Because "kisha" press clubs provide easy access to information provided by the central and local governments and business associations, membership is considered essential for mainstream news organizations.
But the foreign press as well as Japanese magazines often criticize the press club system, complaining it shuts them out of news conferences and briefings, and can be a way of spoon-feeding the press with tightly controlled information.
Following are some basic facts about press clubs and problems with the system:
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