The Foreign Press in Japan (FPIJ) is an association of more than one hundred media organizations from twenty countries that works to improve access and reporting opportunities for all foreign correspondents in Japan. Membership is free, and open to any legitimate foreign news organization with a representative in Japan. The FPIJ is separate from the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan and although we co-operate closely and have many members in common, it is not necessary to be a member of the FCCJ to benefit from the work of the FPIJ.
The objectives of the FPIJ, as stated in its Principles of Organization, are “to obtain the best possible news coverage facilities needed or requested by its members and to carry out all necessary acts for this purpose.” In practice, our work has three elements: disseminating information about press events, organizing press pools, and lobbying for better access on behalf of our member organizations.
Notices of upcoming events are circulated through our email forum. At events where press seats are limited, such as court hearings and press trips, the FPIJ negotiates for a fair quota for the foreign press, allocates available seats among our members, and organizes pool reports. And when members face discriminatory or unfair treatment, the FPIJ vigorously lobbies private companies and local and national government departments and ministries. In recent years, we have successfully pressed for improved access to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Defence, and the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, among others.
The FPIJ was established in 1964, and is run by a Chairman and an Executive Committee which is elected by its members once a year. In recent years, we have successfully reached out to new members, especially those from South Korea and China.
Joining the FPIJ
The FPIJ is an organization of organizations. Individuals attend meetings, cast votes and take part in FPIJ activities not in their own right, but as representatives of foreign news organizations. Membership is free and open to any foreign organization maintaining a correspondent in Japan - staff or freelancer - who is recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for news coverage in Japan. Possession of a MOFA press card in itself is not enough - to take part in FPIJ activities, you must also have a legitimate foreign media organization which is prepared to vouch for you as its correspondent.
To join the FPIJ, to update membership details for a member organization, or for questions about the FPIJ's work, contact: fpij-office@fccj.or.jp; or call Ms. Kobyashi or Ms. Furuta on 03-3211-3161
FPIJ Officers 2026-2027 (starting July 1, 2026)
Chair: Leo Lewis, Financial Times leo.lewis@ft.com
Pen: 1st Richard Lloyd Parry, The Times richard.lloydparry@thetimes.co.uk
Pen: 2nd Walter Sim, The Straits Times waltsim@sph.com.sg
TV: Fadi Salameh, Al Jazeera salamehf@aljazeera.net
Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, AFP Photos Andrew.CABALLERO-REYNOLDS@afp.com
Radio: Karyn Nishimura, Radio France karyn.nishimura@icloud.com
4 Permanent Agencies
Reuters: Yukiko Toyoda
The Associated Press (AP): Foster Klug
Agence France-Presse (AFP): Emmanuel Pionnier
Bloomberg: Isabel Reynolds