
From the Editor
Justin McCurry
In late May, the FCCJ honored journalists and media organizations in Japan and other parts of Asia in its annual Freedom of the Press Awards. The event was a reminder that censorship, legal threats, imprisonment and, yes, the murder of journalists, have worsened across the region in recent years – all the more reason to highlight the work of those who refuse to give in to intimidation, whatever its source. You can read about the winners, selected by the Freedom of the Press Committee and approved by the FCCJ Board of Directors, in this month’s cover story. As we approach the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, this issue has a historic bent, with Mark Schreiber and Eiichiro Tokumoto both delving into events and personalities connected to the war in the Pacific and beyond. In their regular columns, Philip Brasor wonders how Japan’s penal system will respond to a legal revisions that require it to prioritize rehabilitation over punishment, while Eric Johnston explains the issues occupying the minds of Hokkaido voters ahead of upper house elections later this month. In the first installment of Ripping Yarns, in which FCCJ journalists reminisce about a memorable assignment, Anthony Rowley recounts the time he was sent, as a young reporter, to the war-torn jungles of Borneo. Also in this issue: the latest Ask an Associate interview; an update on the fight for justice for a Sri Lankan woman who died in custody at a Nagoya immigration facility; an extract from Monzurul Huq’s new book about his part in Bangladesh’s war of liberation; and Robert Whiting’s tribute to Japanese baseball great Shigeo Nagashima, who has died aged 89.
Cover design: clockwise from top center: Irene Khan, the United Nations Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion; Asia Award winner: Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, South Korea (Tokyo correspondent Jiyoung Shin); Japan Award Winner: Shimbun Akahata (Yoji Kogiso, Editor); Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Jiro Ishimaru, Asia Press International; Japan Award Honorable Mention: Hiroshima Peace Media Center (Yumi Kanazaki, Executive Director of the Center); Asia Award Honorable Mention: In-Depth Solomons (Ofani Eremae, Editor) - Cover artwork by Julio Shiiki
The Number 1 Shimbun
July 2025
Publisher FCCJ
Editor Justin McCurry
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
Marunouchi Nijubashi Building 5F
Marunouchi 3-2-3 Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 100-0005
Tel: (03) 3211-3161・fccj.or.jp
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.