There are actually more English-language websites from Japanese media than there are actual paper editions. In fact, it would be quite difficult to find a newspaper in English outside of Tokyo or Osaka. Strangely, the the Japanese news publishers have taken the time to put up English websites but run the presses only in their native tongue. The devotion of resources to the Web faithfully reflects Japan's status as very technology-focused, with a constant eye on modernization. Not that some traditions do not remain intact. Unlike their western counterparts, the presses do not run 7-24-365. For most Japanese news organizations, there is at least one "press holiday" every month. So if you can't find your favorite daily on the newstands, it could be that it wasn't published that day.

Most of the English-language paper editions of Japanese newspapers come out of Tokyo, and you may notice a strong Tokyo focus. These editions are largely translations of major articles from their Japanese editions, plus a selection from the wire services. The exception is Japan Times, which only comes in English.

For the jobseeker, the Japan Times has more classified ads (in its Monday edition) than the other English-language dailies combined. For the expat who wants more of a taste of home, the Yomiuri has periodic supplements from the LA Times, the Washington Post and other prominent titles from the west. If finance is your game, Reuters, known throughout the world as a news agency and known within the finance industry as a real-time information provider, has separate sites for Japanese and English (as opposed to one site with the same information in multiple languages). Bloomberg also has a relatively large presence in Japan, but does not have a Japan-based website.

MAJOR TOKYO-BASED DAILIES