History
Meiji Era
Nov. 2, 1874The Yomiuri Shimbun is launched
Jan. 1, 1897Serialization of Koyo Ozaki's novel, Konjiki Yasha (The Golden Demon), begins
Taisho Era
Apr. 3, 1914New Yomiuri Fujin Furoku (women's supplement) is launched
Apr. 27, 1917The Yomiuri Shimbun sponsors the Tokaido Ekiden Kyoso (footrace). It was the beginning of Japan's ekiden long-distance relay race.
Sep. 1, 1923Head office building is destroyed by fire in the Great Kanto Earthquake
Feb. 25, 1924Matsutaro Shoriki becomes the seventh President of The Yomiuri Shimbun
Nov. 15, 1925New Yomiuri Rajio Ban radio program page is launched
Showa Era
Nov. 25, 1931Evening edition is published for the first time
Dec. 26, 1934The Dai-Nippon Tokyo Yakyu Kurabu (baseball club), forerunner of the Yomiuri Giants
Jul. 25, 1936The Yomiuri Shimbun uses the term "Gorin" (lit. "five rings") to refer to the Olympics in print for the first time
May 25, 1945Head office building is destroyed by fire in an air raid on Tokyo by U.S. air force bombers
Jul. 1, 1946Typeface for "Yomiuri Shimbun" title is changed to reisho-tai
Sep. 1, 1946Creed of The Yomiuri Shimbun is announced
Oct. 16, 1946Yomiuri labor dispute is resolved
Mar. 1, 1949Henshu Techo (Editor's Note) becomes a permanent feature of the morning edition's front page
Nov. 25, 1952Publication in Osaka begins (marking a leap toward becoming a national newspaper)
Aug. 28, 1953Nippon TV begins to broadcast officially
Mar. 16,1954Japanese fishing vessel, Daigo Fukuryu Maru, is exposed to radioactive fallout from hydrogen bomb testing at Bikini Atoll. Reports on the incident win the Kikuchi Kan Prize.
Apr. 1, 1955English-language newspaper is launched
Apr. 1, 1962Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra is established
Public performance at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan on September 26, 1962
Jun. 30, 1966The Yomiuri Shimbun sponsors the first performance in Japan by the Beatles
Jan, 1967The Yomiuri Shimbun carries photographs showing Chinese leaders being exposed to public scorn by Red Guard soldiers and a special report on China's Cultural Revolution. The report wins the Vaughn International Journalistic Prize.
May 30, 1970Mitsuo Mutai becomes the ninth President of The Yomiuri Shimbun
Jun. 30, 1971The Yomiuri Shimbun reports that the true perpetrator of the murder of Hirosaki University professor's wife confesses 22 years after the crime. The reports won the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award and the Kikuchi Kan Prize.
Aug. 1973The Yomiuri Shimbun reports involvement by South Korean intelligence agency operatives in the kidnapping of Kim Dae Jung. It wins Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award.
Mar. 25, 1975Publication of the Chubu Yomiuri begins
Feb. 1977The Yomiuri Shimbun becomes Japan's top-circulation newspaper
Aug. 1985The Yomiuri Shimbun prints photographs of 500 victims of Japan Airlines plane crash
Oct. 19, 1986Newspaper production at Tokyo headquarters is completely computerized
Mar. 1988The Yomiuri Shimbun launches a campaign to expose embezzlement by an Osaka police officer of cash found and handed in and police's attempts to paint the housewife who handed it in as a thief. The campaign wins the Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award
Heisei Era
Jun. 1991Pyroclastic flow from the eruption of Mount Unzen's Fugen-dake (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Jun. 1992Diet member doing stretching exercises in a corner of the Diet chamber during prolonged debate of the PKO bill (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award, Tokyo Press Photographers Association Special Award)
May 1994Circulation surpasses 10 million copies
Nov. 3, 1994The Yomiuri Shimbun announces proposed amendments to the Constitution
Jan. 1, 1995Detection of sarin residues in (then) Kamikuishikimura, Yamanashi Prefecture
Jun. 16, 1995News website is established (launch of digital service)
Jun. 6, 1998Japan's first case of successful vitro fertilization with a donor egg (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Feb. 1, 1999Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc. is established and becomes part of the Yomiuri Shimbun Group
Apr. 1999Pictorial reporting of the Kosovo War in Yugoslavia (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award, Tokyo Press Photographers Association Special Award)
Jan. 1, 2000New Creed of The Yomiuri Shimbun is adopted
May 10, 2001The Code of Conduct for the Editorial Staff of The Yomiuri Shimbun is established
Oct. 17, 2002The Yomiuri Shimbun becomes an official partner of the Japanese Olympic Committee
Jul. 9, 2004Zenkoku Yomiuri Bohan Kyoryokukai (national Yomiuri crime prevention cooperation association) is established
Apr. 1, 2005Readers' Center is established at Tokyo headquarters
Apr. 2006Cellphone screens of victims of the train accident on the JR Fukuchiyama Line (five photographs) (Tokyo Press Photographers Association Award )
Aug. 13 and 15, 2006Publication of the final report on responsibility for the "Showa War"
Mar. 31, 2008Introduction of "mega characters." The number of columns per page is reduced to 12.
Dec. 2009Secret nuclear agreement document found in former Prime Minister Sato's house (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Mar. 3, 2011The Yomiuri KODOMO Shimbun newspaper for children is launched
Jul. 2011DNA of someone other than convicted man found in the personal effects of murdered TEPCO female office worker (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Oct. 12, 2011The Yomiuri KODOMO Shimbun receives a Jury Commendation in the editorial category of the World Young Reader Prize offered by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)
Jul. 2013"Let's show the world Japan's true strength!" (Tokyo Press Photographers Association Award)
Jan. 6, 2014The Yomiuri Shimbun officially starts operating from its new headquarters in Tokyo's central Otemachi district
Jun. 10, 2014Tokyo headquarters appoints its first female officer
Nov. 7, 2014The Yomiuri Chukosei Shimbun for teens is launched
Nov. 14, 2014Eight patients die after laparoscopic surgery at Gunma University Hospital (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Apr. 9, 2015The Yomiuri Shimbun marks its 50,000th issue
Sep. 3, 2015The Yomiuri Chukosei Shimbun is awarded the top editorial award in the World Young Reader Prize of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)
Jan. 2016The Yomiuri Shimbun signs a contract to be a Tokyo 2020 Official Partner (newspapers category) with the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
Jan. 2017Inaugural presentation ceremony of the Japan Para-Sports Awards
Jan. 1, 2019The Yomiuri Shimbun raises the monthly price of its set of morning and evening newspapers for the first time in 25 years to ¥4,400 (tax included)
Feb. 1, 2019New digital service "Yomiuri Shimbun Online" is launched
Apr. 4, 2019Yomiuri Namiki-dori Street Building opens for business in Ginza, Tokyo. Tenants, Mujirushi Ryohin Ginza (retail store) and MUJI HOTEL GINZA, begin operation
Reiwa Era
Jun. 22, 2020The Yomiuri Shimbun publishes an emergency proposal in response to the spread of novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19
Mar. 21, 2021The Yomiuri Shimbun publishes a second emergency proposal in response to spread of novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19
Mar. 25, 2021Yomiuri Land Co., Ltd. is made a wholly owned subsidiary of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings through a successful tender offer (TOB) and becomes one of the seven core companies.
Apr. 27, 2021Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. makes Tokyo Dome Corporation a wholly owned subsidiary via a successful TOB. The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings acquires a 20% stake in Tokyo Dome and makes it an affiliated company.
Sep. 7, 2022Series of scoops reporting Olympic corruption scandals (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
Mar. 2023The Yomiuri Shimbun concludes a JFA National Team Partner agreement with the Japan Football Association
Sep. 6, 2023Series of scoops reporting trafficking of organs and facilitation of transplants overseas (Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association award)
