Japan Media Review Update: July 20, 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

Weblog Service Introduced to Japanese Market
Via TMCnet: Hitachi, Japan's biggest manufacturing firm, introduced the first Weblog service for Japanese users called BOXER BLOG. The new system adds a Japanese interface onto TypePad, a Web-based blogging tool developed by Six Apart, and allows users to buy the service with Japanese currency. Hitachi has begun selling two versions for business users. "Pro" is for advanced individual users and organizations, while "Business Class" caters to larger corporate users. "We are pleased Hitachi is bringing the service to Japanese business users, opening the door for a whole new set of TypePad users in Japan," said Six Apart's president and co-founder, Mena G. Trott. Six Apart has been a prominent technical contributor to the Weblog realm since its introduction of Movable Type in October 2001.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

Law Limits Online Political Campaigning
From The Japan Times: While candidates for the House of Councillors July 4 election have maintained their own Web sites that include blogs and e-newsletters, legal obstacles and cultural norms have kept them from launching successful Web campaigns. According to the Public Offices Election Law established in 1950, the number of candidates' messages that can be posted are regulated because they are considered "texts." However, the law does not refer directly to the Internet or e-mail. Under the regulation, candidates cannot send e-mail letters or update their Web sites during the campaign period lasting from June 24 to July 11. The Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications claims the restriction imposed on the number of campaign documents and the prohibition of electronic information assures equality for all candidates. During the last Diet session, the Democratic Party of Japan proposed a bill that would have made Web campaigning possible, but it has not yet been passed. Some experts believe politicians will come to realize the advantages of Internet campaigning as the voice of a younger generation becomes more prominent.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori

Monthly Pressnet Newsletter:
Symposium on Mass Media Ethics Held in Tokyo
From the July Pressnet Bulletin: More than 400 people gathered in Tokyo in June to attend the 19th symposium hosted by the National Federation of Consultative Assemblies for the Enhancement of Mass Media Ethics. In addition to the general public, attendees included professionals in the newspaper, broadcasting and advertising industries. Keynote speaker Yasuhiro Tase, a political journalist and columnist for the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, discussed which issues political journalism faces in Japan. According to Tase, political elections and relations between politicians get more attention in Japanese media coverage than the actual process of decision-making. Panelist Kei Wada, a Fuji TV commentator, said broadcast news has contributed to bringing politics closer to viewers, but stations tend to broadcast information in a way that will please an audience, thereby focusing more on the public's reaction than the opinions of national leaders. "Our challenge is to reach as many viewers as possible without resorting to the convenience of fabricating information," he said.
-- By Japan Media Review Associate Editor Keiko Mori