The Asahi Shimbun
Japanese national daily whose publisher joined Nikkei's copyright lawsuit against Perplexity.
Founded on 25 January 1879, The Asahi Shimbun publishes national journalism in Japan across print and digital media. Its publishing company also works in education, cultural events and exhibitions.
Last refreshed: 22 October 2026
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The Asahi Shimbun grew from a newspaper founded in 1879 into a publisher with print and digital news operations. Its company has offices in several Japanese cities and maintains an international reporting network. The newspaper's digital history includes the launch of Asahi.com in 1995, followed by further distribution through online and audio services. [The publisher's history and operations](https://asahishimbun-saiyou.com/company/outline).
The Asahi Shimbun Company also operates education, events and real-estate businesses. Exhibitions and other cultural activities sit alongside its journalism, rather than replacing the newspaper at the centre of the brand. The Japan Newspaper Publishers & Editors Association lists Asahi separately from Yomiuri and Nikkei: each is a distinct publishing organisation. [Corporate profile](https://www.Asahi.com/corporate/guide/outline/11208885) and [association directory](https://www.pressnet.or.jp/english/member/).
What is The Asahi Shimbun?
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Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 October 2026. Editorial standards.