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 Committee 2022-2023
Chair: Richard Lloyd Parry, The Times richard.lloydparry@thetimes.co.uk
Pen 1st: Kana Inagaki, The Financial Times kana.inagaki@ft.com
Pen 2nd: Walter Sim, The Straits Times waltsim@sph.com.sg
Television: Fadi Salameh, AL Jazeera salamehf@aljazeera.net
Photo: Yuichi Hoshiko, The Associated Press (AP) Photos EHoshiko@ap.org
Radio: Karyn Nishimura, Radio France karyn.nishimura@icloud.com
Agence France-Presse, the Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters and United Press International,
as well as the president of the FCCJ, are ex officio members of the Executive Committee.