Japanese journalists have been criticised in the past for being far too cosy with the people, companies and organisations they are meant to be writing about independently. The result, according to the industry's detractors, is a media in which politicians' activities are not always scrutinised, companies' motives are not always questioned and organisations do not always have to justify their decisions.
But that will all change if Ken Takeuchi has his way. The former mayor of the historic city of Kamakura has embarked on a crusade to end a reporting system in which journalists are required to be members of press clubs to gain access to news releases and key figures in the government and the bureaucracy.
'I didn't feel that there were any journalists who were disseminating news or information from the citizens' point of view,' said Mr Takeuchi, who is chief executive of Japan Internet News, a non-profit media outlet he set up in 2003 to put the media back into the hands of the public.
'I do not believe that the established media represents the people. Our reporters feel no pressure from the government or companies to write what they want us to, so that gives us real independence.'
Mr Takeuchi's outlet has a staff of six editors and about 5,500 unpaid writers across the country.
Known colloquially as JanJan, the website covers all the topics a reader would expect to find in any Japanese newspaper or magazine, adding between 20 and 30 new stories a day. It attracts about 10 million hits a month for stories written by housewives, retirees, students and working people.
