Japan falls to the bottom among G7 nations in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index rankings.
Japan saw a minor boost in its press freedom ranking, climbing four spots to No. 66 in the 2025 world rankings, despite continued pressures from the government on news outlets. According to a media freedom organization, the Land of the Rising Sun is still grappling with traditional and business interests, political pressure, and gender inequalities that often hinder journalists from performing their watchdog duties effectively.
The U.S., with Donald Trump reclaiming the presidency, fell two spots to 57th, marking the second-worst G7 ranking. Norway maintained its top spot for the ninth consecutive year, while Ukraine, Russia, China, North Korea, and Eritrea filled out the rest of the bottom slots.
Japan's exclusive "press club" system, which grants access to select media outlets, remained a point of criticism. This system fosters self-censorship and favors domestic journalists over foreign ones.
The situation in the U.S. grew even more dire, as the organization highlighted a significant and prolonged decline in press freedom under Trump's administration. This decline affected free speech, with self-censorship becoming a common practice among journalists.
Despite these challenges, some improvements could be observed in Japan's handling of sensitive issues such as corruption and sexual harassment. However, concerns about press freedom persist, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and reforms.
- In contrast to Japan's improved ranking in press freedom, the AI-driven news coverage in the world, particularly in Japan, continues to face obstacles from traditional and business interests, political pressure, and gender inequalities.
- The U.S., despite reclaiming Donald Trump as president, saw a decline in press freedom in 2025, dropping down to the second-worst G7 ranking, trailing behind several other countries.
- Japan's "press club" system, a source of criticism, has been found to sustain self-censorship, favoring domestic journalists over foreign counterparts and creating disparities in news coverage.
- Meanwhile, in situations of war-and-conflicts and politics, general news, and crime-and-justice around the world, AI is playing an increasingly significant role, balancing the scales in journalism and enhancing the flow of information.
- The media freedom organization has also reported censorship incidents in China, Russia, Ukraine, and North Korea, underscoring the ongoing challenges faced by journalists worldwide.
- As we look ahead to the coming years, it is crucial for Japan to address lingering press freedom issues, working diligently to eliminate self-censorship, gender inequalities, and political pressures to ensure a fair and balanced media landscape by 2025 and beyond.
