Established in September 2002, Orchestra Nipponica was founded to carry on the spirit of the late Yasushi Akutagawa, a prominent composer representing Japan, who made significant contributions to the contemporary Japanese music scene through various musical and social activities beyond his field. The orchestra began its activities with Tetsuji Honna as its first Music Director (January 2003 - April 2011), and in 2016, Ichiro Nodaira was appointed as the Music Advisor.

The orchestra actively engages in the performance of Japanese symphonic works, elucidates and presents overlooked compositions from both Japan and abroad, commissions new orchestral works, and fosters international collaborations in the field of music with various countries in Asia.

The inaugural concert, conducted in February 2003 as a two-part series at Kioi Hall, elicited an overwhelmingly positive response, and the accompanying live CD attracted considerable attention. In the subsequent 20 years of its activities, the orchestra have successfully revived approximately 130 Japanese compositions that had been overlooked since their initial premieres. In the process, they prepared full scores and individual parts for 45 works. They have also commissioned 17 commissioned works, and released 15 CDs. Furthermore, they organized three music festivals abroad in China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, thereby exemplifying its steadfast commitment to fulfilling its mission.

In the revival and restoration performances, they undertake the reproduction, editing, and creation of lost scores and individual parts, creating opportunities for the rediscovery and reevaluation of works in the history of Japanese composition. They are equally dedicated to promoting the dissemination of these works for future performances. Among the pieces they have undertaken, many have been re-performed by both professional and amateur orchestras and featured on CDs released by prominent labels such as Naxos.

The CD released in 2016, "Sei Ikeno: Rapsodia Concertante / Maki Ishii: Afro-Concerto" (which also includes Shigeyuki Imai: Omaggio al Maestro Akira Ifukube, Metamorfosi di Godzilla "Baile Flamenco de Godzilla"), received high praise in classic music magazines such as "Record Geijutsu" and "Ongaku no Tomo." The live CD of the opera "Clairvoyant Monkey Painter (Nihonzaru Sukitoorime)," released in 2019, was selected as a special edition by "Record Geijutsu" and also recommended in the Asahi Shimbun's "For Your Collection: Classical Music" section. The latest release in 2022, "Teizo Matsumura : Symphonic Works" has also been designated as a special edition by "Record Geijutsu."
In September 2019, the orchestra received the 17th Yoshio Sagawa Music Award (for the 34th concert of the opera "Clairvoyant Monkey Painter (Nihonzaru Sukitoorime)," and in July 2022, it was awarded the 21st (2021) Keizo Saji Prize the (for the 38th concert "Teizo Matsumura Symphonic Works Exhibition"). (As of October 2022)