Position Paper 1 | Perspectives of "Local" News

When we think about the news, we usually assume that important events are important everywhere. Things like elections, wars, natural disasters, crime, and the economy are covered by news organizations around the world. However, the way these stories are reported and how much attention they receive can be very different depending on the country. Japan is a good example of this. Japan and the United States are both democratic countries with generally free news media (also known as "independent media"), but they do not always focus on the same things. Looking at the news in Japan compared to the news in America shows how culture, politics, and the way media works can affect what people see as important.

link to 2024 Japanese news study

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Japan has a large traditional news industry. Newspapers and television are still important sources of information for many Japanese people. Some of the country's major newspapers include Yomiuri Shimbun, Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, and Nikkei. Japan also has NHK, which is the country's main public broadcaster. Even though more people are getting news online, traditional media is still a major part of Japanese society. According to the Reuters Institute's 2026 Digital News Report, about 24 million Japanese newspapers were being circulated each day in October 2025. That number has been going down, but it still shows how important newspapers have been in Japan.

One of the biggest differences I noticed between Japanese and American news is what each country considers important. Japanese news often focuses heavily on issues that affect people's everyday lives. Some examples include wages, inflation, the Japanese yen, the country's aging population, low birth rates, and government policies. Natural disasters are also very important because Japan regularly experiences earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural disasters. These stories often include information about transportation, safety, weather, and what people should do to protect themselves.

American news covers these kinds of topics too, but it often seems more focused on political disagreements, elections, crime, entertainment, and breaking news. American news can also be very focused on political arguments between Democrats and Republicans. This is partly because the American media system is very divided. Someone who watches Fox News may hear about very different stories than someone who watches CNN or MS NOW. People can also get their news from TikTok, YouTube, podcasts, Facebook, X, and many other websites.

This does not necessarily mean that Japanese news is better than American news. Instead, it shows that different countries have different ideas about what their audiences need to know. For example, Japan's aging population is a huge issue for the country because there are fewer young people and more elderly people. This affects the workforce, healthcare, the economy, and the future of the country. Because of this, demographic issues can receive much more attention in Japanese news than they normally would in American news. In America, political arguments or an upcoming election might receive much more attention.

The way the media is organized in Japan is also different from the United States. Japan has several large newspapers and television companies that have been around for a long time. NHK is also a major source of news. Another important part of Japanese journalism is something called a kisha club, or press club. These are groups that give reporters access to government officials and important organizations. While these clubs can make it easier for established journalists to get information, they have also been criticized because they can make it harder for freelancers and smaller news organizations to get the same access. 

link to reporters without borders website

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This raises an important question about press freedom. Japan is considered a free country, and journalists are legally allowed to report on the government and other powerful organizations. However, being legally allowed to report something does not always mean that journalists feel completely comfortable reporting it. Reporters can still face pressure from politicians, companies, or other powerful groups. Some journalists may avoid certain topics because they are worried about losing access to important sources or facing criticism.

link to page shown

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This is different from countries where the government directly controls almost all of the news. Japan does not have that type of system. However, there can still be pressure that affects what journalists decide to report. Freedom House gives Japan a very high overall freedom score, but it also points out concerns about the independence of the country's media. Reporters Without Borders has also raised concerns about political pressure, media concentration, and the kisha club system. 

Social media has made this issue even more interesting. Japanese people are increasingly getting news from social media and online video instead of only newspapers and television. This gives people more opportunities to see different opinions and information. At the same time, it can also make it harder to know which information is reliable. People can compare what they see on social media with what traditional news organizations are reporting.

The same thing is happening in the United States. Americans are constantly getting news from social media, and sometimes a story can become popular online before major news organizations report on it. Social media can give people information that traditional news might not cover. However, it can also spread rumors and false information very quickly. This means that both Japanese and American audiences have to decide which sources they trust.

Social media platforms have begun implementing notes into videos
that tell you whether or not it is fake news or reliable news.

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Interestingly, people in Japan seem to have more trust in their news organizations than people in the United States. According to the Reuters Institute's 2026 Digital News Report, 41 percent of people surveyed in Japan said they trusted the news overall, compared with only 25 percent in the United States. This does not automatically mean that Japanese journalism is more accurate. It does show that people in the two countries have very different levels of trust in their news media.

America

Japan

Another interesting difference is how each country reports on the other. Americans often learn about Japan through stories about technology, anime, cars, earthquakes, Japanese food, or the relationship between Japan and the United States. These stories can give Americans an interesting view of Japan, but they do not show everything happening there. Japanese people, meanwhile, receive much more news about their own country's politics, economy, schools, healthcare, and other everyday issues.

The same thing can happen when Japanese media reports about America. Japanese news might focus on American politics, the president, the economy, or U.S.-Japan relations. The Japanese audience is seeing these events from a Japanese point of view. American audiences are seeing the same events from an American point of view. Neither perspective is necessarily completely wrong, but they can be very different.

I think this is one of the most important things to understand about international news. The news does not just tell us what happened. It also tells us what a particular society thinks is important. Journalists have to decide which stories to cover, which people to interview, what information to put in a headline, and how much time to spend on a story. These decisions can be affected by the country's culture and the interests of its audience.

Overall, Japan and the United States show that having a free press does not mean having the exact same news. Both countries allow journalists to report on important and controversial issues, but their media systems have developed differently. Japan's news often focuses more on domestic economic issues, demographics, natural disasters, and regional security, while American news often gives more attention to political conflict, elections, crime, and entertainment. Japan also has a strong traditional media system, while American media is much more divided between different companies, political viewpoints, and online platforms.

Comparing these two countries has made me realize that there is no single definition of what counts as “the news.” What seems extremely important to an American audience might not be as important to a Japanese audience, and the opposite can also be true. This does not necessarily mean that one country's news is better. It shows that our understanding of the world is partly shaped by the media we consume. Looking at Japanese news alongside American news can help us recognize these differences and become more careful about assuming that our own country's news priorities are the same as everyone else's.