Chugoku Shimbun and Ryukyu Shimpo Win Grand Prizes at the 3rd JOD Awards for Reporting on Local Issues

Journalism On Demand (JOD) is a reporting approach that aims to solve various problems, from everyday questions and local troubles to whistleblowing on corruption, based on reader survey requests submitted through the messaging app LINE and other channels. The JOD Partnership (secretariat: Nishinippon Shimbun), comprising 36 companies, 1 organization, and 40 media outlets nationwide that engage in JOD, announced the winners of the 3rd JOD Awards on June 5.

The Grand Prize in the Problem-Solving category, which honors articles that contributed to solving readers' problems, was awarded to Chugoku Shimbun for its series of reports on a station-front bicycle parking lot.

The Grand Prize in the Free Category, which recognizes articles presenting new perspectives or approaches, was awarded to Ryukyu Shimpo for its article titled "[Koshien] Is it true that 'cars disappeared from the streets'? Verifying the data from the Okinawa Shogaku final game."

Purpose and Background

The JOD Partnership was launched in September 2018 as a collaborative framework. Currently, 36 companies, 1 organization, and 40 media outlets work together through mutual article provision and sharing of reporting know-how. In 2024, the JOD Awards were established to recognize articles that contributed to problem-solving.

Selection Method

The awards have two categories: Problem-Solving and Free. Member media outlets submitted articles published in newspapers or on news websites during 2025. Each outlet voted once for an article from another outlet, determining the Grand Prize and Excellence Award winners in each category.

Winning Articles

*Note: Linked articles are generally paid. The Excellence Award in the Problem-Solving category was awarded to two outlets due to a tie.

[Problem-Solving Category]

・Grand Prize: Chugoku Shimbun, Series of reports on the station-front bicycle parking lot

・Excellence Award: Kobe Shimbun, Article title: "Claim that 'Governor Saito changed a 1 trillion yen road route to reduce costs' is false; Hyogo Prefecture calls it a 'groundless conspiracy theory' spreading on SNS"

・Excellence Award: Nishinippon Shimbun, Series of reports on the unauthorized leasing of a fishing port by the Fukuoka City Fisheries Cooperative

[Free Category]

・Grand Prize: Ryukyu Shimpo, Article title: "[Koshien] Is it true that 'cars disappeared from the streets'? Verifying the data from the Okinawa Shogaku final game"

・Excellence Award: Jomo Shimbun, Series of reports on JR unmanned stations

The series of reports by Chugoku Shimbun, which won the Grand Prize in the Problem-Solving category, was praised for carefully uncovering citizen dissatisfaction over the abolition of a station-front bicycle parking lot and prompting the administration to reinstate it. Comments included that it was "a good example of steadily covering a familiar issue and connecting it to creating a better society."

The article by Ryukyu Shimpo, which won the Grand Prize in the Free Category, was praised for its perspective of using data to verify a popular theory about the highly popular Koshien tournament. Comments included that it "made you want to read it immediately."

Future Developments

The JOD Partnership aims to deepen its collaboration and achieve higher quality reporting. For providing information or making interview requests, please contact the respective outlets listed in the linked directory.

JOD Philosophy and Partner List

Contact for Inquiries about this Release

JOD Partnership Secretariat

(Inside Nishinippon Shimbun's "Your Special Assignment Reporting Team" / Nishinippon Shimbun)

anatoku@nishinippon-np.jp