• Tansa is an independent, nonprofit, investigative newsroom based in Tokyo.

  Our investigations reveal — and aim thereby to end — wrongdoing by the powerful, such as government bodies and corporations. We approach our work by considering what needs to change in order to achieve redress for injustice and ensure that others are not harmed by similar wrongdoing in the future.
  
  

  In 2020, Japan ranked 66th in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. The country’s major media organizations, prioritizing their own business interests, often fail to sufficiently monitor power or to speak up for the victims of its abuses. We believe independent, investigative journalism is essential for the Japanese public.

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• In order to maintain our editorial independence, Tansa does not run ads. And we don’t have a paywall, so our stories are available to everyone. Our funding comes mainly from reader donations, grants from foundations, and proceeds from our online journalism course. If you believe in Tansa’s mission, please consider supporting our work.

  As governments, corporations, and criminals increasingly work across borders, so too must the journalists who investigate them. In 2018, Tansa became Japan’s first official member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), which as of February 2021 is comprised of 203 independent, nonprofit media organizations in 80 countries. Since beginning publication, we have participated in numerous cross-border investigations together with journalists from over a dozen countries.

Tansa’s promises to our readers

• 1. Unflagging investigations

  Tansa aims for our work to have concrete impact by ending abuses of power. We choose the subjects of our investigations with an eye to finding solutions to problems affecting society. When we select a reporting topic, we commit to following the story in the long term.

• 2. Time and effort

  Investigative journalism requires significant time and effort. Through extensive research, interviews, and discussion with sources, we obtain and report on information that would otherwise not have come to light.

• 3. World-class skill

  Through learning from and partnering with other investigative journalists around the world, we will continue to hone our skills in order to produce world-class journalism.

• 4. Uncensored reporting

  We will always act based on journalistic ethics. Our investigations and reporting won’t hold back, no matter who or what their subject may be.

• 5. Training the next generation

  Through our online journalism course, Tansa offers young and aspiring journalists across Japan the skills they need to work at a high professional level. We aim to raise the overall standard of journalism in Japan.

Meet the team