Kansai Chinese Times
The Kansai Chinese Times (關西華文時報) is a Chinese-language newspaper serving overseas Chinese communities in Japan, founded in August 2002 by Osaka-based Acacia Communications Co. Ltd (阿卡西亞通訊有限公司), or Akashia Komyunikēshonzu. Initially targeting the ethnic Chinese population in the Kansai region, the publication expanded its distribution nationwide and launched a website in 2017. Published in both Chinese and Japanese, the Kansai Chinese Times covers news and information about the local Chinese community, employment and educational opportunities, and Japan-China exchanges — as well as sections on Kansai news, services and lifestyle. The newspaper positions itself as serving as a “bridge” between China and Japan, framing characteristic of Chinese state-linked overseas media. The bridging theme is reinforced through several ongoing columns, including “Bridging Japan and China” (日中を翔る), a series of interviews with individuals who work between the two countries. According to the site’s “About Us” profile, it was recognized in 2018 as “one of the Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Media Worldwide” by the official China News Service (中國新聞社), an outlet under the United Front Work Department of the CCP, and Communication University of China (中國傳媒大學). The public activities of the outlet routinely have participation from Chinese diplomats in Osaka.
