Japan Echo

Japan Echo
The first issue of Japan Echo.
Cover of the first issue of Japan Echo magazine
CategoriesJapanese politics, Foreign affairs
FrequencyQuarterly (1974–1996), Bimonthly (1997–2010)
PublisherJapan Echo Inc.
First issueNovember 1974
Final issueFebruary 2010
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageEnglish, French (1979–2009), Spanish (1988–2009)
WebsiteJapanEcho.com

Japan Echo was an English-language periodical on Japanese issues which was initially published in print form by Japan Echo Inc. between 1974 and 2010. Consisting mainly of translations into English of magazine and news articles originally published in Japanese, Japan Echo was launched with the support of Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry "to enable people abroad to learn what the Japanese themselves are thinking and writing about the issues of the day."[1] Though independently published, the Japanese government provided most of Japan Echo's funding for the duration of its existence.

In 2010 budget cuts compelled the magazine to rebrand itself as Japan Echo Web, a purely online magazine published on a website operated by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. However, two years later the Japanese government shut it down and replaced it with a similar project called the Japan Foreign Policy Forum.

  1. ^ Takeshi Mochida, "Japan Echo: A Journal of Opinion to Bridge the Communication Gap," The Japan Foundation Newsletter, August–September 1978, 28.