Short answers, pulled from the story.
Kenjiro Takayanagi demonstrated the first working example of a fully electronic television receiver on the 13th of December 1926. This demonstration took place at his laboratory and successfully reproduced the Katakana character イ using a combined Nipkow disk and electronic Braun tube system.
Regular television broadcasting began in Japan on the 1st of February 1953 when NHK started its programming. Commercial broadcaster Nippon Television (NTV) became operational later that year on the 28th of August 1953.
Japan introduced color television on the 10th of September 1960 using the NTSC standard, making it the third country globally to do so. Only 1,200 units were sold in the year color broadcasts began due to high prices.
Most of the country completed the switch-over to digital television on the 24th of July 2011 through phased regional switching off of analog signals. Three prefectures delayed their switchoff until the 31st of March 2012 due to the Tōhoku earthquake.
Fees vary from ¥12,276 to ¥21,765 depending on payment method and timing for all Japanese households possessing at least one television set. Households residing in Okinawa Prefecture pay reduced rates between ¥10,778 and ¥20,267.