Japan Media Review Update: January 26, 2004

JMR Staff (Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California)

Review
The following reviews are posted at: http://www.japanmediareview.com/japan/digest/digest.php

Newspaper Circulation Declines for Fourth Straight Year
From Pressnet: In its January NSK News Bulletin, The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association (Nihon Shinbun Kyokai) said that the daily circulation of morning and evening Japanese newspapers in October 2003 fell by 0.6 percent from the previous year, marking the fourth straight year of decline. Evening edition circulation was hit the hardest, falling 3.1 percent. The association said it is committed to encouraging young people to read newspapers. In 2003, NSK's Circulation Committee deemed April 6 "Newspaper Reading Day" and the one-week period around the date as "Springtime Newspaper Week" to promote campaigns that target young readers.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

Paying Taxes Through Cell Phones, ATMs
From The Japan Times: The Japanese government has launched an electronic payment service for taxes and other government fees. Pay-easy, which began Monday, will allow people to make payments through Internet banking via computers or cell phones, as well as through bank ATMs. Before Pay-easy, payments had to be made in person at financial institutions or through government revenue stamps.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

Media Decry Government Restrictions on Coverage of Troops in Iraq
From South China Morning Post via Asia Media: In a move that many criticized as reminiscent of World War II media censorship, the Japan Defense Agency asked the media to refrain from reporting information that would "influence the security" of the Self-Defense Forces recently dispatched to Iraq, including showing restraint in reporting the timing of deployments. Despite the Defense Agency's request, media outlets insisted they would follow their own judgment on the coverage of Japan's first deployment of troops to a combat zone since World War II.
Public broadcaster NHK announced it would continue to make timely news reports, saying "it is the role of news organizations to answer the public's right to know." The defense agency warned the media not to "obstruct the completion of our mission," or they could lose interviews from the government. The decision to send troops to Iraq was made Dec. 9 after months of consideration. Ever since, the Japanese media have reported every detail, down to descriptions of the troops' desert camp.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori