The number of Japanese newspapers and news agencies
supplying articles and other information on the Internet is
on the rise. According to a survey by the Japan Newspaper
Publishers and Editors Association, as of the end of August
eight of its members were providing Internet services: four
national dailies (Asahi, Mainichi, Nikkei, and Yomiuri),
three regional newspapers (Hokkaido, Kobe, and Yamanashi
Nichinichi), and one news agency (Kyodo).
Although the content of the service offered differs
from one organization to the next, they all feature vivid
colors in transmitting not only news articles but also
audio-visual data. The four national dailies and Yamanashi
Nichinichi Shimbun provide information to the Internet
through their own World Wide Web servers.
The Asahi supplies key articles from the Asahi Shimbun
and the English-language Asahi Evening News, news flashes it
provides to computer networks, and press releases by
Japanese and foreign companies. The Nikkei provides articles
from its Saturday "Nikkei X" supplement aimed at young
readers and plans to begin supplying more general
information, including articles from the Nikkei Shimbun and
descriptions of Nikkei group publications, from November.
The Mainichi supplies important articles from the
Mainichi Shimbun and the English-language Mainichi Daily
News as well as news flashes. The Yomiuri provides important
articles and editorials from the Yomiuri Shimbun and the
English-language Daily Yomiuri as well as summaries of
articles carried in its monthly magazine This Is Yomiuri.
At the regional level, meanwhile, the Yamanashi
Nichinichi Shimbun has teamed up with Yamanashi Broadcasting
Company to provide local news, news photos, and information
about local museums and events.
The other companies supply information through home
pages set up on public servers. Kobe Shimbun provides a
description, with photos of its activities since the Great
Hanshin Earthquake. The paper continued to publish on a
daily basis despite enormous damage to its facilities thanks
partly to the cooperation it received from Kyoto Shimbun. It
also introduces the letters it received from readers
electronically, both on its newspaper pages and on the
Internet.
Hokkaido Shimbun provides stories about history and the
natural environment accompanied by photos and music. Since
the middle of September it has also been supplying news
flashes. Kyodo News Service,meanwhile, provides news photos.
(The above article, edited by Japan Echo Inc., is based on domestic Japanese news sources. It is offered for reference purposes and does not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.)