I wrote the last two entries as one post but it is better to split them up. (Note to Reiko: I am very thankful you decided to subscribe to the paper for me. I am really happy and want to carry on. But you know how I am…)

….I`m also getting a copy of the English language Japan Times Newspaper. I am exceptionally happy as I can now be more up to date with Japanese current affairs instead of being restricted to a translated NHK news on the television once a day. Incidentally you can be too by following the link in the sidebar or by going to Japan Times. I like it very much but like all the English language newspapers in Japan, the World News section tends to mean what is happening in America. For example. From Page 5 (World/Classified) of The Japan Times in descending order of proportion of page given:

Washington: US SEEKS CURE FOR LOW FLU VACCINATIONS
Los Angeles: HOUSE, SENATE SPLIT OVER INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REFORM
Washington: OAS CHIEF QUITS OVER BRIBE CHARGE
San Francisco: OLD CALENDAR GIRLS DONATION REFUSED
San Francisco: CALIF CHARTER OKS GAY MARRIAGE BAN
Los Angeles: ROCKER ETHERIDGE BATTLING CANCER
Los Angeles: SPEARS FORMALIZES MARRIAGE TO DANCER

Of the nine stories on the page, two deal with news items not in the USA. The first is in Port au Prince (Haiti) and the second deals with two Palestinians being killed in Gaza City, Israel. Both which would be of interest to American readers. Of course there are 19 other pages in the newspaper, which covers a lot of Japanese news (very well) and some other world items such as the upcoming Australian election and the anniversary of Fuji`s independence from British colonial rule (those evil English bastards!) but this is not restricted only to the otherwise excellent Japan Times. The Yomiuri Daily, which on one occasion actually imported several pages from the Washington Post onto its pages as a special feature, is another example of this type of newspaper reporting.

In today`s Japan Times, the only European news items are for Sports and incidentally all related to England – Arsene Wenger`s fears about players` high red blood cell counts in tests, Roy Keane playing former Manchester United team mate Fabien Barthez in the international football game France vs Ireland and Hastings being mistakenly quoted as belonging to Dorset in a book review. Although I am sorry for the Etheridge person who has cancer, I have never heard of her just as perhaps you may not have heard of Roy Keane, I graciously accept. I just wish that Japan in all aspects of news, society and politics, would stop looking at America and the blue eyed, blond haired, Caucasian civilisation in general as the mark to aim for and take pride and responsibility in its own culture and civilisation and (more importantly as regards the paper) for a section entitled World News to feature more than two continents. There are many more newsworthy events than a blow by blow account of American news. If you want to read or write American news, read or write for USA Today. I am not necessarily asking for more British news, just a fairer representation of World news on the World Page.

As it is the first day I received this otherwise excellent paper, perhaps it is my mistake and it is merely a blip in a week/month/year of balanced reporting. It is possible that the paper is mainly intended to be read by expats or visiting Americans. Perhaps it is a case of tailoring output towards what the reader wants to read as regards the select Japanese subscribers. If there are any Americans reading this, I would be very happy to hear what you have to say. Maybe I should write a letter to the newspaper themselves. If I get some good feedback from this post, I`ll write to them and put a copy of my letter here too. Where`s my pen?