Asahi Shimbun - Asahi Shimbun

Japanese: 朝日新聞 - あさひしんぶん

One of Japan's leading national newspapers.

Meiji Period

Its predecessor was a popular illustrated daily newspaper first published in Osaka on January 25, 1879 (Meiji 12) by Heihachi's eldest son Noboru, with the support of owner Murayama Ryōhei and investor Kimura Heihachi. In 1881, Kimura was replaced by Murayama and Ueno Riichi, who jointly invested in the paper. Since its launch, circulation has steadily increased, exceeding 20,000 copies in 1883, making it the leader in the newspaper industry. In 1888, the newspaper expanded to Tokyo, taking over Hoshi Toru's Mezamashi Shimbun, and on July 10 of the same year, it was renamed the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun. From this time onwards, each newspaper gradually began to shift to a reporting-first approach, but when the Constitution of the Empire of Japan was promulgated on February 11, 1889, the Osaka Asahi Shimbun received the imperial edict and the full text of the Constitution by telegram from Tokyo and published a special edition in red in the evening, surprising the citizens of Osaka. The following year, in 1890, in preparation for the first Imperial Diet convening, the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun imported Japan's first Marinoni rotary press from France, preparing for a rapid increase in circulation and breaking news. At the same time, Sugiura Shigetake (1892, Tokyo) and Takahashi Kenzo (1893, Osaka) were guest editors, raising the price of the paper. When the Sino-Japanese War broke out in the summer of 1894, the newspaper sent correspondents to the area and made an effort to provide detailed reports on the battlefield, which made the newspaper popular, but from then until the beginning of the 20th century, it competed closely with the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun, which was gaining in popularity. In particular, the battle between the two companies for breaking news and special editions during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 (Meiji 37-38) is famous in newspaper history.

Around this time, the paper's content also moved away from the "popular newspaper" that it was initially based in, and towards a more modern style. In 1897 (Meiji 30), Matsuyama Chujiro and Torii Sosen joined the Osaka Asahi, while Ikebe Sanzan was stationed at the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun and presided over its editorial section for 15 years; these Sanzan made a huge contribution to shaping the company's corporate culture. In the late Meiji period, Futabatei Shimei joined the company in 1904 (based in Tokyo), followed by Natsume Soseki in 1907, and it is largely due to Sanzan that the Soseki school subsequently published their works in the Tokyo Asahi. This, combined with a special agreement with London's The Times in the same year, led to a dramatic increase in the Asahi's authority.

The company's organizational structure was also established at the end of the Meiji period, when the Osaka and Tokyo newspapers merged to form the Asahi Shimbun Limited Partnership in October 1908 (Meiji 41). Murayama and Ueno took turns serving as president for one year each (until 1919). The company also began to employ school-educated reporters in the social affairs department for "soft articles," which had previously been handled by reporters such as reporters from the Liberal Party. Reporters who joined the company around this time included Ogata Taketora (editor-in-chief, vice president, later president of the Liberal Party) and Midoro Masuichi (1886-1973, editor-in-chief, president). The Tokyo Asahi Shimbun was the first newspaper in the world to set up an investigative department, in June 1911 (the Osaka Asahi did so in October the following year, 1912).

[Akihiko Sunohara]

Taisho period

During the first movement to protect constitutional government in 1913 (Taisho 2), he was at the forefront of public opinion, arguing for the cause of constitutional government, and in the Siemens scandal of the following year, 1914, he called for the discipline of the military, but he is especially famous for being the leading voice in impeaching the cabinet of Masaki Terauchi. At that time, the Osaka Asahi Shimbun, led by its editor-in-chief, Motogawa Torii, was one of the leaders of the Taisho Democracy Movement, attacking the Terauchi military clique and bureaucratic cabinet, to the point that it was even said that the center of public opinion had shifted to Osaka. However, the Osaka Asahi Shimbun, which opposed the Siberian Intervention and denounced the ban on articles about the rice riots, caused the "Hakkou Pen-Paper Incident" in August 1918, forcing the resignation of all its editorial executives, and was dealt a blow when it avoided being suspended by publishing a letter of refutation entitled "Declaration of the Head Office's True Position."

However, in terms of management, the newspaper concluded a sales agreement with rival paper, the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun, in 1913, putting an end to the price war. It began publishing an evening edition in October 1915 (Tokyo Asahi in 1921), and steadily expanded its influence in the regions by publishing seven new local editions. After the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun also expanded into the Tohoku and Shinetsu regions, solidifying its position as a national newspaper. Shimomura Hiroshi (Shimomura Kainan) joined the company in 1921, followed by Ishii Mitsujiro (1889-1981, Managing Director, later Speaker of the House of Representatives) in 1922, who worked to modernize management, while also instituting a system of exam-based hiring of university graduates in 1923.

[Akihiko Sunohara]

Showa Period

In the late Taisho period, the Asahi Shimbun focused on the disarmament movement and the universal suffrage movement, but in the Showa period, its anti-authority stance drew the attention of the military and right-wingers, and it was attacked by rebel forces during the February 26 Incident (1936). However, even during this time, it maintained its position as the most powerful newspaper in the world, and demonstrated its excellent reporting capabilities when the Manchurian Incident (1931) began. In 1935 (Showa 10), it began printing and publishing in Kitakyushu (Moji, later moved to Kokura) and Nagoya, and in September 1940, the titles of its four main offices (Tokyo, Osaka, Seibu, and Nagoya) were unified under the name "Asahi Shimbun."

When the Pacific War ended in 1945, the wartime executives resigned, and on November 7 of the same year, the newspaper issued a declaration stating, "We will rise together with the people," pledging its future to its readers. During the war and postwar era of paper control, there was little growth in circulation, but in the 1950s, free competition was restored and circulation surpassed that of the prewar period. In June 1959, the newspaper was the first in the world to put paper transmission by facsimile into practical use, and began printing and publication in Sapporo. In January 1975, printing began in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, and the newspaper was ready to operate as a national newspaper. In 1980, the newspaper completely changed its traditional letterpress printing method, building a new building in Tsukiji, Tokyo with new printing equipment that made full use of computers and did not use type, attracting attention from the world of newspapers. In terms of journalism, he was internationally acclaimed for his work in breaking the news in 1976 when he reported on a one-on-one interview with Lockheed Vice President Kochan in the United States in connection with the Lockheed Scandal, and in 1988 when he broke the Recruit Scandal through investigative journalism.

[Akihiko Sunohara]

Heisei Period

In the Heisei era, a computer network linking the head office and branches was completed, factories were decentralized, and printing plants were opened all over the country. In order to improve the efficiency of printing and transportation, the company started outsourcing printing to local newspapers (Chugoku Shimbun in Hiroshima, Tokachi Mainichi Shimbun in Obihiro, Minami Nippon Shimbun in Kagoshima, etc.). Furthermore, in response to the satellite era, since 1986, the company has been publishing "International Satellite Editions" around the world, transmitting the paper overseas and outsourcing printing and delivery to local companies. In 1989 (Heisei 1), the company started operating the "Satellite Channel (now Asahi News Star)" using communication satellites. In 1995, the company launched the Internet information service "asahi.com", and in 2009 (Heisei 21), it started "EZ News EX", which distributes news to mobile phones together with TV Asahi and KDDI, aiming to become a media conglomerate. Currently, the newspaper has five bureaus in the US (Washington), Europe (London), the Middle East and Africa (Cairo), Asia (Bangkok), and China (Beijing), and 28 branch offices around the world. It also has contracts with major news agencies around the world, including AP, Reuters, Itar-Tass, China News Agency, and Korea News Agency, and has a reporting network that spans the globe. It is highly regarded internationally as Japan's most authoritative newspaper. The circulation is approximately 7.9 million copies for the morning edition and 3.1 million copies for the evening edition (2010).

[Akihiko Sunohara]

"The Life of Murayama Ryuhei (1953), edited by the Asahi Shimbun Osaka Headquarters Corporate History Editorial Office" ▽ "The Life of Ueno Riichi (1959), edited by the Asahi Shimbun Company Corporate History Editorial Office" ▽ "Asahi Shimbun Osaka Headquarters edited, "Asahi Shimbun Sales Centennial History (Osaka Edition)" (1979)" ▽ "Newspaper Advertising and Management in Modern Japan" by Tsukanazawa Satoshi, Yamamoto Taketoshi, Ariyama Teruo, and Yoshida Koji (1979, Asahi Shimbun Company)" ▽ "Asahi Shimbun Tokyo Headquarters edited, "Asahi Shimbun Sales Centennial History (Tokyo Edition)" (1980) ▽ "Asahi Shimbun Centennial History Editorial Committee edited, "Asahi Shimbun Company History: Meiji Edition, Taisho/Prewar Showa Edition, Postwar Showa Edition, Reference Edition," 4 volumes in total (1990-1995, Asahi Shimbun Company)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

日本の代表的な全国紙の一つ。

明治期

1879年（明治12）1月25日、持ち主村山龍平(りょうへい)、出資者木村平八の援助の下、平八の長男騰(のぼる)が大阪で創刊した大衆向け絵入り日刊紙が前身。1881年から木村にかわり村山、上野理一(りいち)が共同出資して経営にあたった。創刊以来、順調に部数を伸ばし、1883年には2万部を突破、新聞界の首位となる。1888年東京に進出、星亨(とおる)の『めさ(ざ)まし新聞』を譲り受け、同年7月10日『東京朝日新聞』と改題発行した。このころから各紙はしだいに報道第一主義に転換し始めるが、1889年2月11日の大日本帝国憲法公布に際し、『大阪朝日新聞』が詔勅と憲法全文を電報で東京から受信、夕刻赤刷りの号外を発行して、大阪の市民を驚かせた。翌1890年、第1回帝国議会召集を控えて『東京朝日新聞』が日本初のマリノニ輪転機をフランスから輸入、発行部数の激増と速報に備えた。同時に杉浦重剛(しげたけ)（1892年、東京）、高橋健三（1893年、大阪）が客員として論説を担当、紙価を高めた。1894年夏、日清戦争(にっしんせんそう)が起こると現地に特派員を派遣、戦地の詳報に努めて人気を集めたが、以後20世紀初めにかけて大阪では、台頭してきた『大阪毎日新聞』としのぎをけずる競争を繰り広げた。とくに1904～1905年（明治37～38）の日露戦争における両社の速報、号外合戦は新聞史上有名である。

　このころになると紙面も創刊当初の「通俗新聞」から脱却、近代型新聞に移行する。1897年（明治30）『大阪朝日』に松山忠二郎、鳥居素川(とりいそせん)が入社、池辺三山(いけべさんざん)は『東京朝日新聞』に駐在して15年間論説を主宰するが、この三山が『東京朝日』の社風形成に尽くした功績は非常に大きい。明治後期の1904年に二葉亭四迷(ふたばていしめい)が入社（東京在勤）、ついで1907年には夏目漱石(そうせき)が入社、以後、漱石一門が『東京朝日』紙上にその作品を発表したのも三山に負うところが多い。同年ロンドンの『タイムズ』と特約を結んだことと相まって『朝日』の権威は飛躍的に高まった。

　社の組織が確立したのも明治末期で、1908年（明治41）10月、大阪と東京の両社を合併、朝日新聞合資会社を設立、村山と上野がこのあと1年交替で社長を務めた（1919年まで）。また、従来探訪（通信員）などを使っていた「軟派記事」にも学校教育を受けた社会部記者を採用するようになった。緒方竹虎(おがたたけとら)（主筆、副社長。のち自由党総裁）、美土路昌一(みどろますいち)（1886―1973。編集総長、社長）らはこのころ入社した記者である。新聞界で初めて調査部を設けたのも『東京朝日新聞』で、1911年6月のこと（『大阪朝日』は翌1912年10月）である。

［春原昭彦］

大正期

1913年（大正2）第一次憲政擁護運動の際は、憲政の大義を論じ民論の先頭に立ち、翌1914年のシーメンス事件には軍紀粛正を叫んだが、とくに有名なのは、寺内正毅(まさたけ)内閣弾劾の筆鋒(ひっぽう)であった。当時、鳥居素川編集局長を先頭とする『大阪朝日新聞』は、大正デモクラシー運動の一方の旗頭となり、寺内軍閥・官僚内閣を攻撃、そのため言論の中心が大阪に移ったとさえいわれるほどだった。しかしシベリア出兵に反対し、米騒動の記事掲載禁止を糾弾した『大阪朝日新聞』は1918年8月「白虹(はっこう)筆禍事件」を起こして編集幹部の総退陣を余儀なくされ、「本社の本領宣明」という改禍状を掲載して発行停止を免れるという打撃を受けた。

　だが経営面では1913年、対抗紙『大阪毎日新聞』と販売協定を結び、乱売合戦に終止符を打った。1915年10月夕刊を発行（『東京朝日』は1921年）、新たに7地方版を発行して着々と地方に勢力を伸ばした。1923年の関東大震災後は、『東京朝日新聞』も東北、信越に伸張、全国紙としての態勢を固めるに至った。1921年の下村宏(ひろし)（下村海南(かいなん)）に続いて1922年石井光次郎(みつじろう)（1889―1981。専務。のち衆議院議長）が入社、経営の近代化を図る一方、1923年には大学卒業生の試験採用を制度化した。

［春原昭彦］

昭和期

大正後期の『朝日』は、軍縮運動、普通選挙運動に力を注ぐが、昭和期に入るとその反権力的姿勢が軍部、右翼からにらまれ、二・二六事件（1936）のときは、反乱軍の襲撃を受けた。しかし、この間にも新聞界随一の力を基盤に、満州事変（1931）が始まると優れた報道力を発揮した。1935年（昭和10）には北九州（門司(もじ)、のち小倉に移転）と名古屋でも印刷発行を開始、1940年9月、4本社（東京、大阪、西部、名古屋）の題号を『朝日新聞』に統一した。

　1945年（昭和20）太平洋戦争が終わると、戦時中の幹部は退陣し、同年11月7日「国民と共に起(た)たん」の宣言を発表、読者にその進路を誓った。戦中・戦後の用紙統制時代は、部数の伸びもほとんどなかったが、1950年代に入ると自由競争が復活、戦前を上回る普及を示した。1959年6月には世界に先駆けてファクシミリによる紙面電送を実用化して札幌で印刷発行を開始したほか、1975年1月から青森県弘前(ひろさき)でも印刷を開始、全国紙態勢を整えた。1980年には従来の活版印刷方式を一変し、コンピュータを駆使し、活字を使わない新しい印刷設備を整えた新社屋を東京築地(つきじ)に建設、世界の新聞界から注目を浴びた。報道面では、1976年のロッキード事件に関し、アメリカでロッキード社副社長コーチャンとの単独会見記事をスクープ、1988年には調査報道によりリクルート事件をスクープするなどその活動面でも国際的に高く評価された。

［春原昭彦］

平成期

平成に入ると、本支社を結ぶコンピュータ・ネットワークが完成、工場の分散化も進み、全国に印刷工場を展開するとともに、印刷・輸送の効率化のため、地方紙への委託印刷（広島の中国新聞、帯広の十勝(とかち)毎日新聞、鹿児島の南日本新聞ほか）を進めている。さらに衛星時代に対応して1986年以来、紙面を海外に伝送し現地の会社に印刷・配送を委託する「国際衛星版」を世界各地で発行、1989年（平成1）には通信衛星を利用する「衛星チャンネル（現朝日ニュースター）」を営業開始した。1995年、インターネット情報サービス「asahi. com」を立ち上げ、2009年（平成21）からはテレビ朝日、KDDIとともに携帯電話にニュースを配信する「EZニュースEX」を開始するなどメディア複合体への飛躍を目ざしている。現在アメリカ（ワシントン）、ヨーロッパ（ロンドン）、中東アフリカ（カイロ）、アジア（バンコク）、中国（北京(ペキン)）の5か所に総局、世界各地に28の支局を設置しているほか、AP、ロイター、イタル・タス、中国通信、朝鮮通信など世界の有力通信社と契約を結び、全世界に取材網を張り、日本でもっとも権威ある新聞として国際的評価も高い。発行部数は朝刊約790万部、夕刊約310万部（2010）。

［春原昭彦］

『朝日新聞大阪本社社史編修室編『村山龍平伝』（1953）』▽『朝日新聞社社史編修室編『上野理一伝』（1959）』▽『朝日新聞大阪本社編『朝日新聞販売百年史（大阪編）』（1979）』▽『津金澤聰廣・山本武利・有山輝雄・吉田曠二著『近代日本の新聞広告と経営』（1979・朝日新聞社）』▽『朝日新聞東京本社編『朝日新聞販売百年史（東京編）』（1980）』▽『朝日新聞百年史編修委員会編『朝日新聞社史　明治編　大正・昭和戦前編　昭和戦後編　資料編』全4巻（1990～1995・朝日新聞社）』