Tsuneo Watnabe (84) owner of the Yomiuri is a right wing nationalist and more powerful than any government minister could even dream to be. Yomiuri journalists must follow the editorial line Watanabe lays out.

The Yomiuri Shimbun Group effectively owns stocks in 42 media organizations under the names of third parties. I believe the number is much greater than 42. There are many very small companies with less than 10 employee's but together they make a stronger unit.

Yomiuri 12 of the 42 firms violate the limits set by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry.

The 42 firms include 24 local television broadcasters and 18 local radio stations.

Watanabe admits he uses his newspaper to cultivate nationalism.

Tsuneo Watanabe and the Yomiuri newspaper’s series of attacks on former prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, played a large part in his eventual resignation.

Another aspect of Japanese newspapers that I find disturbing is that they are not independent when it comes to government and local government policy. They all publish the same press releases. Every government building has a "Press Club" were journalists work waiting for the latest press releases.

Unlike in the west there are no sessions with the prime minister or other politicians were the journalists ask questions.