Journalism in Japan: interview with Ewerthon Tobace

“A detail of Japan’s media culture is the importance given to regional aspects, be it tourism, gastronomy, language, or local society”. Photo: courtesy

Ewerthon Tobace is a Brazilian journalist who has been living in Japan for more than two decades. Descending from Japanese parents, he was born, lived, and studied in Brazil, having graduated in journalism at the University of Mogi das Cruzes (UMC), in São Paulo. After graduating, Tobace lived in cities such as Suzano and Curitiba, where he wrote for regional and national newspapers.

Currently based in Tokyo he collaborates with Brazilian and Latin American outlets, creates content for his website and, together with the journalist Sonia Nakagawa, he hosts the radio program Ponto de Encontro on NHK World Japan. Also, he works as senior producer for the Brazilian TV Network Record TV, the second largest commercial TV station in Brazil.

Tobace is the author, among others, of the book 1991: a História da Mídia Brasileira no Japão [1991: The History of the Brazilian Media in Japan], published in 2018 as part of the celebrations of 110 years of Japanese immigration to Brazil. The book project was sponsored by Grupo Folha, as part of the Folha Memória program. In November 2022, Tobace received an award (The Best Journalist Award 2022) in recognition of his work on behalf of Brazilians living in Japan. Read more in the interview below.