From the Editor
Justin McCurry
Why has an award-winning – and now Oscar-nominated - documentary that has been screened in dozens of countries never been shown publicly in Japan? In this month’s cover story, David McNeill and I attempt to answer that question, and to address the simmering controversy over Black Box Diaries, Shiori Ito’s account of her 2015 rape and its aftermath. Elsewhere, Dan Sloan previews next month’s opening of the World Exposition in Osaka and Mark Schreiber explains why Japan’s media is going wild for the 100th Year of Showa. Peter McGill sounds a warning about the possible consequences for Japan of Trump Mark II, and Eiichiro Tokumoto delves into the mystery surrounding the discovery in 2011 of bottles containing a highly radioactive substance in a Tokyo neighbourhood. In FCCJ-related news, Steve Romaine whets our appetite for two forthcoming sake events, and Anthony Rowley reports on a recent appearance by the respected economist William Lazonick. In their regular columns, Eric Johnston wonders when Hokkaido’s vaunted microchip revolution will finally see the light of day, while Philip Brasor looks at Japanese media coverage of a sexual assault scandal that has ripped through the corridors of Fuji TV.
Cover artwork by Julio Shiiki
The Number 1 Shimbun
March 2025
Publisher FCCJ
Editor Justin McCurry, no.1shimbun@fccj.or.jp
Designer Julio Kohji Shiiki, www.sedo.co.jp
Website Paul Braganza
Editorial Assistant Naomichi Iwamura
Photo coordination Hiroko Moriwaki
Publications Committee
Justin McCurry (Chair), Suvendrini Kakuchi, David McNeill, Andy Sharp
FCCJ Board of Directors
President Dan Sloan
1st Vice President Khaldon Azhari
2nd Vice President Randy Schmidt
Treasurer Anthony Rowley
Secretary David M. Umeda
Directors-at-Large
Shuri Fukunaga, Suvendrini Kakuchi, Dave McCombs, Taeko Nagayama
Kanji Martin Fackler, Knopf Doubleday Publishing & Simon Farrell, Custom Media K.K.
FCCJ Committee & Ad-hoc Committee Chairs
Publications Justin McCurry
Associate Members’ Liaison Simon Farrell & David Umeda
Entertainment Jake Adelstein & Simon Farrell
Exhibitions Peter Lyon
Film Karen Severns
Finance Anthony Rowley
Food & Beverage Shuri Fukunaga & Michiyo Nakamoto
Freedom of Press David McNeill
House & Property Khaldon Azhari
Human Resources Randy Schmidt
Information Technology Hinza Asif & Yusuke Wada
Library, Archives & Workroom Suvendrini Kakuchi & Robert Whiting
Membership Randy Schmidt
Professional Activities Tetsuo Jimbo & Martin Koelling
DeRoy Memorial Scholarship Martin Fackler
Compliance Kunio Hamada & Yoshisuke Iinuma
Election Yoshisuke Iinuma
Deep Dive Anthony Rowley
Membership Marketing Gary Bremermann
Sports Akihiko Tanabe
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
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Published by the FCCJ All opinions contained within the Number 1 Shimbun are those of the authors. As such, these opinions do not constitute an official position of Number 1 Shimbun, the editor or the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan.