The New Japan Philharmonic (NJP) was formed in 1972 as a self-governing ensemble around Seiji Ozawa and Naozumi Yamamoto after they declared, ​‘Let’s make music together!’ In 1997, it took up residence in the Sumida Triphony Hall in Sumida Ward, Tokyo to be the first Japanese independent orchestra in a full-scale alliance with a municipality. It has since given daily rehearsals and concerts there. The NJP performs subscription concerts and special concerts but also provides community-based activities teaching music class at schools in Sumida Ward, holding educational concerts and visiting welfare facilities, among others.

In 1999, Ozawa became its Honorary Conductor Laureate. After Kazuhiro Koizumi led the orchestra from 1975 to 1979 as its first Music Director, the post had been taken up by Michiyoshi Inoue (1983 – 1988), Christian Arming (2003 – 2013) and most recently Toshiyuki Kamioka (2016 – 2021). Also, Daniel Harding (Music Partner of NJP, 2010 – 2016) and Ingo Metzmacher (Conductor in Residence, 2013 – 2015) had contributed to the orchestra’s development. Since 2004, the NJP’s project ​‘World Dream Orchestra’ has been popular under its Music Director Joe Hisaishi, who concurrently serves as the NJP’s Music Partner (2020 – ).