The document discusses foreign media coverage of Japanese politics. It notes that approximately 400 foreign journalists are registered in Japan, primarily from Western countries. Major foreign media outlets with bureaus in Japan are also listed. The document then analyzes four common views foreign media takes on Japanese politics - viewing it as a modern democracy, a semi-functioning democracy, half democracy/half oligarchy, or democracy in name only. Key political issues of interest like Japan's turn to the right and competition with China are also summarized. Finally, influential foreign journalists and experts on Japanese politics are named.

1. Reporting Japanese
Politics:
A Foreign Journalist’s View
Eric Johnston
Deputy Editor, The Japan TimesDeputy Editor, The Japan Times
Doshisha UniversityDoshisha University
Jan. 12Jan. 12thth
, 2007, 2007

2. Who is the Foreign Media in Japan?
 Approximately 400 foreign journalists are registered
with Japan’s Foreign Ministry. Majority are from the
West.
 An unknown number of foreigners around Japan
write about various aspects of Japanese society and
culture.
 An estimated 100 Japanese who work for various
foreign media on a regular basis.

3. Major Foreign Media Outlets in Japan
 Wire Services: Associated Press, Reuters, AFP,
Bloomberg Business News.
 Television: CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS (America), BBC,
Reuters TV (England), Bloomberg (U.S., business
news), various European freelance film crews.
 Newspapers: New York Times, Los Angeles Times,
London Times, Financial Times, The Australian and
Washington Post have full Tokyo bureaus. The
Guardian, The Independent, San Francisco
Chronicle, Singapore Straits-Times, South China
Morning Post, have freelance stringers.

4. OTHER MEDIA
 FREELANCERS: Mostly newspaper and magazine
writers, freelancers tend to write for Japan’s English
language media or for overseas publications. Most
write on specialized aspects of Japanese culture
(traditional visual and performing arts, architecture,
music (J-pop), anime.
 SPECIALIZED MEDIA: Trade journalists who cover
one specific industry (autos, electronics, finance,
aviation, military issues, science issues)

5. JAPAN-BASED ENGLISH
LANGUAGE MEDIA
 3 daily newspapers (The Japan Times, The
Daily Yomiuri, the IHT-Asahi).
 Three major Internet News sites (Japan Today,
Japan Focus, and Mainichi Daily News).
 Three major monthly magazines (Metropolis,
Kansai Out, Japanzine)
 Various quarterly magazines: (Kyoto Journal,
Tokyo Journal)

6. English Media Coverage of Japanese
Politics: Common Traits
 Vast majority of news on Japanese politics comes
from Kyodo, AP, AFP, and Reuters wire service
reports, or translations of vernacular press.
 Virtually all English language journalism on Japan
originates in Tokyo, which means that for foreign
reporters, editors, TV and radio producers, Tokyo =
Japan. Local political trends and their effect on
national politics tends not to get much coverage.

7. Covering Japanese Politics: Major
Traits of Foreign Media
 Few Western journalists are fluent in written or spoken
Japanese. This means that English translations of speeches,
comments, press conferences, media reports, and official
statements are the primary sources of information on
Japanese politics.
 Few Japanese politicians are conversant in English, and
even if they are, many prefer to, or are asked by their
advisers to, conduct interviews in Japanese to avoid
``misunderstandings.’’ (Witness recent Shinzo Abe’s recent
BBC interview)

8. Covering Japanese Politics: Major
Traits of Foreign Media
 There is a mini-industry of English-speaking
``buffers’’ who ``explain’’ various aspects of
Japanese politics to the outside world,
including foreign journalists. These include
foreign political scientists and other Japan
experts, mostly American, mostly male, and
mostly over the age of 50. They also include
select Japanese academics, former government
officials, and bureaucrats.

9. The Four Foreign Media Views
of Japanese Politics
Modern, Vibrant
Democracy
Semi-
functioning
Democracy
Half
Democracy/Half
Oligarchy
 Democracy in
Name Only

10. The Four Foreign Media Views of
Japanese Politics:
(1) Modern, Vibrant Democracy
 ``Japan is a modern, vibrant democracy with higher
voting rates than many other industrialized countries
and relatively little voter fraud. There is no
government censorship of political ideas, and
politicians represent the will of the people’’
 Major Proponents of this View: All foreign wire
services, a few foreign TV stations

11. The Four Foreign Media Views of
Japanese Politics:
(2) Semi-functioning Democracy
 ``Japan is a democracy in the sense that people may vote and
there are political parties. However, an emphasis on
consensus-building and the desire to avoid direct
confrontation often means that democratic debate is
shunned in favor of back-room deals that are the result of a
murky, vague, and ultimately undemocratic process.’’
 Major Media Promoting this View: U.S. business and
economic newspapers and magazines (Wall Street Journal,
Forbes, Fortune, Business Week)

12. The Four Foreign Media Views of
Japanese Politics:
(3) Half Democracy/Half Oligarchy
 ``Japan operates like a democracy on issues that are
relatively simple and uncontroversial, and where there is no
entrenched bureaucratic opposition. But given that most
politicians are the children or grandchildren of politicians or
are retired bureaucrats, Japan is certainly not a democracy
where politicians of vastly different views argue their ideas.
It is more like an old-boys club that governs in a
paternalistic fashion.’’
 Major Media Promoting this View: Some European
newspapers, numerous scholarly journals, some U.S.
newspaper reporters.

13. The Four Foreign Media Views of
Japanese Politics:
(4) Democracy in Name Only
 ``Japan may look like a democracy, but it does not function
like one. Spontaneous debate and disagreement is frowned
upon. The emphasis is harmony and working behind the
scenes to ensure there is as little controversy as possible.
Decisions are made by the bureaucrats and politicians
behind closed doors. The LDP has had nearly a half-century
of rule and there is no real political opposition. Japan is
`virtual democracy’, not a real democracy.’’
 Major Media Promoting this View: Some U.S., British
newspapers, TV stations, news magazines, scholarly journals,
bloggers. Some Chinese and Korean language media.

14. Major Japanese Political Issues of
Interest to the Foreign Media
 The country’s swing to
right, politically, over the
past decade and the rise of
`Japan’s Neocons.’
 The failure of politicians to
deal with Japan’s history in
East Asia, even as they
embrace George W. Bush’s
America
 The growing debate over
what to do about Japan’s
declining birthrate and
aging population.
 Competition with China for
geopolitical influence in not
only the Asia region but
also in the oil-rich Middle
East.

15. ISSUE #1: RIGHT TURN
 Since 1995, the 50th
anniversary of the end of World War II, a
new generation of post-war politicians has come of age. Well-
traveled, highly-educated and often fluent in English or other
languages, they are neo-conservatives and neo-nationalists
who refuse to believe Japan did bad things in the past. They
are angry that Japan has become too ``Americanized’’, even as
they embrace the United States for its military might.
 Causes of turn to the right include: disillusionment among
Japanese in their 40s, 50s, and 60s over the current state of
Japanese society, poor education on historical issues, a
xenophobic national media that shuns serious debate on both
the past and the future of Japan, and a social atmosphere that
values groupism over independent thinking and action.

16. ISSUE #2: Fear China, Love America
 There is a sense among foreign media that Japanese politicians
see China as a threat and America as Japan’s only true ally.
Japan’s Neocons have rushed to embrace the United States and
work with it on issues ranging from the U.S.-Japan Security
Treaty to the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea,
to the war in Iraq.
 By contrast, Japanese politicians indicate in words and deeds
that they fear or suspect China will eventually conquer,
militarily or economically, East Asia. By remaining close to
the U.S., Japanese politicians can lash out at China. Recently,
however, the political rhetoric has begun to change, as
Japanese politicians who are part of the ``realist school’’ have
helped the Prime Minister move towards a more friendly
stance towards China.

17. ISSUE #3: Disappearing Japan
 Current predictions are that the population will shrink from the
present 127 million to 100 million by 2050. At the same time,
the baby boom generation begins retiring in record numbers
from this April. That means fewer Japanese workers.
 Japanese politicians are thus faced with two basic choices,
assuming that they want to ensure that current levels of
economic prosperity and growth are maintained. The first
choice is to create as many new laws and policies as they can
to ensure younger and older workers and women are allowed
to work in whatever capacity they wish. The second choice is
far more controversial –bring in millions of foreign workers.

18. ISSUE #4: International Competition
with China
 Even as they fear China, or view it with suspicion, politicians
are also faced with practical issues regarding Japan’s
competition with China abroad, especially for oil, natural gas,
and other mineral resources. A `Great Game’ of sorts is now
taking place between China and Japan, as both governments
work hard to secure the goodwill of energy-rich nations in
Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa so that they can
eventually get petroleum and mineral rights.
 At the moment, Japan can still compete with Chinese
influence by offering the rest of the world money and
technology (through ODA, the Asian Development Bank), and
Japanese politicians, along with Japan’s major trading firms
are very much involved in these international negotiations.

19. General Editorial Views on
Japan and Japanese Politics
 There is not, in general, a whole lot of interest in the Western
media in what Japanese politicians say and do because their
actions are seen as not having much influence outside Japan.
Japan is seen by many foreign editors as a small, rich country
that is basically a colony of the United States, but one that is
losing regional power and influence to China and India. Who
really cares if the Japanese become more right-wing or left-
wing?
 EXCEPTION: American media who do not question the
importance of Japan’s relationship, militarily and
economically, to the United States.

20. Japan’s Political Future?
Two Possibilities
 Japan as the ``Austria of Asia’’ – Like Austria, Japan will be
wealthy country with a high standard of living, a moderate-to-
conservative political leadership, and a content, but
conservative and slightly xenophobic population. Like Austria,
Japan will play a very limited role in international affairs,
which will suit the majority of Japanese just fine.
 Japan as the ``Switzerland of Asia (or the ``Belgium of Asia’’)
–Japan will be a small but active participant in international
affairs, and be respected for its role as an ``honest broker’’
between powerful states. The population will be moderate
politically, remain generally open to foreigners and foreign
ideas, and the economic standard of living will be high, though
not perhaps as high as some other countries.

21. The Five Most Publicly Influential
Western Journalists Writing about
Japanese Politics Today
1) Norimitsu Ohnishi, The New York Times
2) Linda Seig, Reuters
3) Richard Lloyd-Parry, The Times of London
4) Karl van Wolferen, Freelance
5) Joseph Coleman, Associated Press

22. Five Politically Influential Experts on
Japanese Politics
(often quoted in media)
1) Gerald Curtis, Professor, Columbia University
2) Chalmers Johnson, Director, Japan Policy
Research Institute
3) Steve Clemons, Director, New America
Foundation
4) Michael Green, Former National Security
Council advisor
5) Kent Calder, Professor, Princeton University

23. In Conclusion:
International media interest in Japanese politics is not great, and tends to
focus not on domestic political issues, but on Japan’s relations with the
outside world. There is a growing sense of alarm in the foreign media
over Japan’s turn to the right since 1995. Foreign journalists who have
a limited knowledge of Japanese society wonder if Japan’s right-wing
politicians represent the majority of Japanese, while those who have a
broader and deeper knowledge of Japan believe that they do.
Having traveled to 40 of Japan’s 47 prefectures during my years in Japan, I
believe that the new generation of right-wing politicians do, indeed,
represent the views of many Japanese outside Tokyo, and not just the
older generations. I think Japanese, and thus Japanese politics, will
continue to be defined by a nationalist yet pragmatic approach towards
the outside world and by conservative/right-wing thought on certain
social issues domestically (the role of women, public education). Yet, on
other issues (health care, social welfare, the environment) Japan is
likely to resemble Sweden or socialist countries in Europe in a few
years, as politicians work to meet the needs of elderly voters.

24. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!