Japan Times

Political leaning and stance

Across the measured period, the outlet is consistently critical of Donald Trump and of US policy under him, foregrounding risks, failures and diplomatic friction, and using distancing verbs for his claims; the tone is critical but factual rather than hostile, apart from one sharper stretch. Toward Japan the reading is neutral, with factual business and policy reporting and occasional criticism of specific officials such as Sanae Takaichi. China is covered neutrally. Reporting on the United States outside politics, such as corporate and aid stories, stays neutral or positive. Stance is measured from headlines toward countries and persons; it is not a rating of accuracy.

Based on headlines from January 2026 to August 2026.

Who owns Japan Times

The Japan Times was founded in 1897 and is Japan's oldest English-language daily newspaper, published in Tokyo.

What Japan Times covers

Japan dominates, followed by the United States, China, Iran, South Korea and Taiwan. Economy and politics carry almost equal weight, ahead of security, with society smaller; diplomacy and economy are the leading sectors.