MAINICHI SHINBUN

The Mainichi Shimbun is a daily newspaper founded in 1872 in Asakusa, Tokyo. It is considered Tokyo's first daily newspaper. In 1875, it also became the first newspaper to offer a home delivery service. In 1876, the Osaka Nippo was founded and later became the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun. The Mainichi Shimbun is known for its support of sporting events, notably the national high school rugby tournament, which was first sponsored in 1918. In 1922, the newspaper launched the weekly magazine Sunday Mainichi, as well as the Mainichi in English and Braille. In 1924, it organized the first national guest college baseball tournament. In 1936, the Mainichi Shogakusei Shimbun, a newspaper for primary school pupils, was inaugurated. In 1943, the mastheads of the Osaka Mainichi Shimbun and Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun were unified under the name Mainichi Shimbun. In 1996, the Mainichi Shimbun became the first Japanese national newspaper to include author signatures on all its articles. In 2009, the newspaper achieves ISO 14001 environmental certification. In 2011, it establishes a holding company with Sports Nippon Newspapers.