Fiktiv Japan - Asahi Shimbun Company

TV Asahi Corporation, also known as EX and Tele-Asa, is a Japanese television network with its headquarters in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network.

TV Asahi began as "Nihon Educational Television Co., Ltd." (NET) on November 1, 1957. It was established as a for-profit educational television channel. At the time, its broadcasting license dictated that the network is required to devote at least 50% of its airtime to educational programming, and at least 30% of its airtime to children's educational programming. The station was owned by Asahi Shimbun, Toei Company, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and Obunsha.

However, the for-profit educational television model eventually proved to be a failure. In 1960, NET began its transformation into a general-purpose television station. It began to broadcast anime and foreign movies. So as not to run afoul of the educational TV license requirements, NET justified the airing of these programs under the pretext of "nurturing a child's emotional range" and "introduction of foreign cultures". At the same time, NET also changed its common name from "Nihon Educational Television" to "NET TV".

Seven years later, in 1967, NET aired its first colour broadcast programme. Part of its transformation into a general TV channel would be the April 1971 premiere of the Kamen Rider Series by the Toei Company and creator Shotaro Ishinomori, the tokusatsu superhero series that would make the channel a national hit. It has been its home ever since, joined by yet another toku series, Super Sentai, in the spring of 1975 (KR left the channel in 1975, only to return in 2000). Aside from these two live action programs, which would become part of its flagship programming, due in part by the work done by Toei's animation branch, the 70s were also marked on NET with great animation classics of national fame, which aired one after the other in the channel and were even exported to other countries, many of these would be part of daily life and culture and helped introduce the world to the anime genre. Such animations put the channel in direct competition with other stations which broadcast similar programming.

NET's transformation into a general-purpose television station was complete by November 1973, when NET, along with educational channel "Tokyo Channel 12" (now TV Tokyo) in Tokyo applied and received a general purpose television station license. At the same time, NET renamed itself as NET General Television, which subsequently became the "Asahi National Broadcasting Company, Limited" (commonly named "TV Asahi") on April 1, 1977. Five years later, TV Asahi became the official network, until 1999, for yet another Toei live action franchise, the Metal Hero Series.

In 1996, TV Asahi established the All-Nippon News Network (ANN), and began a number of reforms, including the unification of all presentation styles on its regional networks and the creation of a new logo to give Asahi the look and feel of a national television network. On October 1, 2003, TV Asahi moved its head office from its Ark Hills Studio to Roppongi Hills, and the station was renamed "TV Asahi Corporation", with the name presented as "tv asahi" on-screen.

The transmission of international aquatics competitions, World Cup football matches, and creation of popular late-night TV programs contributed to a rise in ratings for TV Asahi, and lifted the TV station from its popularly ridiculed "perpetual fourth place" finish into second place, right behind Fuji TV, by 2005.

The station also launched its own mascot, Gō EX Panda, also known as Gō-chan. Gō-chan is currently seen on TV Asahi's opening sign-on ID.

TV Asahi is a major broadcaster with 23 local affiliates that extend coverage across the entire Japanese archipelago. Our global network of 20 foreign bureaus ensures speedy news transmission from all over the world. TV Asahi pioneered the application of satellite technology in broadcasting in Japan. We continue to take up new challenges that will keep us at the frontier in broadcasting.

Our channel provides comprehensive coverage of important breaking news and international events, as well as innovative dramas. TV Asahi is also a recognized leader in the production and development of high-quality programming for the Japanese market as well as those credited with international interests for worldwide distribution.

Our dedicated international satellite transponder ensures rapid and accurate coverage of the latest news from around the globe. On top of news gathered by our staff, TV Asahi receives information 24 hours a day through international news agencies, such as Reuters and APTN.

We have been very successful in producing innovative news shows. Our most famous and professionally respected news program, "News Station", was first aired in 1985 and took the country by storm. The 75-minute show, which starts at 9:54 PM every weeknight, defined a new role for newscasters and a new style of news coverage. "News Station" spawned many imitations, but none has ever approached either its popularity or its social and political influence.

The evening "Super J Channel" is a two-hour news show which started in 1997 and offers comprehensive coverage of headline stories. Along with hard news, viewers are treated to report on the latest consumer trends, fashion and overseas information. The show appeals to a wide range of audience, from teens to adults.

The highly successful "Asamade Nama TV" is shown once a month and features experts from various fields, debating political, economic and social topics into the early hours of the morning. Controversial topics, such as religion or the role of Japan's Self-Defense Force that are generally avoided on other television channels are openly discussed.

Another news show, "The Scoop 21", features in-depth reports on timely issues, ranging from political scandals to AIDS and sexual harassment, while "Spaceship Earth", a 30-minute show aired every Sunday night, deals with global environment issues and attempts to increase public awareness of our precious and fragile planet.

===
BS Asahi is a Japanese satellite broadcasting station owned by TV Asahi Corporation. The channel lanuched on December 1st 2000.

BS Asahi aims to be a leading company of BS commercial broadcasting. We gain wide support from viewers and advertisers, and have a management base that enables sustainable growth.

===
Tele-Asahi Channel is a Japanese cable entertainment television channel owned by TV Asahi Corporation. The channel lanuched on June 1st 2002.

The channel broadcasts anime series produced by Shin-Ei Animation and Toei Animation.,which occupy more than one-third of programming. It also broadcasts domestic and overseas drama series as well as variety shows from TV Asahi's schedule.

===
Tele-Asahi Plus is a Japanese cable entertainment television channel owned by TV Asahi Corporation. The channel lanuched on April 1st 2013, and serves as the sister channel of Tele-Asahi Channel.

The channel features a variety of comprehensive entertainment programming including classic anime, documentaries, drama series, variety shows as well as sports programming, including live coverage of all Saitama Seibu Lions baseball matches.

===
Asahi Newstar is a Japanese 24-hour television news channel owned by TV Asahi Corporation. The channel lanuched on October 1st 1993.

Asahi Newstar is TV Asahi's 24-hour television channel specializing in news and information in the digital age of multi-channel broadcasting, and a nationwide TV station of the Asahi Shimbun, a leading newspaper of Japan, and TV Asahi Corporation (ANN).

Although it is a news channel, it is characterized by the fact that discussion programs and current affairs commentary programs occupy the majority of programming, which is very different from the style of other channels where anchors constantly convey news 24 hours a day from the news studio. If anything, there are many left - wing and liberal- style programs similar to the Asahi Shimbun , but right - wing and conservatives and government officials may also appear. In addition, there are many media-verified programs, and self-criticism of the media industry (including Asahi Shimbun and TV Asahi) that cannot be seen in other media (criticism of the press club system and the financial constitution of the media industry). In addition, all press conferences are broadcasted live and uncut.

===
CNNj is a Japanese 24-hour television news channel owned as a joint venture between TV Asahi Corporation and AT&T's WarnerMedia. It broadcasts programming from CNN US, CNN International and CNN Business.

The channel was opened with the purpose of "choosing programs that suit Japanese viewers from each network of CNN and aiming for flexible program organization." Japan is the only CNN channel with such a hybrid organization. Currently, it broadcasts in two languages - English and Japanese. As of September 2016, the main voice with simultaneous Japanese translation in voice-over format and the sub-voice with the original sound are broadcast daily from 7:00 to 24:00. Except for some CNN program commercials, all CMs will remain in English and no simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

If serious incidents and important events would happen, simultaneous interpretation will continue even from midnight to early morning (sometimes done on "9/11" or on the day of voting (local time) in the United States presidential election).

===
FM Osaka is an FM radio station in Osaka, Japan. The station is an affiliate of Japan FM Network (JFN).

FM Osaka started broadcasting on April 1, 1970. It was the second commercial FM radio station to launch in Japan after FM Aichi. During its early years, FM Osaka transmitted from Mount Ikoma but later moved to Mount Iimori.

FM Osaka's main studios are located at "Minatomachi River Place" in Minato, Naniwa, Osaka, in use since July 22, 2002. Its previous studios was at the Asahi Shimbun Osaka Headquarters building in Nakanoshima.

===
The Asahi Shimbun is one of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun and subsequently is the second largest circulating newspaper in the world behind Yomiuri.

Its publisher, The Asahi Shimbun Company, itself a media conglomerate, has its registered headquarters in Osaka and remains a privately held family business in the major ownership and control of the founding Murayama and Ueno families.

One of Japan's oldest and largest national daily newspapers, the Asahi Shimbun began publication in Osaka on 25 January 1879 as a small-print, four-page illustrated paper that sold for one sen (a hundredth of a yen) a copy, and had a circulation of approximately 3,000 copies. The three founding officers of a staff of twenty were Kimura Noboru (company president), Murayama Ryōhei (owner), and Tsuda Tei (managing editor). The company's first premises were at Minami-dōri, Edobori in Osaka. On 13 September of the same year, Asahi printed its first editorial.

In 1881, the Asahi adopted an all-news format, and enlisted Ueno Riichi as co-owner. From 1882, Asahi began to receive financial support from the Government and Mitsui, and hardened the management base. Then, under the leadership of Ueno, whose brother was one of the Mitsui managers, and Murayama, the Asahi began its steady ascent to national prominence. On 10 July 1888, the first issue of the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun was published from the Tokyo office at Motosukiyachō, Kyōbashi. The first issue was numbered No. 1,076 as it was a continuation of three small papers: Jiyū no Tomoshibi, Tomoshibi Shimbun and Mesamashi Shimbun.

On 1 April 1907, the renowned writer Natsume Sōseki, then 41, resigned his teaching positions at Tokyo Imperial University, now Tokyo University, to join the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun. This was soon after the publication of his novels Wagahai wa Neko de Aru (I Am a Cat) and Botchan, which made him the center of literary attention.

On 1 October 1908, Osaka Asahi Shimbun and Tokyo Asahi Shimbun were merged into a single unified corporation, Asahi Shimbun Gōshi Kaisha, with a capitalization of approximately 600,000 yen.

In 1918, because of its critical stance towards Terauchi Masatake's cabinet during the Rice Riots, government authorities suppressed an article in the Osaka Asahi, leading to a softening of its liberal views, and the resignation of many of its staff reporters in protest.

Indeed, the newspaper's liberal position led to its vandalization during the February 26 Incident of 1936, as well as repeated attacks from ultranationalists throughout this period (and for that matter, throughout its history).

From the latter half of the 1930s, Asahi ardently supported Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe's wartime government (called Konoe Shin Taisei, or Konoe's New Political Order) and criticized capitalism harshly under Taketora Ogata, the Editor in Chief of Asahi Shimbun. Influential editorial writers of Asahi such as Shintarō Ryū, Hiroo Sassa, and Hotsumi Ozaki (an informant for the famous spy Richard Sorge) were the center members of the Shōwa Kenkyūkai, which was a political think tank for Konoe.

Ogata was one of the leading members of the Genyōsha which had been formed in 1881 by Tōyama Mitsuru. The Genyōsha was an ultranationalist group of organized crime figures and those with far right-wing political beliefs. Kōki Hirota, who was later hanged as a Class A war criminal, was also a leading member of the Genyōsha and one of Ogata's best friends. Hirota was the chairman of Tōyama's funeral committee, and Ogata was the vice-chairman.

Ryū, who had been a Marxist economist of the Ōhara Institute for Social Research before he entered Asahi, advocated centrally planned economies in his Nihon Keizai no Saihensei (Reorganization of Japanese Economies. 1939). And Sassa, a son of ultranationalistic politician Sassa Tomofusa, joined hands with far-right generals (they were called Kōdōha or Imperial Way Faction) and terrorists who had assassinated Junnosuke Inoue (ex–Minister of Finance), Baron Dan Takuma (chairman of the board of directors of the Mitsui zaibatsu) and Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi to support Konoe. In 1944, they attempted assassination of Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō (one of the leaders of Tōseiha or Control Group which conflicted with Kōdōha in the Japanese Army).

On 9 April 1937 the Kamikaze, a Mitsubishi aircraft sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun company and flown by Masaaki Iinuma, arrived in London, to the astonishment of the Western world. It was the first Japanese-built aircraft to fly to Europe.

On 1 September 1940, the Osaka Asahi Shimbun and the Tokyo Asahi Shimbun unified their names into the Asahi Shimbun.

On 1 January 1943, the publication of the Asahi Shimbun was stopped by the government after the newspaper published a critical essay contributed by Seigō Nakano, who was also one of the leading members of the Genyōsha and Ogata's best friend.

On 27 December 1943, Nagataka Murayama, a son-in-law of Murayama Ryōhei and the President of Asahi, removed Ogata from the Editor in Chief and relegated him to the Vice President to hold absolute power in Asahi.

On 22 July 1944, Ogata, Vice President of Asahi, became a Minister without Portfolio and the President of Cabinet Intelligence Agency in Kuniaki Koiso's cabinet.

On 7 April 1945, Hiroshi Shimomura, former Vice President of Asahi, became the Minister without Portfolio and the President of Cabinet Intelligence Agency in Kantarō Suzuki's cabinet.

On 17 August 1945, Ogata became the Minister without Portfolio and the Chief Cabinet Secretary and the President of Cabinet Intelligence Agency in Prince Higashikuni's cabinet.

On 5 November 1945, as a way of assuming responsibility for compromising the newspaper's principles during the war, the Asahi Shimbun's president and senior executives resigned en masse.

On 21 November 1946, the newspaper adopted the modern kana usage system (shin kanazukai).

On 30 November 1949, the Asahi Shimbun started to publish the serialized cartoon strip Sazae-san by Machiko Hasegawa. This was a landmark cartoon in Japan's postwar era.

Between 1954 and 1971, Asahi Shimbun published a glossy, large-format annual in English entitled This is Japan.

Between April and May 1989, the paper reported that a coral reef near Okinawa was defaced by a man with a Japanese dissolute mind. It later turned to be a report in which the reporter himself defaced the coral reef. This incident was called the Asahi Shimbun coral article hoax incident, and the president resigned to take responsibility for it.

On 2 April 2001, the English-language daily, the International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun (now known as The New York Times/The Asahi Shimbun), was first published.

On 26 June 2007, Yoichi Funabashi was named the third editor-in-chief of Asahi Shimbun.

Shōichi Ueno, the newspaper's co-owner since 1997, died on 29 February 2016.

===
The New York Times/The Asahi Shimbun (previously known as International Herald Tribune/The Asahi Shimbun) is a Japanese english-language newspaper published by The Asahi Shimbun Company in cooperation with The New York Times Company. The newspaper is printed in Tokyo and Osaka, and is available in Tokyo Metropolitan area, Kansai Metropolitan area and Nagoya, Sapporo, Shizuoka. The newspaper was first published on 2 April 2001.

The New York Times/The Asahi Shimbun is published six days a week from Monday through Saturday. The paper has only The New York Times International Edition section on the days after The Asahi Shimbun newspaper holidays. On those days the newspaper is delivered in the evening.

The New York Times International Edition section of the New York Times/Asahi generally has 22 pages, but is expanded for advertising and special supplements.

The first and second pages of the newspaper carry international news, and may include articles from The Asahi Shimbun on significant events in or about Japan, or when The Asahi Shimbun has exclusive coverage.

Other feature pages are headed "The Americas," "Europe," "International," and "Asia/Pacific." Content includes editorials and opinion, letters to the editor and book reviews.

Business and financial reporting is a significant element of The New York Times International Edition content. Coverage of markets in the United States, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and business, financial and technology coverage extend over about five pages.

Two pages or more are devoted to sports, including soccer and American major league sports. In addition to daily news, content includes travel information, health and science, technology, arts, fashion and entertainment articles on some days.

Content from The Asahi Shimbun takes up 8 to 12 pages but can be extended to accommodate classified advertising that is mostly job related as well as special events on some days.

The first page of The Asahi Shimbun section features news from and about Japan.

Page 2 and beyond provides coverage of domestic, politics, business and finance, and news from the Asia-Pacific region relating to Japan, plus interviews, editorials from The Asahi Shimbun, and "Vox Populi, Vox Dei," the English-language version of the popular Asahi Shimbun's "Tensei Jingo" column, plus commentary and TV listings.

The back page is devoted to sports and advertising.

Weekend editions add coverage on culture, travel and information on events and activities. The paper is available for morning delivery in most parts of Japan.

===
Nikkan Sports is the first-launched Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1946. It has a circulation of 1,965,000, and is an affiliate newspaper of the Asahi Shimbun.