This time it's Japan, where the band began in 1925. As an experiment that may become permanent, stations will be allowed to turn off their transmitters for a time and gauge the reaction. Although it's not a sure thing - yet. 

"AM radio operators in Japan have already been implementing complementary broadcasting called "Wide FM," in which the same programs are broadcast simultaneously on FM radio for disaster announcements, for example, but maintaining both AM and FM is costly.

Thus operators requested the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications conduct an impact study by suspending AM broadcasting for a fixed period.

The ministry says the trial shutdown could finish as late as January of next year, and after that, "it will be up to each company to decide what to do."

AM radio listeners set to be permanently tuned out in Japan