An Asahi Shimbun article inadvertently proves why Who Turned Asahi Shimbun into This by Kiyoshi Nagae and Hiroshi Hasegawa deserves global readership, exposing the coordinated dynamics between media narratives and international bodies.

That today’s Asahi Shimbun article proved this book is one that people around the world should read was unmistakable.
2016-12-26
The article in today’s Asahi Shimbun precisely demonstrated that Who Turned Asahi Shimbun into This, co-authored by Kiyoshi Nagae and Hiroshi Hasegawa, both of whom spent their lives as rising reporters at Asahi, is a book that all Japanese citizens and people worldwide should read.
The following section simultaneously proved that the critique I immediately wrote regarding David Kaye was entirely correct.
The contrived visit of a UN rapporteur.
Nagae.
In fact, Weekly Shincho contacted me asking for my opinion on remarks by Minister Takaichi concerning the Broadcast Act.
When I responded, “The Mainichi Shimbun is also covering Takaichi’s remarks extensively,” a Weekly Shincho reporter shot back, “As of this morning, Asahi has run forty-four pieces, Mainichi twenty-one—Asahi twice as many. Sankei has eighteen, and Yomiuri zero.”
I suggested that reporting the disparity in coverage itself would be more newsworthy and even stylish, but none of my comments were included (laughs).
—Asahi also harshly criticized the views of Ogawa Eitaro and others of the “Viewers’ Association Demanding Compliance with the Broadcast Act” in its April 13 editorial, “Criticism of TBS: Is It Legitimate Speech Activity?”
Hasegawa.
How should I put it… it is simply unreadable.
Asahi regards Ogawa and others as an “Abe cheering squad” and seems to view criticism of TV stations such as TBS as political cover for the administration.
Isn’t that an overly simplistic way of seeing things.
Nagae.
If there is factual substantiation, I actually prefer simplicity.
But simplicity without facts easily slips into agitation, making it difficult to get working-age readers to read newspapers.
Hasegawa.
There was also a movement that seemed to coincide exactly with the criticism of Takaichi’s remarks.
It was the visit to Japan by David Kaye, an American identified as a UN Special Rapporteur and a professor at the University of California, Irvine.
On April 19, he held a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan and stated that “the independence of Japanese media faces a serious threat.”
Nagae.
Kaye’s visit to Japan gave off a strong stench of being meticulously orchestrated, perfectly matching the phrase “in lockstep.”
To be continued.