Forum on the Crisis in Journalism: Proposal-Based Workshop Series

A Forum on the Crisis in Journalism: Proposal-Based Workshop Series

4th Session: How Freelancers Can Supplement Japan’s War Reporting

Presenter: Masaaki Sasaki (Professor, Yamato University)

Toward practical improvements: Through the first three workshops (Session 1: “What Does the Watchdog See? Japan’s International Reporting and the Future of Journalism,” Session 2: “Considering the Crisis in Journalism: ‘Neutrality’ in the U.S. Media,” Session 3: “Building a System to Protect and Expand International Reporting”), we confirmed the need not only to share problems, but also to search for ways to improve the situation. Against this backdrop, we will hold the 4th workshop as a space where people with diverse backgrounds who are interested in media and journalism can gather and work together to devise practical improvement measures.

Date and Time: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 18:00–19:30

Target Audience: Media professionals, researchers, university students, graduate students, and the general public

Participation Fee: Free

Venue: Osaka University Nakanoshima Center, 6th floor (Seminar Room 6C/D)

* Only the lecture portion will be streamed via Zoom.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82878399401?pwd=RTNzSDZBOHJPQ0RaRHNXbUJSRk5nQT09

Meeting ID: 828 7839 9401　Passcode: 3GqAhF

Registration: Same-day participation is welcome, but to help us estimate numbers, please register in advance via the link below if possible.

https://cloud.globalnewsview.org/apps/forms/s/qckAJAEY7TEkayNkBsF3iM4f　

4th Session: How Freelancers Can Supplement Japan’s War Reporting

Japan’s international reporting operates with limited resources and is prone to biases in perspectives and regions covered. Simply carrying articles from foreign news agencies or local media outlets does not allow us to grasp the realities on the ground in sufficient detail. As we enter a tumultuous era, Japan’s news system is exposing its vulnerability: it is increasingly difficult to deliver information that captures developments both promptly and accurately. In this session, the presenter will propose how freelance journalists can supplement existing media coverage and bolster both the volume and quality of reporting. The speaker has experience as an overseas correspondent for a news organization and is currently an official author for Yahoo! News. Drawing on the agility of unaffiliated individuals, their accumulated expertise, and the characteristics of online journalism, the talk will present concrete examples from the front lines of Ukraine war coverage, where more multifaceted reporting has become possible.

Presenter: Masaaki Sasaki (Professor, Yamato University)

About this series

This series is a workshop-style event that brings together media professionals, researchers, students, and members of the public to address the deepening crisis in journalism in Japan. Each session centers on one concrete proposal and aims to explore paths toward improvement. Starting from the proposal presented, participants engage in dialogue to examine its feasibility and challenges from multiple angles, and to think practically about the future of journalism. Information about the fifth and subsequent sessions will be announced separately.