This chapter explains how Japanese newspapers remained relatively balanced until the 1960 Security Treaty crisis, after which outlets—especially Asahi Shimbun—became increasingly ideological. It traces the influence of GHQ policies, U.S. strategy to divide Japan and China, Asahi’s role in the 1960 protests, and later distortions such as the “China’s Journey” series and comfort-women reporting, describing how postwar journalism gradually lost its function and contributed to political and social confusion.

Takayama:
Here I would like to add that, until the postwar period before the 1960 Security Treaty crisis, newspapers were still functioning properly.
There was none of the bias we see today.
For example, there were no debates over the “national flag,” and thanks to that, every home displayed the Hinomaru in front of the house on national holidays.

Kawaguchi:
That may indeed be true.
In my memory, NHK also used to end its daily broadcast with the national flag and “Kimigayo.”

Takayama:
The reason we say things were “normal” until the 1960 Security Treaty crisis can be illustrated by the Asahi Shimbun.
At that time, the chief editorial writer was the previously mentioned Shin Tarō Kasa.
Kasa, during the war, served as a correspondent in Germany, but fled to Switzerland, where he met Allen Dulles, who was directing the OSS Swiss station, and became a collaborator.
From then on, Asahi Shimbun was positioned as a window for America’s policy toward Japan.

Kawaguchi:
Even though GHQ no longer exists, does Asahi Shimbun still follow the “GHQ spirit”?

Takayama:
In a sense, that may be said.
The American concern in the first half of the 20th century was the fear that Japan might rise, incorporate China, and lead its 400 million people.
Thus the United States created Tsinghua University, brought in students, and sought to divide Japan and China.
Dividing Japan and China remained the core of America’s strategy.
After the war, China became strong.
If Japan and China were to unite again, it would be troublesome.
Therefore, the United States pursued a policy of separation—preventing Japan from uniting internally as well.

Kawaguchi:
And expelling Chiang Kai-shek and establishing a Communist regime in China was also influenced by American intent.

Takayama:
Then came the 1960 Security Treaty crisis in Japan, but in the year before that, Shin Tarō Kasa launched Asahi Journal.
It was to divide and destabilize Japan.
The rhetoric in that magazine fanned the flames of the protests, and on June 15, 1960, students stormed the south gate of the National Diet Building, and Michiko Kanba, then a University of Tokyo student, died.
It was predicted that several hundred thousand people would gather for Kanba’s memorial rally.
What emerged was the fear of an actual “revolutionary situation.”
At that moment, under Kasa’s direction, the major Tokyo newspapers were gathered, and a joint editorial was issued announcing a complete ban on violent demonstrations.
The newspapers turned their backs on the demonstrators.
This was the joint editorial of the seven Tokyo newspapers.
Dulles was still active then.
Through Kasa, Dulles conveyed that no one desired a communist revolution in Japan.
They desired Japan’s weakening, but not its communist takeover.
Just before that, Vice President Nixon had visited Japan and declared, “Japan’s postwar constitution was a mistake, so please scrap it.”

Kawaguchi:
What? Is that so!

Takayama:
Yet the newspapers simply ignored it.
The relationship that Kasa Shin Tarō had built—Asahi Shimbun acting as America’s loyal “poodle”—gradually weakened.
Recently, I had drinks with Kiyoshi Nagaei, a former Asahi reporter.
According to him, the line of control to destabilize Japan under American direction has already disappeared.

Kawaguchi:
And what remains is an uncontrolled “Marxism,” correct?

Takayama:
Yes.
It is no longer propaganda with a purpose.
In other words, after losing the key figure Shin Tarō Kasa, there was no one left to transmit America’s intentions.
A pathetic situation in which the era of America’s “poodle” was still better.

Kawaguchi:
The 1960 Security Treaty crisis was one phase, but major incidents continued after the 1970 crisis.
For example, Kakuei Tanaka’s “Lockheed scandal.”
I believe this too was a script written by the United States, but Japan’s Supreme Court and everything else moved according to their will, and the newspapers were not functioning at all.
Then, in 1971, Katsui Honma began his series “China’s Journey,” which awakened the public to the so-called atrocities of the Japanese army such as the Nanjing Massacre.
And from there came narratives like “North Korea is a paradise on earth,” and the comfort-women reports, and Asahi Shimbun’s rampage became unstoppable.

Takayama:
And eventually, they began to brazenly claim, “What’s wrong with lying!”
The way they speak obvious lies without restraint is exactly the image of an Asahi Shimbun that has lost all brakes.
(To be continued.)