【1.5 Million YouTube Subscribers】】With Gratitude to Our Viewers—Our Goal: To Become Japan's One and Only Disaster Prevention Infrastructure

We are pleased to announce that Weathernews LiVE, our YouTube channel that delivers the latest weather and earthquake information, reached the major milestone of 1.5 million subscribers on October 13th. In this article, we look back on the journey of Weathernews LiVE and speak with Creative Director Hiroyuki Murata about the passion that has driven the program's creation and his vision for the future.

Our journey began on April 27, 2009, when we launched SOLiVE24, launching internet-based video broadcasts specializing in weather. On April 5, 2010, we began posting archived content on YouTube, and later started live streaming on YouTube Live on November 10, 2014. Around this time, our distinctive "interactive" broadcasting style—connecting with viewers while creating programs together—became well established.

On April 16, 2018, we rebranded and relaunched the program as Weathernews LiVE. In April 2023, we achieved our long-standing goal of reaching one million subscribers. Then, just a year and a half later, on October 13, 2024, we reached 1.5 million subscribers.

Delivering "Life-Saving Information" with Speed, Expertise, and a Viewer-First Approach

Since our relaunch as Weathernews LiVE, we have been working under the concept of "information that saves lives." Leveraging YouTube's flexibility, we prioritize swift and accurate information delivery, providing detailed reports on local conditions in real time.

We also strive to make highly specialized information easy to understand. We bring meteorological professionals onto the program as commentators, who use illustrations and other visual aids to explain weather phenomena in an accessible way.

Additionally, we constantly pursue "visibility" in the information we deliver, making improvements such as studio renewals, revising on-screen text layouts, and enhancing how we display viewer comments (which we affectionately call "poyon"). We've also adapted our program production to be mindful of mobile use as viewing styles have evolved.

Viewer Comments and Photos: The Heart of Weathernews LiVE

At the heart of our program are our viewers—the people who send us daily Weather Reports and join us in creating each broadcast together. To all our supporters who have brought Weathernews LiVE this far, we truly thank you! Each warm comment you send us daily, each beautiful or urgent photo and video of the sky from across Japan—every single one is the unwavering energy that drives Weathernews LiVE forward. Messages from viewers like "Looking up at the sky from home has become a habit" or "Watching this channel during disasters gave me reassurance" are the greatest encouragement for all of us on the production team. Our anchors, forecast center commentators, staff—our entire team has worked with the dedication of "creating videos that reach as many people as possible for when it truly matters," and we're genuinely delighted to see these efforts take this form. We will continue to refine the quality of our programs so we can properly respond to your curiosity to "know" and your kindness to "help." We ask for your continued support of Weathernews LiVE.

Becoming "Japan's One and Only Disaster Prevention Infrastructure" — For Safety and Peace of Mind

Looking ahead, we’re focusing on evolving video communication and leveraging the latest tMoving forward, we're focusing on evolving video communication and utilizing the latest technologies. As AI transforms the meteorological industry, we're excited about being able to respond to diverse needs!

Our goal is to become "Japan's one and only disaster prevention infrastructure." Carrying the spirit we've had since our launch—"connecting with as many people as possible for disaster prevention and mitigation"—we will expand our community. To achieve this, we want to grow our organization further and connect with people all across Japan! In the future, we hope to spread Japan's disaster prevention expertise to the world.

We are deeply grateful to have reached this new starting line of 1.5 million subscribers. Just as we held a fan meeting to celebrate reaching one million subscribers, we definitely want to hold an event to celebrate together with our supporters when we reach two million as well.

Weathernews LiVE will continue to evolve without ever stopping. In addition to creating programs that pursue ease of understanding, we will work to deliver swift disaster prevention information that stays close to everyone's daily lives, utilizing AI technology and new data in response to increasingly severe weather disasters. We want to remain a familiar presence that contributes to safety and peace of mind.

Weathernews LiVE will continue looking up at the sky together with all of you!

YouTube channel「ウェザーニュースLiVE」： https://www.youtube.com/@weathernews

Weather information and news「ウェザーニュース」： https://weathernews.jp/