Standards
Editorial Policy
Our rules for researching and presenting difficult subjects responsibly.
Sources and reporting method
Behind Japan relies only on publicly available information, including journalism, books, court decisions, and official statistics. We do not conduct interviews, contact people involved in a case, or approach organizations discussed in our articles.
Purpose and tone
We do not praise, romanticize, or encourage crime, violence, or criminal organizations. Our work is limited to explanation, context, and criticism. We avoid sensational presentation and distinguish established facts from disputed claims.
Images
We do not use photographs of real people, the emblems or insignia of real organizations, or authentic footage from crimes and incidents. Published images are clearly contextual illustrations rather than documentary evidence.
People, bereavement, and privacy
We do not target or attack living individuals. We avoid details that would needlessly intensify the distress of victims’ families. We do not publish information that could encourage discrimination, including details used to identify a person’s place of origin or community background.
Suicide and self-harm
When suicide is relevant to a subject, we do not describe methods in detail. Coverage is framed around context, prevention, and public understanding rather than graphic or replicable information.