Affinity and press: The second-level agenda-setting power of Japanese print media coverage on Sino-Japanese relations

Abstract

The media in Japan is unique in the world. Even though Japanese Society today enjoys advances in digital technology, the major national newspapers remain one of the most reliable sources for the public to learn about domestic and foreign news. Many researchers have examined the Japanese press's influence on public opinion during election campaigns, but very few have examined the interactions of the press and national public opinion in the context of international relations. This thesis analyzes the effects of the print media on the formation of national public opinion by examining the Japanese press coverage of Sino-Japanese relations. By testing the second-level agenda-setting theory through a content analysis of the coverage of Sino-Japanese relations in two major Japanese national newspapers, this thesis argues that the Japanese press plays a central role in the formation of Japanese public opinion toward China.