ABSTRACT
As we try to make sense of the rise of illiberal politics with a particular focus on the role played by the media, it is of utmost importance that we first take a look at the historical roots of two of the most striking features of press-state relations in modern Japan. First, there is the extraordinarily close tie between the press and the state, in terms of both personnel and money. Second, as the state divided and conquered the press by making the most of these intricate ties, key concepts that the state agents mobilized in their attempt to silence the media critics have been “impartiality” (fuhen futō), “neutrality” (chūritsu), and “fairness” (kōsei). As Sasaki Takashi argued, “Ever since their inception, Japanese newspapers have had the character as devices for the dissemination of information for the government or power, and while there has been some changes in the appearance, that character remains essentially unchanged.” (Sasaki 1999: 8-9).
