2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2In May, a coup d'état by Myanmar's military, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the ruling party, and others.Detained.Myanmar's coup d'état and subsequent demonstrations, as well as international relations and economic conditions, have been widely reported in newspapers and television in Japan. Myanmar's coup d'état and subsequent demonstrations, repression, international relations, and economic situation have been widely covered in newspapers and on TV in Japan.

As Myanmar is rocked by political upheaval, Kirin Holdings Company Limited (Kirin), which has a presence in Myanmarhigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)(NYSE: MBC) said it plans to dissolve its joint venture in Myanmar's beer business with a state-owned military company in the wake of the coup.announcementThe first time, the Japanese media reported on the event, the Japanese media were not satisfied with the news. Many Japanese media, in a series of reports,Consideration for Human RightsThe focus is on Kirin HD's claim that it cut ties with the Myanmar National Army from But why Kirin in the first place?high-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)The question remains as to whether the "Mere Old Man" has been operating jointly with the Myanmar military. Have there been any human rights issues pointed out in previous joint ventures? In the Japanese media, KirinHD andHow have they reported on their relationship with the Myanmar National Army?

Are the Japanese media adequately capturing and reporting not only the "good" aspects but also the "bad" aspects of Japanese companies expanding overseas? If not, why is this the case? In this article, we analyze the relationship between the media and the foreign expansion of Japanese companies, and explore how it should be done.

People take part in protests against the military coup in Myanmar (Photo: MgHla (aka) Htin Linn Aye /Wikimedia Commons[)CC BY-SA 4.0])

Media and Corporate Relations

What exactly is the relationship between media and companies? The media's originalroleThe media has two roles: the "mirror" role of reporting the facts as they really are, and the "watchdog" role of monitoring power through social norms. Applying this to the relationship between the media and corporations, the media plays the role of reporting the truth about conspicuous corporate activities, whether "good" or "bad," and exposing undesirable corporate behavior, such as complicity in crimes and human rights abuses.

However, there are circumstances that complicate this relationship. Most news organizations are also corporations and must make a profit in order to continue their business of reporting. Many media organizations generate advertising revenue by placing advertisements from other companies in their papers. In many media outlets today, advertising revenues account for at least a small percentage of total media revenues.occupyAnother aspect would be the importance of the connection between the company and its stakeholders as a source for articles and information. Conversely, a company can promote itself to readers and viewers by having its advertisements placed in the media and by being a source of information. In some cases, companies mayPRHire a consulting firm to develop a media strategy and provide the press withinfluenceSometimes.

Thus, while the media play a role in reporting and monitoring corporate actions, they also have a partner aspect as a source of advertising revenue and information, and the relationship is complex. In particular, the media plays a more important role than usual in business operations outside of Japan, where it is more difficult to understand the actions of companies, and citizens have fewer opportunities to directly access information. Does this complex relationship affect the coverage of Japanese companies abroad? How do the Japanese media cover Japanese companies abroad when they are associated with some kind of scandal or problem? We will examine the relationship between the media and expatriate companies from three perspectives: human rights and conflict issues, corruption, and environmental issues. We will analyze each of these perspectives, citing examples.

Human Rights and Conflict Issues

First, we picked up several cases in which Japanese companies were allegedly involved in issues related to human rights and conflicts, and examined their media coverage. In order to investigate how the Japanese media reports about Japanese companies, we selected major newspapers3The online databases of the three major newspapers (Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, and Yomiuri Shimbun) were used to conduct the study, using a headline search to cover the entire range of newspaper coverage.note 1(See Section 2.1.2.).

First, Myanmar's national military-affiliated companies, which we discussed at the beginning of this article, and Kirin, which was in the beer business.high-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)We will look at the Giraffehigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)and the joint venture relationship between the national army and the2015The war began in 1949, when the state military had already begun massacring the Rohingya minority and committing large-scale human rights abuses. In addition, their oppression was intensifying.2017In 2006, Kirinhigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)against the national army3The donation of funds and supplies on two occasions.clearThe human rights groups and others pointed out that this could lead to support for the national military, which is committing human rights abuses.

Myanmar beer (Photo: Eric Jordan /Flickr[)CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

In response to the coup in Myanmar, three major newspapers reported that Kirin HD was considering dissolving the joint venture with the Myanmar National Army from a human rights perspective (*2). (*2) In contrast, the Asahi Shimbun had one article focusing on the relationship between Kirin HD and the Myanmar Army up to the dissolution of the joint venture, while the Mainichi and Yomiuri Shimbun had zero articles on the subject (*3). (*3) The Asahi Shimbun, the only newspaper to report on the issue, mentioned the fact that the donation was given to the Myanmar military, but did not pursue the cause of the donation. In addition, there was no indication that Kirin HD was asked directly for comment, and the article was only 276 words long. In contrast, reports in other countries have delved deeper into the issue, taking into account the opinions of experts.Reuters News Agencyhas addressed this issue multiple times, and the BritishThe Guardian.explores the issue in depth and includes comments from Kirin HD.

There have been other instances in which the relationship between human rights and conflict and Japanese companies has been called into question: we would like to look at a report on the Islamic State (IS) militant group and Toyota Motor Corporation that attracted a lot of attention around 2015. The issue began with the discovery of a large number of brand new Toyota vehicles in several propaganda videos published on the Internet by IS in the occupied territories of Iraq, Syria, and Libya.Pictured.The thing is that. The video led to questions about how IS obtained the Toyota vehicles; in October 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department, which is responsible for sanctioning organizations that may pose a threat to the country, launched an investigation and asked Toyota to provide information about how the vehicles came to IS. Toyota did not know how IS obtained the vehicles.unknownand no evidence of direct sales to IS has been produced.

IS and Toyota reported by ABC News

The Mainichi Shimbun had one article on IS's use of Toyota vehicles, while the Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun had zero articles (*4). (*4) The Mainichi Shimbun, the only newspaper to report on the issue, did cover the U.S. Treasury Department's investigation into IS's use of Toyota vehicles, but at 589 words, its coverage was not as extensive as the seriousness of the issue. Half of the article was a quote from ABC News in the US. In contrast,ABC Newsand ... andCable News Networkand other news organizations in other countries have explored the issue in detail, taking into account the views of many experts and parties involved.

In addition to these cases, there are many other cases in which Japanese companies are related in some way to the issue of human rights abuses and armed conflicts, yet they are rarely the subject of media coverage. For example, a Japanese company engaged in oil business with the government of Saudi Arabia, which is involved in armed conflicts in several countries, including Yemen, and has committed many human rights abuses at home and abroad.question (e.g. on a test)and Japanese companies that import clothing made under poor labor conditions in Bangladesh and other countries.question (e.g. on a test)These include.

In this survey, we found a tendency that reports on the actions of Japanese companies in human rights and conflict issues are rarely reported in the Japanese media, although they are sometimes reported by the foreign media. Furthermore, in the cases discussed in this report, even when they were reported, there was little original reporting, and the reports were short summaries of those reported by other countries' media.

corruption problem

Next, we picked up several cases in which Japanese companies were allegedly involved in corruption and examined how they were reported. As with the human rights and conflict issues, we used the online databases of three major newspaper companies and investigated using a headline search to cover the entire newspaper coverage (*5).

Let's look at the media reports concerning South Africa and Hitachi, Ltd. At issue were allegations that Hitachi, Ltd. made improper payments to South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), on an order for a coal-fired power plant in South Africa. 2010 was a major scandal in South Africa, and in September 2015, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that Hitachi, Ltd. had been charged with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for failing to accurately process improper payments.announcementThe SEC's response was to settle the case. Hitachi neither affirmed nor denied the SEC's allegations and agreed to settle the case by paying the sanctions.

Kusile coal-fired power plant in South Africa (Photo: JMK / Wikimedia Commons[)CC BY-SA 4.0])

In checking the media coverage of this case in Japan, we found one article each in the Asahi, Mainichi, and Yomiuri newspapers (*6(See below). In both newspapers, Hitachi, Ltd. for improper expenditures to South Africa,SECIt is noted that the prosecution by the But the case was uncovered and became a major issue in South Africa2010There were no reports as of 2006, indicating that the issue was not picked up by the Japanese media until it was recognized as a problem in the U.S. Focusing on the views of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,SECIn contrast, in South Africa, there has been long-term and extensive media coverage, and there is no indication that Hitachi, Ltd. has conducted its own interviews. In contrast, there was long-term and extensive coverage in South Africa, and the U.S.USAtodayand the United Kingdom.BBC NewsIt was also featured in such publications as

In addition, regarding the issue of corruption by Japanese companies outside of Japan, we will look at the media coverage of Marubeni Corporation (Marubeni) in Indonesia. The problem was,2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3In May, Marubeni paid bribes to Indonesian legislators and state-owned power companies in cooperation with a company in Connecticut, USA, and others in order to win a thermal power project in Indonesia,FCPAViolations of the anti-bribery provisions of theGone.This is the first time that Marubeni has been involved in a violation of the law. Marubeni admitted involvement in the violation and was fined.

Check out the coverage in Japan in the Asahi Shimbun.3Article, in the Yomiuri Shimbun3Article, in the Mainichi Newspaper1Article found (*7(Japanese only). In the Asahi and Yomiuri Shimbun3of the article describes that the U.S. Department of Justice and Marubeni announced1Two, and the history of the bribery case.150The article briefly summarizes in around 3 words and covers Marubeni's announcement and the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement.2There were two. The Mainichi Shimbun article described the announcements made by the U.S. Department of Justice and Marubeni. Both articles provided background on the Marubeni bribery issue, but did not provide detailed analysis of the company's systemic problems that led to such bribes.

In other country reports, besides Indonesia, English-languageYahoo Newsand ... andReuters News Agencyand others covered in detail in the following sections.

In addition to these cases, there are many other cases in which Japanese companies are somehow connected to corruption problems in other countries but are not reported or are only mentioned briefly. For example, the issue of cigarette smuggling to conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa, for which the Japanese cigarette manufacturer Japan Tobacco Inc.JT) is suspected of being involved in thecaseare mentioned.

A person lighting a cigarette (Photo: Lindsay Fox /Flickr[)CC BY 2.0])

In this survey, there was a trend that reports on corruption issues involving Japanese companies outside of Japan were as infrequent as those on human rights and conflict issues. In the reports on the cases mentioned here, while there were some reports on the circumstances of the cases, few of them directly interviewed or asked for comments from the companies.

environmental problem

Finally, we selected several cases in which Japanese companies were allegedly involved in environmental issues and examined their media coverage. As with the above cases, we used the databases of major newspapers and investigated using a headline search, with the entire newspaper coverage as the scope of coverage (see*8(See Section 2.1.2.).

First, we will look at the environmental impact of Tokyo's new National Stadium (Olympic Stadium). The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has said that the new National Stadium will be built with consideration for environmental conservation and social contribution.Emphasis added.The fact is, however, that tropical forests are being cut down in Southeast Asia to secure materials for the construction of the new National Stadium. In reality, however, the fact that a large amount of tropical forests are being cut down in Southeast Asia to secure materials for the construction of the new national stadiumDiscovered.This problem is also believed to be linked to illegal logging. Furthermore, the massive use of tropical plywood from Indonesia and Malaysia has led to deforestation in the region, at the expense of climate, biodiversity, and the rights and livelihoods of indigenous peoples and local communities. The new national stadium, which is supposed to be built with environmental conservation in mind, has resulted in the degradation and permanent loss of precious tropical forests.

New National Stadium under construction (Photo: Kanesue/ Flickr[.CC BY 2.0])

How are the environmental issues surrounding the new National Stadium being reported in the Japanese media? The media coverage is largely2They are classified into two categories.1The second is an article focusing on the "eco-friendliness" of the materials used for the new National Stadium, such as scrap wood and certified forest wood. The volume of coverage was as follows in the Asahi Shimbun9Article, in the Mainichi Newspaper10Article, in the Yomiuri Shimbun8Article is seen (note 9 (supplementary information)), "reasons for being environmentally friendly" seem to have been reported from a variety of perspectives. In contrast, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper focused on the fact that the new National Stadium is "bad for the environment" in its report1article, in the Yomiuri Shimbun and the Mainichi Shimbun.0The article (*10(Japanese only). In this Asahi Shimbun article,2,000The newspaper devoted a large amount of space (more than 10,000 words) to inform readers in detail on the issue of tropical forests being used for the construction of the new national stadium, which are being over-cleared and are causing increased deforestation. However, compared to "eco-friendly" reporting, the Asahi Shimbun is the only newspaper to focus on "bad for the environment.1Only articles and very little overall coverage. This issue has been discussed in the BritishThe Guardian.and the United States.HuffPostThe media in other countries, such as the following, have included details in both quantity and quality.

This section looks at news reports on the overfishing of tuna, which is a food source for many people. In Japan, bluefin tuna is particularly overfished, and its extinction is feared. Japan is the world's largest consumer of bluefin tuna.Approx. 80Tuna is actively fished in the high seas around the world by Japanese fishing vessels and imported from other countries by Japanese trading companies. While the species is threatened with extinction,2019Year,2020In 2006, an international conference to discuss resource management of bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean was held to discuss catch quotas.discussionThe first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time, the first time

Here, the Mainichi Shimbun and the Yomiuri Shimbun5For the year (2016〜tilde20(2006), the two newspapers together had a total of85Article found. The article criticized Japan's overfishing of tuna.12Articles (approx.14.1%), the Marine Stewardship Council given to natural seafood taken from sustainable fisheries and its distribution, processing, and retail (MSC) certified products and sustainable development goals (SDGs), eliminating unnecessary purchases, and other environment-related articles.20Articles (approx.23.5(%). Also, articles dedicated to the expansion of fishing quotas, Japan's share, etc.35Articles (approx.41.2(%), an article about aquaculture was12Articles (approx.14.1(%), and other articles are6Articles (approx.7.1(%). In the data we surveyed, there were more reports on various efforts by companies and on Japan's fishing quotas and increased profits than negative reports about Japan's overfishing of tuna. Japanese media tends to report on topics that affect Japan's economy regarding marine resources and fisheries, but not from the damage Japan does to the marine environment.apt to turn a blind eyeIt seems that the

Schools of tuna swimming in the ocean (Photo: Tom Puchner /Flickr[)CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

The survey found that coverage of environmental issues and Japanese corporations tended to be more detailed than coverage of human rights, conflict, and corruption issues. However, coverage of Japanese companies and the policies of the countries that regulate them tended to be less detailed than coverage of other issues, such as holding Japanese companies accountable and the nature of the problems they are causing.

Why is the Japanese media so friendly to foreign companies?

While Japanese companies are sometimes reported in detail outside of Japan, the cases we have studied indicate that the Japanese media is not doing a good enough job of acting as a "watchdog" to point out problems that companies in their own countries are causing through their operations outside of Japan. Why is this trend observed? The factors are2There are two possibilities.

The first factor is the relationship between patriotism and nationalism and the press. When the press disseminates information about the world, home-centeredness and nationalism are central.thoughtIt has become a It is a reader/viewer'sthoughtThe "good" side of a company's business is also a reflection of the "bad" side of the company's business. Since the press is a kind of business, there is an incentive to emphasize the "good aspects" of one's own company, which are thought to please consumers, and to refrain from mentioning the "bad aspects," which are thought not to please consumers. The same philosophy is reflected not only among readers and viewers, but also among reporters, editors, and management of news organizations. As a result, it is thought that a climate will emerge in the reporting of news that takes into consideration the expansion of Japanese companies outside of Japan.

2The second factor is the relationship between advertising and the company. As mentioned at the beginning of this paper, the cost of corporate publicity represents not a small percentage of the media's revenue stream. If the media expose and report on a particular company's problems, the company may stop running ads. The larger the company is dealing with a major corporation or other company that is likely to advertise extensively, the greater the loss of advertising revenue. Furthermore, in some cases, there is a risk of being sued for defamation. It is possible that such risks may influence the way you report on your corporate counterparts.Undeniable.The media may also be willing to self-censor their coverage of scandals and allegations against certain companies. It is also possible that the media may refrain from or self-censor their coverage of certain corporate scandals or allegations in anticipation of the risk of some kind of trouble. However, these are speculative, and it is difficult to obtain objective evidence as to how much influence the companies actually have on the way the news is reported. Originally, news organizations have separated the sales and editorial departments that handle advertising, but that line has been drawn in recent yearsambiguousSome have pointed out that it has become a

Dentsu's headquarters building (Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson /Flickr[)CC BY 2.0])

There are also companies that act as intermediaries between the media and companies in advertising. These are advertising agencies. For example2016counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5In May, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOCThe money paid to a Singaporean paper company under the guise of "consulting fees" by the company is said to be slush funds used to influence the Olympic bid.suspicionwas raised. Dentsu, a major advertising agency, has been implicated in the allegations.Pointed out.The Japanese media coverage of this issue itself was minimal. Japanese media coverage of the issue itself was scarce. Some of the reports quoted the Guardian and other newspapers that reported in detail on Dentsu's involvement in the allegations, but did not mention Dentsu's involvement, suggesting that it was deliberately withheld.be capturedSome of them were. Dentsu and many news organizations have a close cooperative relationship in the Olympics and other sports broadcasting and event organization.

In addition to these factors, outside of Japanscarcity of media coverageand international reporting in the United States.Affected.Trends can also be cited.

summary

As described above, the media may not be playing a sufficient "mirror" role to reflect the facts and a "watchdog" role to expose wrongdoing in the case of Japanese companies expanding overseas. If the media selects and chooses what to report to suit the convenience of the companies, readers and viewers may not understand the true nature of the problem. In order to fulfill their original role, the media must provide credible information to readers and viewers and be fair in their reporting to everyone. It is also important for readers and viewers to recognize the importance of taking in a variety of information and to demonstrate their demand for such information to the media.

(*1)In researching the article, I used the Asahi Shimbun's online database "MonzoIIThe online databases "Mainichi Shimbun" and "Yomidas" of the Mainichi Shimbun and the Yomiuri Shimbun were used. Myanmar and Giraffehigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)Of the articles containing the key words "Myanmar" and "giraffe" in the headline and the text, the news reports on the giraffehigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)and only those that apply to joint venture relationships with the national military were picked up.ISand Toyota's coverage as well, "ISThe keywords "Toyota" and "Toyota" were used in the survey.

(*2)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be investigated. Two articles in the Asahi Shimbun (e.g., Kirin HD to dissolve joint venture with Myanmar military-affiliated company, "Coup, against human rights" and2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2month6(2), two articles in the Mainichi Shimbun (e.g., Kirin HD: Kirin to dissolve joint venture with Myanmar military-related company), and2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2month6(2), three articles in the Yomiuri Shimbun (e.g., Kirin dissolved its tie-up with a military-affiliated company in response to the coup in Myanmar and the Myanmar government's response to the coup in Myanmar).2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2month6(days) were seen.

(*3)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be studied. In the Asahi Shimbun1Article (Giraffe)high-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)Donations, given to the national army, or humanitarian aid in Myanmar.2018counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)6month16(Japanese)

(*4)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be studied. Mainichi Newspapers.1article(U.S. Treasury Department: in charge of terrorism sanctionsISInvestigation into the use of Toyota vehicles by the "Mere Old Man" and the video of weapons being transported on the Internet.2015counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)10(May 8)

(*5)(in Japanese history)note 1) as well as South Africa and Giraffehigh-definition digital versatile disc (HD DVD, high-definition DVD)The media coverage of the two companies was surveyed using the keywords "South Africa" and "Hitachi. The coverage of Indonesia and Marubeni was surveyed using the keywords "Indonesia" and "Marubeni.

(*6)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be investigated. Asahi Shimbun (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission fines Hitachi for improper spending in South Africa and2015counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)9month29(Hitachi, Ltd.: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, sanctions), Mainichi Shimbun (Hitachi, Ltd.: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, sanctions)22Inappropriate expenditure on orders from South Africa...2015counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)9month30(Sun.), Yomiuri Shimbun (Fines to Hitachi)22Billions of yen2015counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)9month30(Japanese)

(*7)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be studied. In the Asahi Shimbun3Article (Marubeni, bribes overseas, power plant business, fines)90Billions of yen2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3month20(Sun.) (Marubeni, the bribe giver,ODANine months after the exclusion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced...2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3month27(Marubeni Corporation, executive pay cut in bribery case.2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5month17(Sun.), in the Yomiuri Shimbun.3Article (Marubeni Fined)91Billion yen judgment... for bribes...2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5month17(Sun.) (Marubeni fined for bribes)90Indonesia Fire Starts in the U.S.2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3month21(Japan) (Marubeni Corporation)ODA9Months Eliminated2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3month26(Sun.), in the Mainichi Newspaper.1Article (Marubeni Corporation: Bribing Indonesian lawmakers in order to win orders for thermal power generation)2014counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3month21(Japanese)

(*8)note 1), coverage of the New National Stadium was surveyed using the keywords "Olympics," "stadium," and "forest" in a similar manner. Because of the greater volume of tuna coverage compared to other media coverage, the Mainichi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun's coverage of the5For the year (2016〜tilde20(year), and using the keywords "tuna" and "overfishing" using "Maisaku" and "Yomidas" to narrow down the search to "tuna" and "overfishing".

(*9)In this analysis, all aspects, including local editions, were included for the full range of time periods that could be studied. In the Asahi Shimbun9Article (e.g., Stadium operations aim to be "sustainable," in line with the UN's "SDGs," trash dumping and international exchange, Kamaishi, Iwate, etc.)2018counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)8month22(Sun.), in the Mainichi Newspaper.10Article (e.g., Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2008: Appealing for "Forest Certification" of prefectural timber for the Olympics, aiming to establish a system for stable supply / Shizuoka, Japan)2016counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)8month 14(Sun.), in the Yomiuri Shimbun.8Articles (e.g., "Reviving the Forestry Industry" (top): Hamamatsu to Sell Tenryu Timber for the Olympics (Shizuoka, Japan)2016counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)5month24(Japanese)

Writer:Mei Hatanaka

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