The framing of Japanese corporate governance in the English-language mass media

Abstract: This thesis investigates and problematizes how the English-language mass media constructs the discourse on Japanese corporate governance. The purpose is to analyse and problematize the discourse on mass media with regard to orientalism. By looking at a number of examples from the discourse, this thesis questions the fundamental assumption that the mass media is an impartial conveyor of information to a concerned public. The mass media is seen rather as a social consciousness that projects and reiterates the underlying assumptions that exist within the society of which it is a part of. Furthermore, this thesis highlights how scandal is connected to the discussion of corporate governance in Japan and how reform is perceived as a necessity. This ignores the fact that there have been a number of reforms to corporate governance in Japan since the early 1990s. Underlying orientalist assumptions are found to be the explanation for this as can be seen by the constant use of what I term the ’efficiency argument’ and ’reform or face a scandal argument’ throughout the discourse. No matter what happens in Japan there is an underlying assumption in the English-language mass media that there is something rotten in the state of Japan.