Japan

Japan maintains one of the safest environments for journalists in Asia regarding physical violence, with no recorded killings or major attacks on media workers in 2025 or early 2026, according to RSF, CPJ, and IFJ data. The country ranks 66th out of 180 in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), with a score of 63.14—classified as “problematic” and the lowest among G7 nations, though up four spots from 2024.

RSF highlights that principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected, with journalists operating without fear of official intimidation, imprisonment, or physical threats tied to their work. No violence appears in global tallies of journalist murders (e.g., IFJ’s 128 in 2025, none in Japan).

Challenges include political pressure, self-censorship due to kisha club access journalism, business influences, gender inequalities, and occasional online harassment or lawsuits. Polarization and government distrust persist, but systemic impunity for violence is absent, contrasting sharply with regional hotspots. Japan’s robust legal protections and low crime sustain independent reporting amid these non-violent pressures.