In brief
Tokyo’s historic Sunday Mainichi will shut down in April 2027 after more than a century of print. A shrinking market and higher material costs were cited by publisher Mainichi Shimbun as leading to the decision. The final issue is anticipated to sell about 30,000 copies, ending a legacy that began in 1922.
Tokyo’s street vendors lining Shimbun‑Shō by the main office of Mainichi Shimbun are preparing for a week of quiet as the paper’s long‑running Sunday Mainichi will publish its last issue on April 27, 2027. The decision affects thousands of subscribers, long‑time readers, and the staff behind the publication.
Sunday Mainichi, first issued in April 1922, has long been the oldest general‑interest weekly in Japan. Its history includes notable events such as a spring 1959 special edition for Crown Prince Akihito’s wedding that sold 1 567 000 copies. The weekly has carved a reputation for in‑depth coverage of university admissions and for ranking high schools by the number of graduates entering the University of Tokyo.
Kyodo News reported that Mainichi Shimbun Publishing Inc. cited a shrinking market and rising material costs as the primary reasons for the halt, according to a statement released Friday. In fiscal 2025, the magazine's average circulation was about 30 000 copies. The final issue is expected to reach roughly the same number of readers.
“The market for print media has narrowed dramatically, and the cost of paper and printing has risen,” said a spokesperson for Mainichi Shimbun. The statement indicates that the economics of producing a print weekly could no longer sustain the publication under current conditions.
While the final issue will sell around 30 000 copies, the legacy of Sunday Mainichi persists. Its editorial teams have provided weekly analysis of high‑school rankings and the admissions decisions of prestigious institutions for decades. The paper is also remembered for its comprehensive reporting on national education and for naming every successful graduate in each school’s list of university entrants.
Employees at the Shimbun’s printing plant and distribution centers are expected to face changes. The publisher has announced plans to relocate some staff and to explore digital transitions for other titles. Readers who have relied on the weekly for decades will need to find alternative sources of news on education and general interest topics in the days to come.
With the closure of Sunday Mainichi, Japan’s print press landscape broadens its trend toward digital formats, a movement that has accelerated over the past decade. The cessation marks a symbolic end to a tradition that began in the early post‑war era and filled a niche for university‑preparing students and families seeking reliable information about the nation’s most prestigious schools.
