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 Mainichi Shimbun Left-Center biased based on story selection and editorial positions that moderately favor the left and 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 1872, the Mainichi Shimbun is an English language, Japanese daily broadsheet newspaper. Mainichi Shimbun features world and national news, opinion, economy, politics and photo journals. They are headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The newspaper does not list the staff names, therefore the editor is unknown.
Read our profiles on Japan’s media and government
Funded by / Ownership
Mainichi Shimbun is owned by The Mainichi Newspapers Co, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of The Mainichi Newspapers Group Holdings Co., Ltd. The Mainichi Newspapers Co. President is Masahiro Maruyama. Revenue is derived through advertising and subscription fees.
Analysis / Bias
In Japan, The Prime Minister is the head of government. The current Prime Minister is Abe Shinzō, who is the leader of the conservative, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and known for his nationalistic conservatism. Japan also uses a “Press Club” system, which may compromise the independence of the press.
In review, although at the end of most articles, Mainichi Shimbun states the author’s name, they do not provide biographical information regarding the author or the editor. Furthermore, articles are poorly sourced, for example, a quote from an article reads: “Governments of all types across Japan have begun campaigns to encourage foreign tourists to purchase travel insurance, with a recent surge in people leaving unpaid medical bills putting pressure on Japanese hospital budgets.” This statement is not hyperlinked to a source that supports the claim. However, when they do source information they use credible sources such as the Tokyo City News Department or their own national bureaus and for international news coverage they utilize the Associated Press.
Mainichi Shimbun is known for its left-leaning stance and when covering news they utilize emotionally loaded language that is critical of Abe Shinzo: “Author claims publisher cut ties after he criticized book by writer close to Japan PM” and “Deputy PM Aso faces censure motion over funds needed for post-retirement lives”.
When covering world news pertaining to the USA, articles are generally written with a neutral tone such as “Trump to inspect Japanese destroyer with Abe in late May”, and again they tend not to hyperlink.
A factual search reveals that they have not failed a fact check.
Overall, we rate Mainichi Shimbun Left-Center biased based on story selection and editorial positions that moderately favor the left and High for factual reporting due to a clean fact check record. (M. Huitsing 6/21/2019)
Source: https://mainichi.jp
Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources
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