Mainichi

Crosswire lists Mainichi as Center within Japan's media spectrum — the grouping it uses both for genuinely centrist titles and for outlets the major media-bias assessments do not place consistently on one side. In Japan, Asahi Shimbun is listed as Left-leaning, while Yomiuri Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun are listed as Right-leaning — so you can open Mainichi beside a title of a different orientation and compare the same day's front pages directly.

Read Mainichi beside another title from Japan and the differences show up fastest in what leads the page. Two Japan dailies covering the same day will usually agree on the facts and differ on the ordering: which story is worth the top of the page, how the headline characterises it, and which follow-ups get space. Those are Mainichi's editorial choices, and they are easiest to see side by side. Because Mainichi is listed near the centre, it works best as the fixed point in a comparison — put a left- and a right-leaning Japan title either side of it and the direction each one pulls becomes measurable rather than impressionistic.

This is an approximate orientation, not a definitive judgement — and not a rating of quality or accuracy. Read how Crosswire classifies editorial leanings, including the sources behind each label. Directory last reviewed 2026-07-28. Think this label is wrong? Suggest a correction.