The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-02-16
JAPAN SUPPORTING
MANY NEWSPAPERS
Every Town of 10000 or
More Inhabitants Has At
Least One Daily.

According to an article in the Orien-
tai Economic Review there are more
than 1880 newspapers and magazines IN
Japan. Every town of 10000 or more
has one newspaper, and usually two or
more
The leading Tokyo daily claims a
circulation of 10000; the Asaht and the
Mainichi, of Osaka, claim" a daily
circulation of 100000.
Journalism in Japan is nearly 300 years
old, but the publication Of newspapers
there as a distinct enterprise is compar-
atively recent. Until after the middle
of the nineteenth century such news
sheets as were published were somewhat
Of the nature of bulletins roughly print
ed from wooden blocks and issued at
irregular times by anyone who saw fit
to have them prepared.
The first Of the great dailies OF later
times was the Yokohama Mainichi
Shimbun, which made its first appear
ance about forty years ago. 1t was al
terward moved to Tokyo, where 1t IS
still published as the Tokyo Malmchl.
Others followed soon after in different
cities, and the names of some of these
publications are as we'll known to the
world at large as the names OF the
newspapers of France and Germany.
Editorial Revolution.
The writer of the article quoted notes
that formerly all important newspa-
pers consider it necessary to have lead
ers and the more important of the spe-
ciaI articles written in the dignified but
cold Sinico-Japanese style of writing
Now many of these papers do not con-
slider If beneath their dignity to write
their editorial articles in the easy colo
ouiaI style which even a school boy can
understand The news matter Is entire
" in the popular style
The press of Japan is as free as that
If any other civilized country and no
restraint whatever is placed on the dis
cussion of public affairs as long as there
is no ofTerse to public morals ana no
menace to public order. The Japanese
press law of May 16, 1909, reads:
Article VLI-When a newspaper pub
fishes an article calculated TO disturb
peace and order or to impair public NOR
ais, its publisher, editor and printer
shall be condemned to imprisonment Tor
a neriod of six months or less, or 10 d
fine of 200 yen GlCOJ or less.
Most Papers Independent.
Article XLII-When a newspaper
publishes a matter calculated TO i'm
pair the dignity of the imperial house
hold or to change the form of govern
n7ent or to disturb the imperial consu-
tuition, its publisher, editor and printer
shall be condemned to Imprisonment for
a period of two years or less and to a
fine of 300 yen Cs15OJ or less"
Most of The leading dailieS" of Tokyo
and Osaka are independent; that is,
they have no definite aftiliation with
any political party: but the provincial
Journals take their partisan politics at
about the American temperature.
The principal japanese periodicals
give much space to foreign news and
have correspondents in all the great
cities of the world. Special prominence
is given to news from China, but with
most of the Japanese papers the leading
feature is their local news. The Nip
ponese are quite as curious about the
affairs of their neghbors and fellow
toWnsmen as We are. They want 'hu-
man interest" Yellow papers have or
boast enormous circulation.