NHK President Katsuto Momii asked members of the public broadcaster's executive board to give him their letters of resignation on his first day in the position last month — an apparent show of authority in personnel appointments — NHK sources said Friday.

At his first board meeting, held Jan. 25, Momii told members that they had been chosen by his predecessor and that as he wanted to handle personnel issues his way, he was asking for their resignation letters, the sources said.

Momii appears to be keeping the letters, as none of the members has so far resigned, the sources said, adding that he was not the first NHK chief to make such a demand.