Watanabe Tsuneo Dies: Major Media Figure Helmed Yomiuri for Three Decades

A Journalism Giant Passes

Watanabe Tsuneo, who as a journalist developed deep connections with Japan’s political power center while rising to head the Yomiuri media group, died on December 19, 2024, at the age of 98.

Born in Tokyo in 1926, Watanabe attended the University of Tokyo, witnessing Japan’s defeat in World War II while still a student. Politically involved from his youth, he was a member of a Japanese Communist Party cell at the university, leaving it behind in 1947. In 1950 he took a job with the Yomiuri Shimbun, beginning a career in journalism that would take him into the heart of Japanese politics.

During his time with the newspaper Watanabe (who came to be commonly called Nabetsune) served as head of the Washington DC bureau, deputy head of the news division, and head of the political news department. As he honed his political reporting chops, he developed a close friendship with the Liberal Democratic Party’s Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro (in office 1982–87); he would maintain ties with later premiers including Abe Shinzō (2006–7 and 2012–20) and Kishida Fumio (2021–24). He was also known as champion of the idea he proposed to the LDP’s Fukuda Yasuo (2007–8) of a grand coalition with the opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

His career at the newspaper took him through posts including senior managing director and chief editorial writer. In 1991 he became the Yomiuri Shimbun editor in chief, a position he held until his death. Although he was also the top executive of the paper’s group parent, Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, he long held that “the most important post in a newspaper organization is that of the editor in chief,” making that job title his mainstay.

Politics, Sports, and More

Watanabe supported a number of conservative causes during his time with the paper. In 1994 the Yomiuri published a proposal to revise the Constitution of Japan, in line with his thinking; this statement urged Japan to formally recognize and beef up the capabilities of its Self-Defense Forces, to establish new environment-related rights, and to create a new constitutional court. At the same time, he held nuanced opinions on issues such as the inclusion of war criminals at Yasukuni Shrine, which he opposed along with visits to the shrine by lawmakers.

During Watanabe’s time at its top, the Yomiuri Shimbun achieved an all-time print circulation high for Japan of 10 million daily issues. He was instrumental in the management of the giant media group including his newspaper alongside the Nippon Television network, giving him still further sway over the Japanese media landscape. He was also owner of the Yomiuri Giants professional baseball enterprise, remaining a key advisor to the baseball and broader sports worlds after stepping down there.

(Originally written in Japanese. Banner photo: From right, Watanabe Tsuneo, Prime Minister Abe Shinzō, and US Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty attend the March 30, 2018, season opener between the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers at the Tokyo Dome. © Jiji.)