WORLD PRESS TRENDS - World Association of Newspapers

JAPAN
JAPAN
Commentary - Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (NSK - The Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association)
In the second straight year of decline, Japan’s nominal GDP
shrank by 1.4% in 2002. Consumer prices, share prices and land
prices all continued to fall, while the number of bankruptcies
and unemployment rose. Japan is now struggling to stem
deflation by encouraging business realignments, eliminating
concerns about the financial system and boosting private-sector
demand.
The sluggish Japanese economy depressed newspaper
advertising sales. According to Dentsu, which compiles
advertising statistics, newspaper advertising sales fell by 11.0%
in 2002, after falling 3.6% in 2001. The double-digit plunge was
the largest ever, surpassing the previous record of 9.5% decline
in 1992, when Japan’s bubble economy collapsed. Newspapers
fell by more than other media like television and radio.
Newspapers’ share of total advertising expenditure fell from
19.9% in 2001 to 18.8% in 2002, primarily because of sharply
lower expenditure by the information, communications, finance
POPULATION
and insurance-related industries. As a result, newspaper
companies need to develop new advertisers and take every
possible measure to boost advertising sales in a very competitive
environment: in particular the internet continues to expand its
share of the market, while new magazines are continually being
developed.
Meanwhile, newspaper copy-sales revenues have remained
level since 1995, according to a survey on newspaper business
trends conducted by Nihon Shinbun Kyokai (The Japan
Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association). This has
generally helped newspaper publishers remain profitable
despite their falling advertising revenues.
In an effort to secure profits, newspaper companies have been
redoubling their efforts to cut down on personnel, paper, raw
materials and other costs. However, they are expected to report
sharp falls in profits for the year ending March 2003.
Population by age and sex
All individuals Male Female Households
000 % 000 % 000 % 000
Children 18,119 14 9,283 15 8,836 14 46,781
15-24 15,152 12 7,739 12 7,413 11
25-34 18,927 15 9,678 16 9,249 14
35-44 15,673 12 7,957 13 7,716 12
45-54 19,165 15 9,627 16 9,538 15
55-64 16,359 13 8,017 13 8,342 13
65+ 23,083 18 9,671 16 13,412 21
Total 126,478 100 61,972 100 64,506 100
Source: Residential Register, Home Affairs Ministry
Age structure of readership (1999)
% weekly reach within
Age
age group
10-19 77.1
20-29 88.1
30-39 95.0
40-49 96.3
50-59 96.9
60+ 92.0
Source: NSK
Newspaper reach (%)
Daily
All adults 78.3
Men 82.1
Women 75.2
Source: NSK (2001)
Housewives (co-habiting persons)
Housewives
000
under 25 497
25-34 5,088
35-44 6,409
45-54 8,033
55-64 6,590
over 65 5,819
Total 32,436
Source: 2000 Population Census
Households (2000)
Households
Occupancy 000
1 person 12,911
2 people 11,743
3 people 8,810
4 people 7,925
5 or more people 5,392
without children 28,375
with children 18,407
with oldest child aged 0-6 5,356
with oldest child aged 7-18 13,051
Total 46,781
Source: 2000 Population Census
NUMBER OF TITLES AND CIRCULATION
Change (%)
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 98/2002 2001/02
Number of titles
Total dailies 108 109 110 106 106 -1.85 0.00
National dailies 5 5 5 5 5 0.00 0.00
Regional dailies 92 93 94 90 90 -2.17 0.00
Sports dailies 11 11 11 11 11 0.00 0.00
Non-dailies 1 - - - - - -
Free papers 106 122 153 158 179 68.87 13.29
Circulation (000)
Total dailies 72,410 72,218 71,896 71,694 70,815 -2.20 -1.23
National dailies 40,450 40,318 40,332 40,229 39,773 -1.67 -1.13
Regional dailies* 25,579 25,608 25,257 25,344 25,234 -1.35 -0.43
Sports dailies 6,380 6,293 6,307 6,122 5,808 -8.97 -5.12
Free papers 16,460 18,066 19,915 21,190 21,576 31.08 1.82
Source: NSK, except free papers, which are from Japan ABC
*includes specialised dailies
Many Japanese dailies print morning and evening editions as well as on Sundays.
All regional ediitons published by the regional HQ of the same company are counted as
one title
Titles
112
111
110
109
108
107
106
105
104
103
102
101
100
Number of daily titles and circulation
Titles
Circulation
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
73,000
72,500
72,000
71,500
71,000
70,500
70,000
Circulation (000s)
160
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS - WORLD PRESS TRENDS 2003