The Asahi Shimbun
One of Japan's oldest and largest national daily newspapers.
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The Asahi Shimbun is a Japanese daily newspaper founded in 1879. It is one of the oldest newspapers in Japan and Asia, and is considered a newspaper of record for Japan. It is one of the five largest newspapers in Japan along with the Yomiuri Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun and Chunichi Shimbun.
The newspaper's circulation, which was 3.26 million for its morning edition and 892,295 for its evening edition as of June 2025, was second behind that of the Yomiuri Shimbun. Its publisher is a media conglomerate with its registered headquarters in Osaka. It is a privately held family business with ownership and control remaining with the founding Murayama and Ueno families.
Lore & Background
The Asahi Shimbun began publication in Osaka on 25 January 1879 as a small-print, four-page illustrated paper. In 1881, it adopted an all-news format and enlisted Ueno Riichi as co-owner. On 10 July 1888, the first issue of the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun was published. On 1 October 1908, Osaka Asahi Shimbun and Tokyo Asahi Shimbun were merged into a single corporation.
In 1918, government authorities suppressed an article during the Rice Riots. On 9 April 1937, the Kamikaze aircraft sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun flew to London. On 1 September 1940, the Osaka and Tokyo editions unified their names into the Asahi Shimbun. On 1 January 1943, publication was stopped by the government after a critical essay by Seigō Nakano.
On 27 December 1943, a son-in-law of Murayama Ryōhei removed Taketora Ogata from Editor in Chief. On 5 November 1945, the president and senior executives resigned en masse. On 21 November 1946, the newspaper adopted modern kana usage. On 30 November 1949, it started publishing the serialized cartoon Sazae-san.
Between April and May 1989, the paper reported a coral reef defacement that turned out to be a hoax by its own reporter, leading to the president's resignation. On 26 June 2007, Yoichi Funabashi was named editor-in-chief. Shōichi Ueno, co-owner since 1997, died on 29 February 2016. A partnership with the International Herald Tribune produced an English-language newspaper from April 2001 until February 2011.
Reader's Guide
The Asahi Shimbun is considered left-leaning and has been called 'the intellectual flagship of Japan's political left.' It is critical of right-wing Japanese nationalism and shows progressive tendencies in cultural and diplomatic issues, but has a neoliberal tendency economically. According to the Reuters Institute Digital Report 2018, public trust in the Asahi Shimbun is the lowest among Japan's major dailies, though confidence is declining in all major newspapers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is The Asahi Shimbun in terms of circulation?
With a morning print run of roughly 3.26 million copies as of mid-2025, it ranks as the second-biggest newspaper globally by print circulation, trailing only the Yomiuri Shimbun.
Who owns and controls The Asahi Shimbun?
The paper is operated by The Asahi Shimbun Company, a privately held business. Day-to-day control rests with the Murayama and Ueno families, who were the original founders.
Where is The Asahi Shimbun headquartered?
Its main offices are located in Osaka, Japan, where the company has maintained its base of operations since the late 19th century.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: The Asahi Shimbun (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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