With so many things happening all over the world, one may find it hard to keep up with these events. Especially for occasions or incidents that happened in faraway places, how does one get updated with the latest happenings? The answer to this is through news outlets. Various versions of outlets such as newspapers, magazines, and news shows provide the current events happening not just within the country but around the globe as well. For people who are residing in Japan, whether they are in Tokyo or Osaka, the most common way to get updated with the recent events is through Japanese news.
Japanese News on Papers Both in English and in Japanese
For the locals, it can be rather easy to understand the news in Japan as they understand the Japanese language and speak it anyway. Whether it be on paper or in the news channels, learning about the latest events is not a problem. However, for the exparts or foreigners who are currently residing or visiting Japan and do not understand the language in the intermediate or advanced level, learning about the current events while in the country may be a challenge.
Thankfully, various news outlets and other press in Japan provide news not just in the Japanese language but in the English language as well. Being home to not just Japanese-speaking residents, various news outlets are aware that it would be best to also publish news printed in the English language aside from the local language. Furthermore, there are also Japanese news channels that feature English-speaking news anchors. Through this, almost everyone in Japan would be aware of the latest happenings around the world.
Top Japanese News Sites: The Japan News, Japan Today, and Many More
Even for people who do not read the newspapers, there are still other ways of getting news. One of which is to go onto various news websites that provide several articles about current events. This is especially useful for people who are too busy to sit on their chair and read a newspaper. With this, one can read about current events while on the go. With just a phone or a laptop, one can already be updated as to what is happening around the world.
One of the top Japanese news sites for English-speaking individuals in Japan as of today is The Japan News. It is a daily written in the English language published by The Yomiuri Shimbun, which is one of the leading Japanese newspapers in the country with the biggest circulation. Established in the year 1955, it was initially introduced as The Daily Yomiuri. However, on April in the year 2013, The Daily Yomiuri decided to alter its name to The Japan News as part of a major regeneration of the content of the newspaper.
They say that the mission of this newspaper is to provide the latest, as well as the most reliable, information about the country of Japan to the world. The Japan News is a great source of news not just domestic but foreign as well. With a broad news coverage network, The Japan News ensures that it is always updated to the latest happenings around the globe. It also has partnerships with other major newspapers overseas such as the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and The Times of London. Currently, The Japan News, as well as the Yomiuri Shimbun, are the only members from Japan that are part of the Asia News Network, which is a network of 22 media groups hailing from cities across Asia.
The Japan News has several pages dedicated for specific events. Their Nation, Economy, and International pages are dedicated to bringing breaking news while their Opinion and Editorial pages provide new insights regarding events that occur across the globe. They also have pages such as Health and Science & Nature that are dedicated in providing the latest information and updates in their specific fields. Because most Japanese are avid fans of some sports, The Japan News also has a Nippon Sports page that look into the activities of Japanese athletes not just from home but also overseas as well.
As for The Yomiuri Shimbun, it was founded in the year 1874 and currently has the biggest circulation in the country. 296 bureaus all over Japan are on standby to provide reliable stories. It also has 27 general and regional bureaus abroad as of April in the year 2014. If that was not credible enough, it also serves as the current official newspaper partner of the Japanese Olympic Committee or the JOC.
An alternative would be Japan Today. Established in the year 2000, Japan Today is an online newspaper based in Tokyo. It features all the latest news not just within the country but around the world. This includes political, business, sports, national, entertainment, and technology news. Original content such as interviews with various business executives and celebrities are being published in Japan Today. There are also translations of several pop culture articles from other famous Japanese newspapers and magazines being published in Japan Today to help readers who cannot read Japanese to understand.
Japan Today also features comment or forum functions so readers can freely discuss issues that are present both domestically and globally. The goal of Japan Today is to build their resources, as well as their content, so as to let their audience be able to fully understand important events and issues that are present not just in the country but also around the world. This way, the locals learn the lessons from these various events and incidents.
Another option would The Japan Times. With its head office at 4-5-4 Shibaura Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8071, it was founded in the year 1897. Under their chairperson Minako Kambara Suematsu, The Japan Times is also among the leading news sites in the country. It also publishes booked written in both the Japanese language and the English language. Lastly, one can also opt to read publications of The Asahi Shimbun. Their first daily newspaper was published on the 25th of January in the year 1879 and has not stopped printing since. They are also among the most reliable sources of news and information in Japan. Another option that one can check out is The Mainichi.
Japanese News Channels and Networks
For those who are not really into reading newspapers, they can also opt to watch news channels on television. Most, if not all, of these programs and channels may be watched in HD and are available depending on the timeslot. That means that there are some programs that may only be airing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays while there are others that air on weekends. One of the leading corporations that has various news programs is TV Asahi Corporation. Also known as Kabushiki-gaisha Terebi Asahi in Japanese, TV Asahi is a television network with headquarters in Roppongi. One of its news programs include ANN News, which airs on weekdays at 1:59 in the afternoon, on weekends at 5:50 and 11:45 in the morning as well as 5:30 and 8:45 in the evening.
As for the people who are interested in sports news, TV Asahi also features ANN News and Sports, which airs every Saturday at 12 midnight. Other news programs include Good! Morning, which airs on weekdays from 4:55 to 8 in the morning; Hai! Terebi Asahi Desu, which airs every 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 4:50 to 5:30 in the morning; Hodo Station, which airs on weekdays from 9:54 to 11:10 in the evening; Super J Channel, which airs on weekdays from 4:53 to 7 in the evening and on weekends from 5:30 to 5:55 in the afternoon; and Super Morning, which airs on weekdays from 8 to 9:55 in the morning.
TV Asahi also runs a news network known as All-Nippon News Network. Also known as Ōru Nippon Nyūsu Nettowāku in Japanese, All-Nippon News Network is a commercial TV news network. Shortened to ANN, All-Nippon News Network serves as the broadcast supplies of several news channels or programs. It also runs the 24-hour satellite and cable news channel known as Asahi Newstar.
Another known Japanese news network is Japan News Network. Operated by Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. or TBS, it works similar to ANN. Also known as Japan Nyūsu Nettowāku in Japanese, this news network serves as a broadcast supplier of several news programs in Japan. Shortened to JNN, this network also rns the 24-hour satellite and sable news channel known as TBS News Bird.
An alternative Japanese network to check out is Fuji Television Network. It runs the Fuji News Network or FNN, which is a commercial TV news network in the country. Some of the news programs that it runs include Mezamashi TV, which is a morning news program that has aired since April of the year 1994; Tokidane!, which is a morning news program that has aired since April of the year 1999; FNN Speak, which is a news program that airs before noon since October of the year 1987; Minna No News, which is an evening news program that has aired since April of the year 2015; You’re Time ~Anata No Jikan~, which is a night news program which just started airing since April of the year 2016; and Kids News, which is a weekly children’s news program. Other news programs that used to be aired by FNN include evening news programs such as FNN Super Time and FNN Supernews and night news programs such as FNN Date Line, News Japan, and Ashita No News.
Japanese News Radio Programs, Podcasts, and App
On the other hand, if one would like to only use the ears to listen to news instead of reading or watching, there are various radio programs in Japan that one can subscribe to. One of the news radio programs that one would like to suggest listening to is the NHK Daily News. It is a main news program that airs at 7 in the evening on the radio. It usually lasts about 30 minutes long and the speaker talks about a wide range of current events.
Beginning at 7:30 in the evening, one can also listen to a short program on the radio entitled “The Islands Relay News.” This program features one story from every region in the country of Japan. The news usually begins from either Hokkaido or Okinawa and just progresses toward the other end of Japan. The focus of the stories are news that are specific to that region alone. It also provides an interesting insight into the real state of Japan outside the metropolis of Tokyo. The program also discusses traditions and local culture and events that are unique to the region being talked about at the moment.
Lastly, one can also listen to the radio program entitled NHK Journal. Airing at 10 in the evening, this program features regular anchors and commentators that talk about current events at length. There are stories that were already mentioned earlier in other news though this program would further elaborate and discuss the issue. There are also other stories that are specific only to this program.
There are basically group discussions within the program to provide different insights regarding the issue at hand. The speakers do not speak simultaneously; instead, each speaker speaks slowly and relatively clear in order to ensure that the listener is able to understand every word spoken. Furthermore, the speakers also do not interrupt each other to show respect and space for the opinions of each person. This is unusual in comparison to regular casual talk radio. Nonetheless, this is highly recommendable so that listeners can surely follow and comprehend the points that the speakers are trying to make.
There are so many ways that one can get updated with Japanese news. There are also podcasts that one can subscribe to. Some recommendations include Disrupting Japan, Tokyo on Fire, and NHK World. There are also mobile apps that a person can download to ensure that he or she is updated with the latest happenings. An example of this mobile app is NHK Easy Japanese News, which can be downloaded from Google Play Store. The Japanese recognize the importance of their people being aware of their surroundings any time of the year, may it be in June or December, and the main events happening not just in Japan but all over the world. Japanese news is so accessible that there is really no way that one would not be able to stay updated with current events.