A must-read for NHK staff and Okinawan media. Drawing from Who Turned Asahi Shimbun into This by Hiroshi Hasegawa and Kiyoshi Nagae, this article exposes how newsroom ideology distorts facts and degrades journalism.

For their sake, for the world, I will introduce a passage from a book that is extremely beneficial to Japan.
2016-12-24
A book that all employees of NHK, the two Okinawan newspapers, and all Okinawans who subscribe to those papers must read is Who Turned Asahi Shimbun into This, co-authored by Hiroshi Hasegawa and Kiyoshi Nagae, published by WAC Bunko, priced at 920 yen, first edition issued on December 17, 2016.
For their sake, for the world, I will introduce a passage from this book, which is extremely beneficial to Japan.
This is taken from an essay by Kiyoshi Nagae.
Fabrication by Reading the Office Mood.
The occupation Americans least want to enter is newspaper journalist—so stated a free article distributed by the Japanese edition of Forbes.
This was based on the results of a 2016 survey conducted by the U.S. job information site CareerCast.
Journalists ranked lowest in 2015 as well.
The reason given was a lack of future prospects.
It would have been better to know more about the survey methodology, but it is interesting that many solitary occupations ranked highly.
In reality, journalism resembles the ninth most unpopular job: taxi driver.
Like a driver scanning sidewalks with hawk-like eyes for passengers, reporters also roam in search of stories.
Just as passengers announcing distant destinations are rare, top-tier scoops are also scarce.
However, even such driver-reporters perceive the atmosphere of their company.
Borrowing from Shichihei Yamamoto, what follows may be described as “Asahi Shimbun Within Me,” “Asahi Shimbun as Seen by One Reporter,” or “The Bias of One Abnormal Experiencer.”
Please read it with this in mind.
In the September 2016 issue of the monthly magazine WiLL, former editor-in-chief of Weekly Asahi, Jiro Kawamura, wrote of such an Asahi experience (Media Commentary: “Asahi Shimbun Should Apologize for ‘Kimigayo’”).
It concerned events in 1999, when the National Flag and Anthem Act was enacted.
At the time, Asahi published day after day opinions by celebrities opposing the Hinomaru and Kimigayo, and Kawamura was told by acquaintances outside the company, “Isn’t there something wrong with how the paper is being put together,” leaving him speechless.
One day, a signed article by Editorial Board Member Y appeared, stating that “At overseas competitions, many spectators stand up and leave when Kimigayo begins.”
I remember that article as well.
Kawamura asked Editorial Board Member Y, “Is that really true.”
He often watched overseas sporting events on television, yet had never seen such scenes.
The commentary continues as follows.
“He replied, ‘It’s a lie. But considering the current atmosphere in the company, it’s better to write it that way.’ I was so shocked that I was left speechless.”
An editorial board member is the face of Asahi.
“I was shocked,” Kawamura writes.
Compared to the story of Editorial Board Member Y, my own experience may seem mild, but I too had such an incident.
In 1988, while covering the Recruit scandal, Asahi ran a scoop claiming that then Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa had also received unlisted shares.
Omitted.
Please run to a bookstore and purchase the rest immediately.