Japan, Media in

Media History and the Current Environment

Book publishing began in the 17th century, and by the end of the 1800s, Japanese literacy neared 90%. Today, Japan claims a literacy rate of 99% and has more than 4,000 publishers and 20,000 bookshops, a number sustained by a universal pricing system for publications. Publishers are also exploring new methods of digital book delivery, such as mobile phone novels.

Like the book publishing industry, Japan's newspaper industry is flourishing. The first Japanese newspaper was published in 1862; today, Japan is the third largest newspaper market in the world, circulating 70.4 million copies daily. Six Japanese newspapers rank among the top eight in circulation worldwide, including world leader Yomiuri Shimbun (newspaper) with a daily circulation of more than 10 million copies for the morning edition and 4.7 million for the evening edition.

The first Japanese film was released in 1899. Documentaries and filmed stage productions dominated the early releases. Since World War II, when Japan's filmmakers began to explore new directions, the industry has had considerable success. In 1954, two films received international attention: the classic movie The Seven Samurai, directed by Akira Kurosawa, and the first Godzilla movie. Recently, Japanese films have attracted fans worldwide and have led to several Hollywood remakes, including versions of horror movies such as The Ring (Japan, 1998; United States, 2002), and increased demand for anime (Japanese animation).

The broadcast media have a much lower profile outside Japan, although a few Japanese television programs are shown on American cable stations. Japan's public broadcasting corporation, NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai), began radio broadcasts in 1925 and television broadcasts in 1953. Many of its dramas, particularly the drama Oshin (1983), about girl growing up and overcoming adversity in rural Japan, also have been popular in other Asian countries. Today, NHK attracts some of the largest audiences for programs on its two nationwide channels, with one channel devoted to educational programs. However, the five national broadcast corporations, as well as regional stations, are challenging NHK for market share. Most areas receive six to eight terrestrial channels, with cable and satellite systems raising the number of available channels to more than 40. In 2003, viewing time averaged 3 hours a day, although teenagers watched only 2.5 hours. [Page 456]Television programs range from anime to variety programs, with all genres found on American television represented. The most popular programs tend to be dramas, sports, and variety shows. Late-night television may show partial nudity, although cable systems offer adult channels. Japan is rapidly shifting to fully digital broadcasting, which began in 2000, and will cease analog broadcasts in 2011.

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