Mainichi Shimbun

The Mainichi Shimbun

First issue on February 21, 1872.
Type	Daily newspaper
Format	Broadsheet (54.6 cm × 40.65 cm)
Owner(s)	The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
Publisher	Masato Kitamura
Founded	February 21, 1872
Political alignment	Center-left
Language	Japanese
Headquarters	Chiyoda, Tokyo Osaka Nagoya Kitakyushu
Circulation	Morning edition: 3,945,646 (2005) 3,091,699(2016) Evening edition: 1,610,293(2005)
Website	www.mainichi.co.jp

The Mainichi Shimbun (毎日新聞, Mainichi Shinbun^?, literally "Daily News") is one of the major newspapers in Japan, published by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd (株式会社毎日新聞社, Kabushiki-gaisha Mainichi Shinbunsha^?).

In addition to the Mainichi Shimbun, which is printed twice a day in several local editions, Mainichi also operates an English language news website called The Mainichi (previously Mainichi Daily News), and publishes a bilingual news magazine, Mainichi Weekly. It also publishes paperbacks, books and other magazines, including a weekly news magazine, Sunday Mainichi.

The history of the Mainichi Shimbun began with the founding of two papers during the Meiji period. The Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun was founded first, in 1872. The Mainichi claims that it is the oldest existing Japanese daily newspaper with its 136-year history. The Osaka Mainichi Shimbun was founded four years later, in 1876. The two papers merged in 1911, but the two companies continued to print their newspapers independently until 1943, when both editions were placed under a Mainichi Shimbun masthead. In 1966, the Tokyo office was moved from Yurakucho to Takebashi, and in 1992, the Osaka office was moved from Dojima to Nishi-Umeda.

The Mainichi has 3,200 employees working in 364 offices in Japan and 26 bureaus overseas. It is one of Japan's three largest newspapers in terms of circulation and number of employees, and has 79 associated companies, including Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) and the Sports Nippon Newspaper.