LEFT-CENTER BIAS
These media sources have a slight to moderate liberal bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes) to favor liberal causes. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Left-Center sources.
- Overall, we rate Japan Today Left-Center biased based on editorial positions that moderately favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record.
Detailed Report
Factual Reporting: HIGH
Country: Japan
World Press Freedom Rank: Japan 66/180
History
Launched in 2000, by Peter Wilson and Erik Gain, Japan Today is an English language website based in Tokyo. Japan Today covers national news, politics, crime stories, entertainment, business, technology, sports, culture, and lifestyle. Their main audience is foreigners living in Japan. It is owned by GPlus Media Inc. and its sister is the classifieds ads site GaijinPot. In 2015, GPlusMedia Inc. was acquired by Fuji Media Holdings, Inc. Masaki Miyauchi is Chairman and CEO, Osamu Kanemitsu the President and COO.
Read our profiles on Japan’s media and government
Funded by / Ownership
Japan Today is owned by GPlus Media Inc., which is owned by Fuji Media Holdings Inc. Financial reports can be found here. Revenue is derived through advertisements and subscriptions.
Analysis / Bias
In 2020, Reporters Without Borders ranked Japan 66/180 in their Press Freedom Index. The current Prime Minister of Japan is Shinzo Abe who leans right.
In review, Japan Today publishes articles with emotionally loaded language such as this republished through Reuters: “String of missteps slash Abe’s support rates”. This article is critical of the right-leaning Abe Government and sourced through local newspapers such as Asahi newspaper and Mainichi newspapers without providing hyperlinks. Japan Today also republishes from Soranews24 with emotionally loaded language such as this “Japanese politician gets caught watching crocodile video during Diet session”. The politician in this story is from the right-leaning ruling party LDP, a quote from the article reads “Japanese netizens were amused by Hirai’s viewing habits.” The article also provides reactions from people that are critical of both the politician and government “If he were watching a cat video, I’d forgive him,” “This is how our taxes are being used…” Further, the article is poorly sourced. Japan Today publishes crime stories without sensationalizing such as this: “3 youths arrested for throwing concrete blocks from bridge onto expressway.”
When it comes to sourcing Japan Today often sources through quotes, utilizes credible sources through republishing Reuters, and also sourcing Japanese news agency Kyodo News and SoraNews24 (news blog from Japan). Although they do not use hyperlinks the sources they utilize are credible.
Reporting on the USA and in particular President Donald Trump often selects news that is negative toward his adminstration Trump lashes out at scientists whose findings contradict him. In general, they report news factually and with a left-leaning bias.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
Overall, we rate Japan Today Left-Center biased based on editorial positions that moderately favor the left. We also rate them High for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record. (4/12/2017) Updated (M. Huitsing 5/25/2020)
Source: https://www.japantoday.com/
Last Updated on May 25, 2020 by Media Bias Fact Check
Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources
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