In brief
Japan’s 105‑year‑old Sunday Mainichi will halt print production in April 2027, its publisher saying a weakening market and higher material costs drive the decision. The magazine’s final issue will go on sale April 27, 2027, after an average circulation of about 30,000 copies in fiscal 2025. Sunday Mainichi has been a staple of Japanese media, known for its university admissions rankings and special editions that historically drove sales spikes, including a 1959 issue that sold over 1.5 million copies.
Japan’s oldest general‑interest weekly, Sunday Mainichi, will cease print publication on April 27, 2027, its publisher Mainichi Shimbun Publishing Inc. announced Friday, citing a shrinking market and rising material costs.
The magazine, launched in April 1922, has been a staple of Japanese media for more than a century. Its average circulation stood at about 30,000 copies in fiscal 2025, the publisher said.
Sunday Mainichi is best known for university admissions coverage, including high‑school rankings by the number of graduates admitted to the prestigious University of Tokyo and comprehensive lists of successful applicants.
A special issue celebrating Crown Prince Akihito’s 1959 marriage sold 1,567,000 copies, the publisher noted, highlighting moments when the paper’s sales peaked.
The final issue, scheduled for sale on April 27, will mark the end of an era for print media in Japan. The publisher said it will not pursue other formats.
