From the Editor
Justin McCurry
In September, the Number 1 Shimbun paid tribute to the journalists of Gaza, including the hundreds who have been killed since the Israeli Defence Forces launched their attack on the strip. This month, David McNeill and Dennis Normile spotlight another group of media workers who are risking their lives to keep the rest of us informed – the journalists of Ukraine, who are covering what some fear is becoming the “forgotten war”. Their interview with Sergiy Tomilenko, president of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, is a must-read. Elsewhere in this issue, Bob Whiting contributes his third and final installment on the history of the FCCJ, now in its 80th year, Karyn Nishimura previews the LDP leadership election, and Eiichiro Tokumoto explains the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to the Show Emperor’s landmark 1975 press conference for foreign journalists. Peter McGill and Mark Schreiber complete their respective series on author Richard Hughes and Japan-based diplomats who turned to crime writing, and in their regular columns, Philip Brasor takes the media to task over falling rates of HPV vaccination, and Eric Johnston reports on fresh controversy over the depiction of the Ainu, Japan's indigenous people. In FCCJ news: Anthony Trotter on an appearance by North Korea expert Jenny Town, Dan Sloan on the newly launched School Night series, and Anthony Rowley on a Deep Dive event about the climate crisis. And in the latest in the Ask an Associate series, Suvendrini Kakuchi meets former Japanese government official Tad Sano.
Cover artwork by Julio Shiiki
The Number 1 Shimbun
October 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 Randy Schmidt
2nd Vice President Aviraj Gokool
Treasurer Anthony Rowley
Secretary Kathleen Benoza
Directors-at-Large
Michael King, Taeko Nagayama, Michiyo Nakamoto, Masayuki Watanabe
Kanji Martin Fackler, Knopf Doubleday Publishing & Simon Farrell, Custom Media K.K.
Reserve Director
David Umeda
FCCJ Committee & Ad-hoc Committee Chairs
Publications (Number 1 Shimbun) Justin McCurry
Associate Members’ Liaison Simon Farrell & David Umeda
Entertainment Simon Farrell & Douglas Montgomery
Exhibition Peter Lyon
Film Karen Severns
Finance Anthony Rowley
Food & Beverage Shuri Fukunaga & Michiyo Nakamoto
Freedom of Press David McNeill & Ilgin Yorulmaz
House & Property Randy Schmidt
Human Resources Avi Gokool
Library, Archives & Workroom Suvendrini Kakuchi & Robert Whiting
Membership Randy Schmidt & Dan Sloan
Professional Activities Eric Johnston & Martin Fackler
DeRoy Memorial Scholarship Martin Fackler
Compliance Yoshisuke Iinuma & Masayuki Watanabe
Election (2025-2026) Yoshisuke Iinuma
Deep Dive Anthony Rowley
Information Technology (Web) TBD
Membership Marketing TBD
Sports Akihiko Tanabe
The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan
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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.