Thursday 8 p.m.

Watase Tsunehiko plays the role of Torii Kazaburo, a detective who’s stuck in the data division of the Kyoto East Kamogawa station. He has the knack for solving cases that have turned up cold. His innocent looks hide a superior intellect that can store the details of old case files and help solve the unsolveable. You can’t hide anything from Watase-san!

“Japan’s Local Secrets,” Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m.



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