The
Mainichi Shinbun (????, Mainichi Shinbun?, lit. "Daily News") is one of the major
newspapers in
Japan, published by
The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd (?????????, Kabushiki-gaisha Mainichi Shinbunsha?).
The history of the Mainichi Shinbun begins with founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper with its 136-year-long history. The Osaka Mainichi Shimbun was founded four years later, in 1876. The two papers merged in 1911, but the two companies continued to print their newspapers independently until 1943, when both editions were placed under a Mainichi Shimbun masthead. In 1966 the Tokyo office was moved from Yurakucho to Takebashi, and in 1992 the Osaka office was moved from Dojima to Nishi-Umeda.
The Mainichi has 3,200 employees working in 364 offices in Japan and 26 bureaus overseas. The Mainichi is one of Japan’s big three newspapers in terms of circulation and employee numbers, and has 79 associated companies, including Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) and the Sports Nippon Newspaper.
Two former Mainichi Newspapers Chief Executive Officers have gone on to become prime ministers of Japan. The Mainichi is the only Japanese newspaper company to have won a Pulitzer Prize. The Japan Newspapers Association, made up of 180 news organizations, has granted the Mainichi its Grand Prix award on 21 occasions, making the Mainichi the most frequent winner of the distinguished prize since its inception in 1957.
