Mainichi Shimbun
The online edition of a major Japanese national daily covering news, politics and society.
Mainichi Shimbun at a glance
Mainichi Shimbun is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Japan, currently ranked #102 in the country. It was founded in 1872 by Not publicly disclosed and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Today Mainichi Shimbun is owned by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 110 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales. Its closest rivals include asahi.com, sankei.com, nikkei.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 103 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 107 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 110 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 117 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Japan, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Japan86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 33 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Japan
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| mainichi shimbun | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Japan web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Japan
Company information
- Website
- mainichi.jp
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Not publicly disclosed
- Founded
- 1872
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Employees
- 2,500+
- Ownership
- The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Japanese, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Mainichi Shimbun operates a news and media publisher focused on Japan. The online edition of a major Japanese national daily covering news, politics and society. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Digital advertising
- Print sales
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Japan
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Japan)
- #102 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Japan
- Global rank
- 1000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| asahi.com | ≈ 66 million / month | #103 class competitor | — |
| sankei.com | ≈ 49.5 million / month | #104 class competitor | — |
| nikkei.com | ≈ 33 million / month | #105 class competitor | — |
What is Mainichi Shimbun?
Mainichi Shimbun (mainichi.jp) is a news and media publisher serving users in Japan. The online edition of a major Japanese national daily covering news, politics and society. It ranks #102 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Mainichi Shimbun?
The site is operated by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., founded by Not publicly disclosed. The company was established in 1872 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It employs around 2,500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Mainichi Shimbun at roughly 110 million visits per month, about 3.7 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Mainichi Shimbun makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside digital advertising, print sales.
Competitors in Japan
Its closest rivals include asahi.com, sankei.com, nikkei.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1872
Mainichi Shimbun is founded in Tokyo, Japan.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #102 among the most visited websites in Japan.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Mainichi Shimbun?
Mainichi Shimbun is operated by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Mainichi Shimbun headquartered?
Mainichi Shimbun is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
When was Mainichi Shimbun founded?
Mainichi Shimbun was founded in 1872 by Not publicly disclosed.
How many employees does Mainichi Shimbun have?
Mainichi Shimbun employs approximately 2,500+ people.
What is Mainichi Shimbun's revenue?
Mainichi Shimbun's revenue: ≈ $1 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Mainichi Shimbun's competitors?
Main competitors in Japan include asahi.com, sankei.com, nikkei.com.
How does Mainichi Shimbun make money?
Mainly subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales.
Is Mainichi Shimbun publicly traded?
No — Mainichi Shimbun is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd..
How many visitors does Mainichi Shimbun get?
Third-party estimates place Mainichi Shimbun at roughly 110 million visits per month, mostly from Japan, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Mainichi Shimbun safe?
Mainichi Shimbun is an established news & media site founded in 1872 and ranked #102 in Japan; use the official domain mainichi.jp and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsmainichi.jp
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageJapan and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos