| Japan, one of the few developed nations in Asia | | | | editorial page of Wall Street Journal. |
| and the world's second largest economy is | | | | When compared with the press in other leading |
| considered a liberal democracy with a | | | | industrial countries in the world, Japan is so |
| constitutional monarchy type of government and | | | | remarkably different in media. This is primarily due |
| citizens maintain all their civil rights. | | | | to the deluging control of the Liberal Democratic |
| It is run under a one-party rule, the Liberal | | | | Party over the mainstream media with the Kisha |
| Democratic Party (LDP). No real challenge to the | | | | clubs system as its mouthpiece. |
| LDP was able to sustain itself despite the | | | | The first three decades of the 20th century, the |
| decrease in its popularity since the economic | | | | press was controlled through self-censorship. |
| inactivity in l990s and corruption scandals. | | | | Obnoxious events, no matter how significant |
| For decades, Japan has not experience a change | | | | received no attention if they could adversely |
| in political administration. Japan is a democracy | | | | affect the interest of the ruling party. The |
| without a competition. One may wonder how this | | | | development of communist party was also a |
| could be possible when democracy is founded on | | | | forbidden subject. |
| competition. A Tokyo-based political analyst, | | | | Access to information of Japan's mainstream |
| Minoru Morita said that for a long period of time, | | | | media is under the monopoly of the ill-refute Kisha |
| the major media have been serving at the LDP's | | | | (reporters) club systems. These clubs are |
| discretion. And that is one of the secrets of its | | | | attached to the government's major institutions |
| long-term rule. | | | | including the police. Foreign press, freelance |
| The condition of the Japanese press seems to be, | | | | journalists and magazines find it difficult to get |
| at first sight, analog to that established in the | | | | access to important information. However, there |
| West. There are major daily newspapers with | | | | were significant scandals uncovered by journalists |
| huge bulk of people reading at least one | | | | working outside the system despite difficulties. |
| newspaper every day. The degree of reporting is | | | | There was a sharp contrast between the reports |
| adept. Dissemination of news is vigorous not only | | | | of the outside press and those of the major |
| through newspapers but also the television and | | | | newspapers. The major newspapers reported |
| the internet. | | | | differently from those covered and reported by |
| There are only five national newspaper which | | | | Japanese magazines. The major papers allowed |
| accounts for half of the country's total circulation, | | | | themselves to be manipulated by the ruling LDP. |
| Asahi Shim bun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai | | | | Japanese press does not lead but follow. This is |
| Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun and the Yomiuri | | | | one of the most serious issues in Japanese |
| Shimbun. | | | | journalism - failure to keep those in power |
| A scrutiny of the contents, however, reveals a | | | | accountable. They cover the scandal only after it |
| uniformity of editorial style among these | | | | has already been uncovered. |
| newspapers. It is hard if not impossible to | | | | Japan's press system lacks independence. Its |
| characterize one or another as representing a | | | | manipulation of the press does not only weaken |
| specific political attitude as one can find in New | | | | democracy but also subverts press freedom |
| York Times' liberal standpoint and in conservative | | | | globally. |