Tokyo International News Agency

A recent formal notice sent by the TBS news program 'Hodo Tokushu' to a YouTuber has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media. At the center of the controversy is a specific sentence in the document that describes the program as having 'earned a reputation as a high-quality news program with a long-standing tradition.' This assertion was met with immediate mockery from users on X (formerly Twitter), with many dismissing it as a 'joke' or sarcastically remarking, 'You really shouldn't say that about yourself.' Critics took particular issue with the claim of having a positive reputation, demanding to know who exactly gave the program that rating and pointing out a massive disconnect between TBS's self-perception and public opinion. Some users utilized the hashtag '#BiasedHodoTokushu' to highlight past instances where the program faced accusations of skewed coverage, expressing disbelief that the network would label itself as 'hi...

An article by the Mainichi Shimbun, titled "LDP's 'Rare Common Sense': Former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya Declares SDF Deployment Legally Impossible," has sparked significant debate on social media. The phrase "rare common sense," used in the article to describe Mr. Iwaya, has elicited a mix of agreement, disagreement, sarcasm, and skepticism, fueling discussions about media reporting ethics and the discernment of politicians. According to the Mainichi Shimbun article, former Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya acknowledged the Japan-U.S. alliance as a crucial pillar of Japan's national security but stated, "We cannot simply follow everything the U.S. does, or unconditionally align with all U.S. actions." He specifically noted that deploying Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) vessels to areas where combat is ongoing, especially when they are only authorized to exercise police powers, is "inappropriate" and would likely be perceived by ...

TBS's "Hodo Tokushu" (News Feature) program has come under severe criticism on social media, accused of "biased reporting" during the final phase of the House of Representatives election. Its reporting stance towards specific candidates and political parties during the election period has been particularly scrutinized, drawing a flood of questions from viewers and voters. The focus of the criticism includes its harsh tone towards Ms. Sanae Takaichi and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), as well as a description that allegedly "called Koichi Hagiuda a criminal." Many social media users have questioned the program's fairness and neutrality, stating that "it's not a program to air during an election" and calling its standards "unacceptable." There are also voices pointing out a past incident during the Chiba gubernatorial election, where the program critically reported on Takashi Tachibana the day before the vote, and he subse...

The phrase "Strong and Scary Japan" broadcast on the TV program "Yonchan TV" has caused a stir, and its subsequent correction to "Strong and Formidable Japan" has drawn further criticism. On social media, the keyword "formidable" has sparked a flood of harsh comments like "obvious lie" and "lame excuse," severely shaking the program's credibility. The controversy originated from the on-screen text "Strong and Scary Japan" used during the program. When many viewers pointed out that this might be biased reporting, the program explained it as a typo for "Formidable Japan." Former TBS reporter Kazuaki Takeda also supported this correction. However, this explanation only fueled the flames, with the prevailing opinion being that "scary" and "formidable" have completely different meanings, making it unreasonable to explain it as a mere typo. Doubts about the production system were also rais...

MBS's information program "Yonchan TV" is facing renewed criticism after its apology regarding the use of the phrase "Strong and Scary Japan" (強くてこわい日本) was deemed insufficient. The program had drawn a flood of accusations of biased reporting from viewers for the original expression. While the show corrected itself, stating that "Strong and Formidable Japan" (強くて手ごわい日本) was the intended phrase, social media platforms are now buzzing with further condemnation, labeling the apology as "clumsy" and "a re-application of impression management." The controversy began with a graphic displayed during the program that read "Strong and Scary Japan." This immediately prompted numerous viewers to raise concerns, asking if there was an intent to disparage Japan and calling the reporting "biased." In response, the program issued an apology at the beginning of a subsequent broadcast, explaining that it had intended to convey ...

The term 'full transcript' has been trending on X (formerly Twitter), garnering significant public attention regarding the complete release of press conferences and statements by public institutions and politicians. Amid increasing distrust of biased and 'cherry-picked' media reporting, the value of these full transcripts as primary sources of information has been highlighted, leading to strong public support for such initiatives. Many users have voiced their opinions, with comments such as, 'It is essential to provide the full text to differentiate from malicious, selectively edited media reports,' and 'This serves as a countermeasure against cherry-picking.' Furthermore, the practice is highly praised as a means to ensure information reliability and transparency, with users stating, 'Full transcripts are crucial as primary documents,' and 'Releasing accurate, unedited primary sources from the outset is excellent work, providing undeniable e...

A statement, 'I'll lower her approval rating,' leaked from a live stream during a waiting period for journalists to interview Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential candidate Sanae Takaichi, causing a significant stir on social media. This audio quickly spread, drawing strong criticism regarding the impartiality and ethics of news organizations. The controversial remark was heard among journalists waiting for Ms. Takaichi's 'burasagari kaiken' (impromptu press scrum) and reached a wide audience through the live-streamed video. In addition to the blatant 'I'll lower her approval rating' comment, other audio snippets like 'It's about slush funds and Yasukuni, right?', 'Yasukuni cannot be compromised,' and 'Wearing earphones and getting instructions from Mr. Aso' also spread, fueling speculation about their intent and context. On social media, strong distrust and criticism toward news organizations abounded, with comment...

On October 7, 2025, an astonishing remark was captured in live broadcast audio at a press gathering just before the press conference of newly appointed President Sanae Takaichi, quickly spreading across social media. As preparations for the conference proceeded, voices from the press seats were heard saying, "I'll lower your approval rating," and "I'll only release photos that lower your approval rating." This remark has sparked intense criticism and distrust towards the mass media's reporting stance, causing a significant stir. Exposure of "Impression Manipulation" Suspicion, Growing Doubts on Journalistic Ethics The revelation of this remark led to an outpouring of criticism from numerous internet users, with comments such as "This is the very scene of biased reporting" and "Media neutrality is now an obsolete term." Since the content of the remark clearly indicates an intention to "lower approval ratings," suspi...

Audio of a reporter allegedly stating, "I'll lower the approval ratings" and "I'll only write things that lower the approval ratings" during (or immediately before/after) a press conference held by Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi, was picked up by an NTV live broadcast and has caused a significant stir on social media. In response to these remarks, X (formerly Twitter) has seen a barrage of comments such as "I thought it was fake, but it was real" and "I can't hide my surprise." Severe criticisms are pouring in, including "This is proof of media bias," "They're trying to manipulate public opinion," and "There's a lack of journalistic ethics." Many users perceive this statement as "the truth about old media," and opinions questioning the media's neutrality and objectivity towards politics are erupting. Comments like "It's not acceptable even as a joke" ...

On August 31, 2025, two simultaneous demonstrations, the 'Ishiba Don't Quit' rally calling for Mr. Ishiba's continued service and the 'Ishiba Quit' rally demanding his resignation, garnered significant attention on social media. The latter, the 'Ishiba Quit' rally, reportedly reached a massive scale, filling the area from the Prime Minister's Official Residence to the vicinity of the National Diet Building, with thousands of participants. However, according to posts by X (formerly Twitter) users, a clear bias was observed in the response of news organizations. While the 'Ishiba Don't Quit' rally, reported to have hundreds of participants, was covered by many major media outlets, the 'Ishiba Quit' rally, which was reportedly much larger, received almost no coverage. In response to this reporting stance, a flood of criticism erupted on X, with comments such as 'The media broadcasted the 'Ishiba Don't Quit' rally, so ...

The issue of Sanseitō (Party of Conscious Citizens), a new political party attracting significant attention, allegedly refusing press conference access to some media outlets is causing a major stir. Particularly, the conflict between the media and the party is deepening after TBS's news program "Hodo Tokushu" announced it would feature this issue in its July 26 broadcast, leading Sanseitō to protest the program's content. "Hodo Tokushu" announced that its broadcast on the 26th from 5:30 PM would feature a special segment titled "Questioning Sanseitō's 'Media Exclusion'." It plans to delve into the reasons why Sanseitō, despite being a public party, refused press conference coverage to some media outlets after its significant gains in the Upper House election, while also touching upon those gains. Specifically, incidents such as the alleged expulsion of a critical reporter from Kanagawa Shimbun from a press conference are being reported....