Asahi Shimbun Establishes 'Think Gender Forum' for Media Professionals to Learn Together

Asahi Shimbun Company (Representative Director and CEO: Katsu Sumida) is launching the 'Think Gender Forum' in April 2026 as a new initiative to promote gender equality, offering learning opportunities for journalists and creators involved in media. We will welcome scriptwriter Erika Yoshida, known for her work on the NHK serial TV novel 'Tiger and Wing,' as the keynote speaker, and hold a seminar in July to learn the latest insights on media and gender. In the latter half of fiscal year 2026, we will host a roundtable to share the learning outcomes with citizens and exchange opinions. This forum is operated with the support of Fondation CHANEL.

Top image of the Think Gender Forum official website, with the logo in the center.

In today's rapidly changing society, pursuing gender-bias-free expression requires media professionals to learn together and collaborate. The Think Gender Forum aims to bring together frontline media professionals to learn the latest knowledge through lectures and practical training, visualize challenges, and foster exchange, thereby becoming communicators who lead the realization of gender equality.

Professor Toko Tanaka (Media Culture Studies) from the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo, will serve as the general supervisor, providing guidance on the overall program.

Seminar Outline

【Dates】Two days, July 2 (Thursday) - July 3 (Friday), 2026

【Venue】Hamarikyu Asahi Hall (5-3-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, immediately next to Tsukiji Shijo Station on the Toei Oedo Line)

【Participation Fee】Free *Round-trip transportation and accommodation will be provided for participants from distant locations, based on our company's regulations.

【Program】Keynote speech: Erika Yoshida (scriptwriter/novelist), workshops, etc.

【General Supervisor】Toko Tanaka (Professor, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, University of Tokyo)

【Target Participants】

・ Journalists and directors belonging to news organizations (newspaper companies, news agencies, TV stations)

・ Individual creators who disseminate information via online media, SNS, etc. (any medium is welcome)

・ Students enrolled in universities in Japan (all academic years welcome)

【Capacity】Approximately 40 people (selection process applies)

【Application Method】Please visit the official website

Comment from Katsu Sumida, Representative Director and CEO of Asahi Shimbun Company

I am truly delighted to launch the Think Gender Forum through our partnership with the Chanel Foundation. Gender equality is indispensable for a sustainable society, and we, as media, bear the responsibility for its realization. Media, which has long been a male-dominated organization and has continuously disseminated information from a male perspective, is now dramatically changing. I am confident that this partnership will further advance gender equality in media and society.

Comment from Alison Eskesen, Head of Asia, Chanel Foundation

The Chanel Foundation is proud of its partnership with Asahi Shimbun. Media shapes not only what we see but also how we perceive ourselves. As powerful storytellers, media has the power to challenge stereotypes, amplify diverse voices, and drive the cultural change necessary for the advancement of gender equality. The Think Gender Forum program will contribute to deepening the learning and understanding of journalists and editors about the importance of incorporating Japanese women's perspectives in responsible journalism.

Asahi Shimbun's Gender Initiatives

Since 2017, Asahi Shimbun Company has been conducting the 'Think Gender' news campaign, centered around International Women's Day on March 8th each year, aiming to eliminate gender disparities. This initiative, pioneered by Asahi Shimbun, has now spread to other newspapers, TV stations, and online media in Japan. In 2024, the newspaper's masthead was changed for the first time to a special 'mimosa flower' design, attracting significant attention.

Think Gender news campaign mark

In 2020, to ensure diversity among its reporters, business operations, and their personnel, Asahi Shimbun formulated and published the Gender Equality Declaration. In 2022, it published the Gender Equality Declaration+, aimed at increasing the number of women in decision-making positions within the company, setting the goal of 'no meetings without women,' and implementing job shadowing training where young employees learn by working alongside executives and managers. Regarding expressions in news articles and advertisements, the company created an internal guideline, the 'Gender Guidebook,' in 2002, which has been revised repeatedly. These initiatives have been recognized, and Asahi Shimbun was the first media company to receive the Excellence Award in the business category of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Award for Promoting Women's Empowerment in fiscal year 2024, and the Grand Prize in the large enterprise category of the Osaka City Award for Women's Empowerment Leading Companies in fiscal year 2025.

【Company Profile】

Asahi Shimbun Company (https://www.asahi.com/corporate/)

Head Office: 5-3-2 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo (Tokyo Head Office)

Representative Director and CEO: Katsu Sumida

Established: January 1879

Business Activities: Content business through newspapers and digital media, event business such as exhibitions, real estate business, etc.

【Reference】

Fondation CHANEL, established in 2011, aims to enable women and girls to freely shape their own lives. It collaborates with non-profit organizations and various institutions worldwide to eliminate multiple forms of discrimination against women and girls, thereby promoting gender equality. It provides long-term financial support for social initiatives aimed at enhancing women's empowerment and works to improve outcomes on themes such as safety, social and economic independence, and climate resilience. It has a track record of activities in 14 countries in Asia, including Japan, and this is its first partnership with a media company in the region.