Japan placed 66th in the 2025 press freedom rankings announced by Reporters Without Borders on Friday, the lowest among the Group of Seven major countries.
Japan climbed four positions from last year, with the international journalist organization noting that "the principles of media freedom and pluralism are generally respected" in the country.
But the group said, "Traditional and business interests, political pressure and gender inequalities often prevent journalists from completely fulfilling their role as watchdogs." The government and corporations "routinely exert pressure" on the management of mainstream media, resulting in "heavy self-censorship" on topics that could be deemed sensitive, such as corruption and sexual harassment, it added.
The United States ranked 57th, down by two positions, and was second to last among the G7 countries.
While economic constraints have led to the closures of a number of local news outlets and a decline in press freedom, "Donald Trump's return to the presidency is greatly exacerbating the situation," the group said.
News outlets in the United States have been jeopardized as Trump banned the Associated Press from the White House and dismantled the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the group said, adding that politicians' open disdain for the media has trickled down to the public and that journalists reporting on the ground can face harassment, intimidation and assault as a result.
Meanwhile, Norway held the top position for the ninth consecutive year.
Germany ranked 11th, the highest in the G7. Among other countries, South Korea placed 61st, Russia 171st, China 178th and North Korea 179th. Eritrea ranked 180th and was at the bottom of the 2025 rankings.
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