Description
Book SynopsisHow is the relationship between the Japanese state and Japanese society mediated by the press? Does the pervasive system of press clubs, and the regulations underlying them, alter or even censor the way news is reported in Japan? This book presents an overview of the relationship between the press, politics, and the public.
Trade Review"This excellent book lays bare the mechanisms of the information catels in Japan that prop up the state, insulate the elite from sustained critical oversight and rob the polity of the journalistic integrity necessary for the maintenance of democracy. Its a daunting agenda, and it is a tribute to author Laura Anne Freeman that she carries it off and in the process makes a significant contribution to our understanding of contemporary Japan."--Jeff Kingston, The Japan Times "Closing the Shop helps explain one of the central paradoxes of Japanese politics, that the Liberal Democratic Party managed to hold onto power for four decades, despite widespread corruption... Both the careful empirical study and the theory in Closing the Shop make an important contribution to our understanding of Japanese politics."--Mark Tilton, Journal of Asian Studies "Closing the Shop is clearly written and organized, free of jargon, and accessible to readers from a range of fields. It is also a fascinating read."--Christina L. Ahmadjian, Contemporary Sociology "An important and valuable contribution to the academic literature about Japan, Freeman's study provides the reader with a thorough analysis of the relationship between the news media and state institutions in Japan... Laurie Freeman's book is a wonderful study of an important and often overlooked feature of Japanese politics. It deserves a wide readership."--Verena Blechinger, Monumenta Nipponica
Table of ContentsList of Tables and Figures xi Preface xii One Bringing in the Media 3 Two Press, Politics, and the Public in Historical Perspective 23 Three Japan's Information Cartels: Part I. Competition and the Closed Shop 62 Four Japan's Information Cartels: Part II. Structuring Relations Through Rules and Sanctions 102 Five Expanding the Web: The Role of Kyokai and Keiretsu 142 Six Why Information Cartels Matter 160 Appendices A. Regulations for the Diet Press Club 181 B. Kitami Administration of Justice Press Club Agreement 187 C. Chronology of Agreements between the Imperial Household Agency and the Magazine Kisha Club 191 D. A Comparison with the British Lobby 194 Notes 199 Bibliograpby 229 Index 247
