 | |
 Sample page 1 ofThe Japan Times | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | News2u Holdings, Inc. |
| Publisher | Takeharu Tsutsumi |
| Editor | Hiroyasu Mizuno |
| Staff writers | Approximately 130 |
| Founded | 22 March 1897; 128 years ago (22 March 1897) |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Circulation | 44,000 |
| ISSN | 0447-5763 |
| OCLC number | 21225620 |
| Website | www |
The Japan Times is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper.[1][2] It is published by The Japan Times, Ltd. (株式会社ジャパンタイムズ,Kabushiki gaisha Japan Taimuzu), a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the Kioicho Building (紀尾井町ビル,Kioicho Biru) inKioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo.[3][4]
The Japan Times was launched byMotosada Zumoto [ja] on 22 March 1897, with the goal of giving Japanese people an opportunity to read and discuss news and current events in English to help Japan participate in the international community.[5]
In 1906, Zumoto was asked byJapanese Resident-General of KoreaItō Hirobumi to lead the English-language newspaperThe Seoul Press. Zumoto closely tied the operations of the two newspapers, with subscriptions ofThe Seoul Press being sold in Japan byThe Japan Times, and vice versa for Korea.[6][7] Both papers wrote critically of Korean culture and civilization, and advocated forJapan's colonial control over the peninsula in order to civilize the Koreans.[6][8]
The newspaper was independent of government control, but from 1931 onward, the paper's editors experienced mounting pressure from theJapanese government to submit to its policies. In 1933, theJapanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointedHitoshi Ashida, former ministry official, as chief editor.[9]
DuringWorld War II, the newspaper served as an outlet forImperial Japanese government communication and editorial opinion.[5] It was successively renamedThe Japan Times and Mail (1918–1940) following its merger withThe Japan Mail,The Japan Times and Advertiser (1940–1943) following its merger withThe Japan Advertiser, andNippon Times (1943–1956), before reverting to theJapan Times title in 1956.[10] The temporary change toNippon Times occurred during the ban on English language sentiment during World War II-era Japan.[11]
Shintaro Fukushima (1907–1987) became president ofThe Japan Times in 1956. He sold some of the company's shares to Toshiaki Ogasawara (小笠原 敏晶Ogasawara Toshiaki), who was chairman of Nifco, a manufacturer of automotive fasteners. Fukushima renounced management rights in 1983, after which Nifco acquired control ofThe Japan Times and brought about staff changes and alterations to the company's traditions established in 1897.[12] Ogasawara served as the chairman and publisher ofThe Japan Times until 2016,[13] when his daughter Yukiko Ogasawara (小笠原 有輝子Ogasawara Yukiko) succeeded him as chairman of the company. She had previously served as the company's president from 2006 to 2012, when she was replaced by careerJapan Times staffer Takeharu Tsutsumi.[3] Nifco soldThe Japan Times toPR firm News2u Holdings, Inc. on 30 June 2017.[14]
The Japan Times publishesThe Japan Times,The Japan Times On Sunday,The Japan Times Alpha (a bilingual weekly), books in English and Japanese. Staff atThe Japan Times are represented by two unions, one of which isTozen.[15]
The Japan Times, Ltd. publishes three periodicals:The Japan Times, an English-language dailybroadsheet;The Japan Times Weekly, an English-languageweekly intabloid form;[16] andShukan ST, also a weekly in tabloid form, targeted at Japanese readers learning the English language. Since 16 October 2013,The Japan Times has been printed and sold along withThe New York Times International Edition.[17]
Printed stories fromThe Japan Times are archived online. The newspaper has a readers' forum and, since 2013, the website offers a section for readers' comments below articles. This came about during a redesign and redevelopment of the newspaper, usingResponsive Web Design techniques so the site is optimised for all digital devices.The Japan Times has a social media presence on Twitter, and Facebook since 2007.
After being acquired by News2u,The Japan Times changed its editorial stance and contributor lineup as part of efforts to reduce criticism of the newspaper as an "anti-Japanese" outlet.[18] In November 2018, it was announced in an editor's note that subsequent articles would use the term "wartime laborers" rather than "forced labor", and "comfort women" would be referred to as "women who worked in wartime brothels, including those who did so against their will, to provide sex to Japanese soldiers", instead of the previously used "women who were forced to provide sex for Japanese troops before and during World War II."[19] The change drew immediate criticism from readers and employees, with particular concerns expressed over the paper's apparent alignment with the political positions of Prime MinisterShinzō Abe.[20] In response to these criticisms,The Japan Times wrote in an article on 7 December 2018, "We must admit that the editorial note undermined the relationships of trust we have built with our readers, reporters and staff. I would like to apologize for the inconvenience", and denied criticism that it was in line with the intentions of the administration.[21]
Head Office: 14F Kioicho Bldg., 3-12 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0094
