about iwj
Independent Web Journal (IWJ) is one of the largest citizen’s internet media in Japan. We cover regular press conferences of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Japanese government officials. Citizens’ movements are broadcast as well as exclusive interviews and reports by Yasumi Iwakami and other IWJ staff. We broadcast live everyday – we have more than 130 stream channels on our website and the available archives of over 1,500. Some of the archives are translated into English. Please contact us if you need further information.
-Profile of Yasumi Iwakami, founder of IWJ-
Born in 1959 and raised in Tokyo Japan.
Graduated Waseda Jitsugyo High School and Waseda University, Bachelor of Social Science.
After graduation, Iwakami started his career at Joho Center Publishing Co., Ltd., a publishing company, as an editor. After resigning, he became a freelance journalist in 1987.
From 1989 to 1994, Iwakami frequently travelled former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe and consequently published his book in 1996 describing the collapse of Soviet Union and following rises of democracy movement in Russia. He won Kodansha Non-Fiction prize for the book in the same year.
Iwakami appeared as a regular commentator on several TV and radio programs.
Iwakami covers a great variety of fields, such as politics, international affairs and relationships, economy, crimes, medical and social welfare issues, ideologies and religions, family issues, culture and sports.
Since the late 90s, Iwakami has been covering issues such as demographic change in Japan and its impact on Japanese economy and society and writing many articles and giving speeches. Lately he extensively interviews central political figures amidst frequent political shift in Japan.
In August 2009 Iwakami redesigned his website “Web Iwakami” and started video broadcasting on November 30, 2009 as a new way of journalism through Internet media. Since December 2009 he has been using on Twitter with his account @iwakamiyasumi to comment on various subjects, gaining more than 110,000 followers. He also commenced live streaming of his interviews through Ustream in March 2010.
In December 2010, Iwakami founded Independent Web Journal (IWJ). IWJ began 24/7 broadcasting just after March 11, 2011 the Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incidents. IWJ continues to follow the subsequent movements of civilian protests against nuclear power. The number of IWJ channels has increased to 93 in June 2011 to completely cover growing no nuke protests throughout nationwide. He began Facebook in June 2011.
Iwakami supports many people who act as a part-time journalist and strives to build streaming network of civilian reporters.