Japan 66th in Freedom of Press Rankings, Lowest among G-7

   New York, May 2 (Jiji Press)--Japan placed 66th, the lowest among the Group of Seven major countries, in the 2025 freedom of press rankings announced by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, on Friday.
   Japan climbed four positions from last year, with the international journalist organization noting that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
   But RSF said, "Traditional and business interests, political pressure and gender inequalities often prevent journalists from completely fulfilling their role as watchdogs." The government and corporations "routinely exert pressure" on the management of mainstream media, resulting in "heavy self-censorship" on topics that could be deemed sensitive, such as corruption and sexual harassment, it added.
   The United States ranked 57th, down by two positions, and was second to last among the G-7 countries.
   While economic constraints have led to the closures of a number of local news outlets and a decline in press freedom, "Donald Trump's return to the presidency is greatly exacerbating the situation," RSF said.

(2025/05/03-16:28)