JIC: Japan Infomation Communication

Mainichi Shimbun

About Mainichi Shimbun

This article is about Japanese newspaper "Mainichi Shimbun(毎日新聞)".

"Tokyo Nichi-Nichi Shimbun(東京日日新聞)," the Mainichi Shimbun's predecessor, was founded on Feb. 21, 1872. In 1944, it merged with the "Osaka Mainichi Shimbun(大阪毎日新聞)" to become the "Mainichi Shimbun" of today. It is the oldest newspaper in Japan. Over the years it has garnered a reputation among the Japanese people as a newspaper that provides unbiased reporting, poignant editorials and other information vital to a modern society. The right photograph is "Tokyo Nichi-Nichi Shimbum" issued in February, 1872.

The Mainichi Shimbun has five main offices and more than 280 branch offices and news gathering stations throughout Japan. In addition, it has over 20 bureaus around the world. These resources help to make it a leader in collecting and reporting every kind of domestic and foreign news. The president is Masato Kitamura(the left photo).

With a nationwide circulation of some 4,000,000 copies for its morning edition and some 2,000,000 copies for its evening edition, the paper sees a greater part of its readership among those in the middle to upper income sector of society. Its editorial policy, marked by a keenly critical spirit seeking the democratic development of Japanese society, is strongly supported by readers. In addition, readers' frank opinions are welcomed and reflected in the newspaper's pages. The exchanges with its readers help the Mainichi Shimbun in its aim to be an "open newspaper" and advance it along the path of building a newspaper for future generations.

As the newspaper with the longest publishing history in Japan, the Mainichi Shimbun is proud of its highly reliable readers. On the occasion of the newspaper's 120th anniversary on Feb. 21, 1992, the Mainichi Shimbun introduced a new corporate identity and implemented a "newspaper Revolution," with the twin themes, "A newspaper for readers" and "A readable, comprehensive and useful newspaper."

Mainichi Newspapers has a lot of publications and it is 5 newspapers and 15 magazines and book.

Circulation and Distribution

This is the graph of circulation and disttbution. As you see, the numbers are metropolitan area's in Japan.

Both the metropolitan and evening editions are available for delivery to subscribers in the shaded areas.

The annual NSK(Nihon Shimbun Kyokai,日本新聞協会) circulation survey says daily aggregate newspaper circulation was 52,568,032 (copies) as of October 2005. That is down 0.9 percent from a year earlier, reversing a 2004 upturn that had marked the first year-on-year increase in five years.

The circulation of general-interest daily newspapers fell 0.6 percent from 2004 -- a year that had marked a rise for the first time in three years. The combined circulation of sports dailies also fell, dropping 3.1 percent in a fifth straight annual decline. Average newspaper distribution per household fell 0.02 to 1.04 copies, although the aggregate number of households was up 1.1 percent. The average population per copy issued was 2.41.

Related Subject

Regarding the newspaper, the contest named "Mainichi Film Awards" is held every year.The awards are a series of annual animation awards, sponsored by Mainichi Shimbun, since the end of the World War Ⅱ. Following the death of pioneering animator Noburo Ofuji (大藤信郎) in 1961, Mainichi established a new Ofuji Noburo Award in his honor to recognize animation excellence. A specialist in silhouette animation, Ofuji was one of the earliest Japanese animators to gain international recognition, winning accolades at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival and the 1956 Venice Film Festival. This award has been first presented in 1962 for "Tale of a Street Corner"(ある街角の物語) by Tezuka Osamu.

With the growth of the animation industry in Japan, the Animation Grand Award was also established to  reward large scale cinematic animation, enabling the Ofuji award to focus on shorter pieces again. This award has been first presented in 1989 for "Kiki's Delivery Service"(魔女の宅急便) by Hayao Miyazaki(right photograph).

In the 61th contest in 2006, "Flags of our Fathers" and "Hula Girls" were won. "Flags of our Fathers" is an American movie and directed by Clint Eastwood. It is a movie of American side aspect of "Iwo Jima Project" that Battle of Iwo Jima is drawn from the viewpoint of Japan-U.S. On the other hand, the movie drawn from Japan side is called "Letters from Iwo Jima".

This information was provided by:http://mdn.mainichi.jp/info/etc/company.html

                                                  http://www.pressnet.or.jp/newsb/0601.html

The photo was downloaded from:http://www.mainichi.co.jp/

                                                http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/collect/b10/7017-7125-e.html

                                                http://ulp.ottawa-anime.org/index2.html

                                                http://macs.mainichi.co.jp/english/04.html    

Posted by Rie Suzuki.

Number

  About a "Number"

I will write about a "Number". "Number" is japanese sports general magazine.  There are some kind of ways to show. On the magazine, extra issue, and on the web page. The main is magazine, which is biweekly magazine. There are not so much general sports magazines in japan, so "Number" is known as popular general sports magazine. Maybe, almost library has this magazine. 

Every issue pick up several topics. For example, in a foot ball season it feature about a foot ball, and it feature about F1 or Baseball of competition for championship in japan and USA .

Because it is a biweekly magazine, it is surely inferior to the sport journal and the weekly magazine in respect reported of the article promptly. Therefore, the feature article, the interview article, and the talk article, etc. by the sports writer are centered as for the Shimen composition.  In addition, there are some times colums about todays sports by famous writer . For example, Hirotada Ototake, Koutaro Sawaki.

I think that "number" is the most useful magazine to get information about sports. Because we can get information both sports news flash and particular review of a sports. If we want to know sports news flash, we can get information from "number" on a web page, and if we want to know opinon (about sports games, sports events and movement of sports and so on) by writer, we can get its information from magazine. That is to say, "number" is a beweekly magazine (before I wrote) so on a web page compensate for news flash. This is a great idea!

This is a "Number" web page.       http://number.goo.ne.jp/

This is a "Number" web page about magazine. http://www.buns hun.co.jp/mag/number/index.htm

Next,I introduce one column from a "Number" web page.

column is about a soccer in London. This column is not only game of review but conection between soccer and life and social. This column said that today it is not easy to see soccer in england for japanese. Because of econmy situation. Travering abroad(to UK) is so expensive. I think this column report true information. I know it is not easy to see sports in foreign country, but I like soccer, nevertheless expensive I want to go to England to see "Football".

http://number.goo.ne.jp/soccer/world/campo/20071030-1-1.html

Next I think a characteristic of "Number" is book cover. Every issue, one athlete is being feature to a book cover. Its book cover is very unique and attractive. In addition, there is one powerful sinple word with cover. So its would be attractive. You can see every issue book cover on this site. And also all pictures from this site.  All pictures from here.    

Posted by Naoki Yamauchi

"NUMBER"

Friday

FRYDAY

It is a magazine published by Kodansha on every Friday. Therefore, it is called "Friday". It started on 9th November in 1984.　It has been popular among the Japanese society since then.

                                                                                          

Kodansha says “it is a comprehensive magazine, including sports, fashion, politics, and scandal and so on, to respond an audience’s curiosity. We are challenging to reveal taboos, so always trying to do our best with a close researching, so we are providing a lot of scoops. ”

On the other hand, most people say “sometimes it ignores a law, discrimination and beyonds our privacy, so it is like a stalker.”

In addition, some people say “it is a crime” or “stop the publishing!”

However, actually it is not abolished still existing, it means most people like reading the magazine, they are looking forward to looking a new scoop.

The price is 350 yen.

The photos were downloaded from

http://www.max-tank.co.jp/3_9_NW.htm

http://www.kodansha.co.jp/magazine/img/friday.jpg

This information was provided by

http://www.kodansha.co.jp/

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

I tried to do my best, but I could not find enough information. I am sorry.

                                                                                                            Posted by Keisuke Miyagawa

Introduction

Newspaper

What is a newspaper?

"There is a terrific disadvantage in not having the abrasive quality of the press applied to you daily. Even though we never like it, and even though we wish they didn't write it, and even though we disapprove, there isn't any doubt that we could not do the job at all in a free society without a very, very active press."          — John F. Kennedy

In Japan, nowadays, newspapers are very popular and essential for people and also Japan is one of the country which newspapers are well-read. Therefore, it has influenced Japanese society greatly. Newspapers are generally divided into five groups, such as general, sports, stocks, industry and special  newspapers.

It is a publication containing news, information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. It may be general or special interest, most often published daily or weekly.

Some specific features a newspaper may include are:

·       Whether news and forecast

·       An advice colum

·       Critic reviews of movies, plays, restaurants, etc.

·       Editional opinions

·       A gossip column

·       Comic and other entertainment, such as crossword, sudoku and horoscopes

·       A sports column or section

·       A humor column or section

·       A food colum

·       Classified ads are commonly seen in local or small newspapers.

The newspaper as we know it today is a product borne of necessity, invention, the middle class, democracy, free enterprise, and professional standards.

In Japan, newspapers have been popular since Meiji era. Initially, Japan imitated U.S.A's newspapers. Before that time, there were already newspapers in Japan, however, they were called different name, because "shinbunn" was made in Meiji era.

It has influenced Japanese public opinion. However, there have been some accidents caused by newspapers. For example, 'Hibiya yakiuchi jiken'. It was caused by some articles in newspapers about Japanese emperor and Treaty of Portsmouth and it affected a lot of riots by the public.

The photos were downloaded by

http://www.tsuyuki.co.jp/tsuyuki/media/yomiuri_shinbun02.jpg

http://www.catsuka.com/interf/icons/ghibli_yomiuri_tvcm_01.jpg

This information  was provied by http://www.newspaper-industry.org/history.html

                                                                                                               Posted by Keisuke Miyagawa

Yomiuri Shimbun

About Yomiuri Shimbun

This article is about Japanese newspaper "Yomiuri Shimbun(読売新聞)".

The Yomiuri Shimbun(読売新聞) is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newespapers in Japan; the other four newspapers are "the Asahi Shimbun", "the Mainichi Shimbun", "Nihonkeizai Shimbun", and "the Sankei Shimbun". It is the most largest newspaper in Japan.

The Yomiuri was launched in 1874 by the Nisshusha newspaper as a small daily newspaper. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s the paper came to be known as a literary arts publication. In 1924, Shoriki Matsutaro took over management of the company and his innovatios included sensational news coverage, a full-page radio program guide, and the establishment of Japan's first professional baseballtem. The emphasis of the paper shifted to broad news coverage aimed at readers in the Tokyo area. By 1941 it had the largest circulation of any daily newspaper in the Tokyo area.

The newspaper also publishes "The Daily Yomiuri", Japan's largest English-language newspaper. As a supplement to the daily edition, a weekly newsmagazine "The Yomiuri Weekly(読売ウィークリー)" is circulated. It also publishes the daily Hochi Shimbun(報知新聞), a sport-specific daily newspaper, as well as weekly and monthly magazines and books. The Yomiuri Shimbun is also known as the financial patron of the baseball team Yomiuri Giants and the soccer team Tokyo Verdy 1969. They also sponsor the Japan Fantasy Novel Award annually.

Tokyo Yomiuri Giants, the oldest and most popular team in Japan, have won more pennants and Japan Series titles than any other team. While most other teams don't have the money to negotiate with free agents, the Giants sign some of the best players in Japan. Although the Giants spend a lot of money, they don't always spend it wisely.  Many of their free agents have cost more than they were worth, and the team has a habit of giving large contracts to foreign players who often don't fit the team's needs. The Giants usually come out on top during the annual amateur draft. Because of the "reverse designation" system, which allows college and industrial league players to designate their preference of a professional team, Yomiuri usually can sign the best amateur players. In addition to being the wealthiest Japanese team, the Giants also offer more prestige than other ball clubs.  Yomiuri is the only team that has all of its games televised nationally.  The Giants also receive far more press coverage than other teams, particularly in the Yomiuri Shimbun, Daily Yomiuri and Sports Hochi, three newspapers that are run by the same company that owns the Giants.

Market Size of Metropolitan Areas

As you see the picture, Yomiuri Shimbun is the most read newspaper in Japan.

In Japan, about 90% of households subscribe to and read newspapers. Newspapers in Japan can be said to be a media that can consistently disseminate information to a large number of people.

Consumption in Japan is concentrated in metropolitan areas such as the Tokyo and Osaka areas. Notably, the Tokyo area is Japan's largest market, accounting for 31.9% of Japan's population, 32.7% of sales for the retail industry, and 36.4% of total personal income. The Yomiuri Shimbun is particularly strong in the Tokyo area, with one in every three households subscribing to The Yomiuri Shimbun.

Morning Edition (Tokyo)

The morning edition provides thorough genre coverage, from domestic and international politics and economics to lifestyle and family issues. Weekly features cover issues that are important to readers, such as education, health and entertainment.

• Front Page is reports on the top news of the day, complemented by color photographs. National  and international events of wide interest.
• General
• General, editorial
• Politics
• International - major news from around the globe that makes the most of The Yomiuri Shimbun's worldwide news gathering network.
• Economy - a comprehensive overview of business, financial and economic news from Japan and around the world.
• Business
• Commentary
• Postin by readers
• Serial story of morning edition
• Sports - Domestic and international sports news, including results and information on prominent players.
• Igo and Shogi
• Life style - Topics of interest on subjects from the home and family to current trends that chart the changes in today's Japanese society.
• BS/Radio listing
• Prefectural edition
• City news
• TV listing

Evening Edition (Tokyo)

The daily evening edition covers the latest developments in politics, economics and sports, and also provides weekly "Evening Special" features covering a broad array of areas such as information technology, ecology, fashion, travel and entertainment. The evening edition is particularly effective for advertisements targeting specific consumer groups such as women and the younger generatios.

• Front page - Prompt coverage of events and news that occur after the publication of the Morning  Edition.
• News
• Sports
• Culture - Essays, reviews and articles that cover the entire spectrum of cultural activities, from literature and music to social trends.
• Business
• Show business - Articles on movies and theater, as well as interviews with noted actors.
• Kids
• TV program information
• Radio
• City news
• TV listing

This information was provided by http://adv.yomiuri.co.jp/m-data/english/01japan_a.html

                                                  http://www.japanball.com/giants.htm

                                                  http://adv.yomiuri.co.jp/m-data/english/07daily_a.html

The photo was downloaded from http://adv.yomiuri.co.jp/m-data/english/02yomiuri_a.html

                                                http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/yc/

Posted by Rie Suzuki.

The Japan Times newspaper

                         This article is about Japanese newspaper "The Japan Times".

The Japan Times is one of the few independent English language newspapers published in Japan: it mainly competes with English editions of the major dailies, such as the Daily Yomiuri and the International Herald Tribune/Asahi Shimbun.

In this age of dizzying change and intensifying competition, fast, accurate and effective transmission
of information often determines the effectiveness of advertising strategy.
Fulfilling this function in the English language since its founding in 1897, The Japan Times is
celebrated for its unique readership of foreigners and internationally minded Japanese. This
readership constitutes a heretofore untapped, though highly attractive and promising market.
We urge you to take advantage of The Japan Times as an influential and powerful means of
advertising that no other newspaper can equal.

Japan’s Leading English-language Newspaper,
with a Proud History of More Than 100 Years                               Yukichi Fukuzawa      Hirobumi         Founded in 1897 with the support of elder statesman
Hirobumi Ito and educator and philosopher Yukichi
Fukuzawa, The Japan Times was the first English-language
paper in Japan to be edited and managed by Japanese.
As the local economy grew in subsequent decades, the
paper developed by absorbing and merging with other
English languagepapers. Today, itisthe leading daily             publication of its kind in the nation and has a larger
circulation than any of its competitors.

  About the President

Yukiko Ogasawara is President and Representative Director of The Japan Times, Limited. The Japan Times is Japan's oldest English language newspaper, having been founded in 1898, and it serves the foreign and English-reading Japanese communities. Concurrently, she also sits on the board of Nifco Inc., which is the newspaper's parent company.

Yukiko Ogasawara was born in Japan but spent most of her childhood in the United States of America. She graduated from Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington with a B.A. in Art and pursued her artistic studies with an M.F.A. from the California College of Arts and Crafts in San Francisco, California.

Circulation and Readership

The Japan Times has a larger circulation than any other domestic English-language newspaper and reaches by far the largest number of foreign residents.

Readership  The narrow margin between non-Japanese and Japanese in The Japan Times readership indicates a sharp increase in the number of Japanese who take an interest in international affairs.

Circulation by Region in Japan  Circulation is concentrated in centers of international business. Half of the overall distribution is in Tokyo. Tokyo and Osaka combined account for 82% of total readers.

You should support the Japan Times:

1) The Japan Times is the only independent newspaper in Japan–meaning it is not a vanity project of any Japanese newspaper, unlike the Daily Yomiuri, the Asahi Evening News, or the Mainichi Daily News, and does not reflect their clear slants (or their labor practices towards NJ employees).

2) The Japan Times more open to issues that affect NJ in Japan.

3) The Japan Times has the best website archives in Japan–and for free.

4) The Japan Times has become more open of late, and willing to give even quite outspoken critics (such as yours truly) space to set out their views.

            This information was provided by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Times

                                                                http://classified.japantimes.com/ads/pdfs/media-data.pdf

                                                                                                                                     

           The phot owas downloaded from: www.upsetters.jp/images/press_japantimes01.jpg

                                                               http://www.oidemase.or.jp/db/a/detail.php?city=35210&id_num=35210aa0000001327&p=

                                                            http://www.ndl.go.jp/portrait/datas/185_1.html 

        Posted by Kou Tou.

About a "AERA"

AERA

I'll write about a "AERA". "AERA" is weekly japanese news magazine, which is not a translation magazine. The meaning of "AERA" is age in latin. This magazine pick up main news everyweek. First issue of this magazine published in 1988. By the way, "AERA" was published by 227,858 in 2007.    This is  "AEARA" webpage.    http://www.aera-net.jp/index.php

I think "AERA" is alternate magazine. Because, There are 3 unique points of this magazine. First is editors. Main editors of this magazine are high level business women. So this magazine is written by point of view from women 25~40 ages. "AERA" as a whole is not negatively.Second point is cover art. Everyweek issue pick up vaurious famous people. Mainly topic person of the week picked up in cover art.

 

3rd point is Pun (Dajare). Every advertisement of "AERA"  has a Pun (Dajare). The Pun (Dajare) related to topic news of this week. The pun (Dajare) make a sarcastic for crimes and suspects. Sometimes The Pun is criticized, because, it was too bad and there is no comsideration for  suspects. So when 9.11 terrorism happened, there is the no pun (Dajare). Instead of the pun (Dajare), that week's advertisement said "The world being speechless". And since then, "AERA" has never been used the pan (Dajare) when big crime happen. Anyway, The pan (Dajare) of "AERA" is very cooooooooool. I think it is good. And there are many Pans(Dajare).

There is another "AERA", this is english version "AERA". It is "AERA ENGLISH". It is like a textbook to learn english. Especially "AERA ENGLISH" is textbook for busy people. In addtion, "AERA ENGLISH" introduce many kind of jobs,which use english. Moreover this magazine introduce study abroad. So This magazine is really for lovers of english. And, there are a lot of information of foreign entertainment. For example, interviews, music, movies, radio, and so on. In addition, these are written in english and japanese. On the other side, I think that it is very useful for business. Because, "AERA ENGLISH" intrduce "how to business" foreignism.

 

This is column by editor. Of course editor is woman. You can read column by woman editor.

I sometimes read "AERA ENGLISH" it is good for me who learn engkish. And "AERA" is also good. I like "AERA" better than newspaper. "AERA" is soft newsmagazine.

Posted by Naoki Yamauchi

Bungei Shunjū

                                 Bungei Shunjū

　I will introduce Japanese traditional magazine "Bungei Shunjū".

　This　magazine is Japanese leading monthly magazine published by Bungei shunjū Sha. The magazine was started by writer Kikuchi Kan with his private property in 1923. The name of the magazine came from the title of the literary review column in the magazine Shinchō by Kan. Bungei Shunjū is typify magazine with its sales, tradition, style, and quality in Japan. The magazine treats politics, economy, management, society, history, show business news, military affairs, the Imperial House, education, medical treatment, sports, and etc. Articles written by politician, scholar, scientist, industrialist, journalist, essayist, and writer of non-fiction.

                              

　Until the low of the seventies, stories about criticism of famous writers and gossip. But in the eighties, such stories were decreased gradually due to expansion of  the company, so they were forced to strengthen their commercialism. Recently, this magazine tends to treat a "Shouwa" story. This trend is perhaps cause of aging of reader.

In the side of politics, this magazine is unfavorale fo left wing , so articles about a left wing are hardly insert. For example, Soukagakkai, and Koumeitou, and etc.

There are many serial ariticles in the magazine.

→"Faces of Japan" …Introduce a person who active in business or show business.

   "Small giant"…Introuce a photographs of childhood of eminent people from various fields.

   "Marunouchi confidential" …Informattion of finance, economic, and industrialist.

   "Kasumigaseki confidential" …Information of bureaucrat, and politician.

   "Bunshun LOUNGE" …Introduce a new trend and goods.

   "BOOK club" …Evaluation of books.

   and etc.

This magazine announces many prizes for writer Every year . Those are very famous prize. In every February issue, "Reader of Bungei Shunjū Award" is anounced. Every March and september issue, "Akutagawa Award" is announced. This award is very famouse in Japan! Every June issue, "Ohya Souichi Non-fiction Award", every July issue, "Matsumoto Seichou Award", and every December issue, "Kikuchi Kan Award" are announced. So, this magazine is very venerable magazine.

      This is a picture of Kikuchi Kan.

Refernces

Bungei shunjū http://www.bunshun.co.jp/

Kikuchi Kan http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/Kikuchi.html

Shincho http://www.shinchosha.co.jp/shincho/

Soukagakkai http://www.sokanet.jp/sg/sn/index.html

Akutagawa Award http://www.bunshun.co.jp/award/akutagawa/

Matsumoto Seichou Award http://www.bunshun.co.jp/award/matsumoto/list1.htm

Ohya Souichi Non-fiction Award http://www.bunshun.co.jp/award/ohya/list1.htm

                                                                                                         Posted by Tomoyoshi Sekiguchi

                                                                                                         

CanCam

                                        CanCam

This article is about  Japanese fashion magagine "CanCam". "CanCam" is published by Shogakukan from 1981.The rival magagines are JJ,Ray,ViVi,Pinky. Its name derives from "I can campus". The origin of the name means it wants girls who read it to become a "campus readers". There is a sisters magagine named "AneCan". 

                      This is Shougagukan's logo mark.

Mainly, this magazine is very popular among woman office workers. But,though it is few, there seems to be man's readership too. Traveling abroad, love, the movie, and the fortune-telling, etc. were taken up as a standard project every month centering on the fashion.

  1 2    3     4 

1 is CanCam's logo mark. 2,3,4 are CanCam's book covers.

This magazine has been hiring many top models from the starting. For example, Norika Fujiwara, Sachiko Kokubu, Misaki Ito, Kyoko Hasegawa, and Ryoko Yonekura were ex-model of this magazine, and now, they are active in the world of entertainment as a actress. Now, Yuri Ebihara is in the spotlight as a chalismatic model, and she is high in favor with every generation(especially she is popular among the youths and the middle age's of men). So, she is in great request to appear TV commercials and her nickname is "Ebi-chan". Yuu Yamada is very popular with the youths too, so She is around as a actress and TV performer. In addition, recently Maki Nishiyama is gaining in popularity, so she is in spotlight as the post -"Ebi-chan".

This is Kyouko Hasegawa. This is Ryouko Yonekura.

This  is Yuri Ebihara. This is Yuu YAmada.

References

CanCam http://cancam.shogakukan.co.jp/

Shougakukan http://www.shogakukan.co.jp/

AneCan http://www.anecan.tv/index.html

Kyouko Hasegawa http://www108.sakura.ne.jp/~buddy/

Ryouko Yonekura http://www.oscarpro.co.jp/profile/yonekura/

Yuri Ebihara http://www.jap.co.jp/ebihara_yuri/

Yuu Yamada http://www.kdash.jp/profile/oursongs_c/yamada/

                                                                                                      Posted by Tomoyoshi Sekiguchi