Tokyo Bureau Chief

The mission of The New York Times is to seek the truth and help people understand the world. That means independent journalism is at the heart of all we do as a company. It’s why we have a world-renowned newsroom that sends journalists to report on the ground from nearly 160 countries. It’s why we focus deeply on how our readers will experience our journalism, from print to audio to a world-class digital and app destination. And it’s why our business strategy centers on making journalism so good that it’s worth paying for. 

Job Description

The New York Times is looking for a talented, experienced and versatile journalist to join our International team as the next Tokyo bureau chief. 

The bureau chief will cover a broad range of issues in Japan, including politics, security and culture. In addition, you would also oversee the management of the bureau and its staff members. This includes directing the news-gathering activities of the bureau and supervising its logistics. The role requires energy, passion and talent for a critical assignment.

The bureau chief will be an anchor for coverage and explore some of the most globally important issues, including demographics, geopolitics, immigration, climate change, identity, gender, tech innovation and socio-economic shifts. In this role, you must be comfortable both covering immediate breaking news and delivering powerful, elegantly written features and incisive news analyses. And above all, you must be collaborative and eager to work with colleagues in bureaus around the world.

This is a chance to join a committed team of Times reporters and editors who have a history of award-winning work, an eagerness to experiment with new story forms and collaborate with a range of news departments, and a passion for bringing Times journalism to a truly global audience across digital, print and other media. 

Main responsibilities:

• Cover live and breaking news, enterprise and investigations in Japan;

• Generate ideas for specific articles and broader coverage;

• Write articles on deadline; receive and incorporate feedback and edits;

• Stay updated on audience tactics to reach new readers across platforms;

• Direct a team of reporter-researchers for sourcing and reporting;

• Hire and manage staff in the bureau, including proactively ensuring that the team is engaged and motivated; assess their performance and support their development;

• Collaborate with other reporters in the region and globally during major news moments;

• Work with colleagues across Photo, Video, Audio and other departments to bring stories to life in a variety of formats for the Times;

• Oversee the bureau logistics and operations, including but not limited to: leases, reporting equipment, budget reports and any monthly funding requests, legal responsibilities, scheduling / leave of absence requests and general maintenance.

• Demonstrate support of our value of journalistic independence and a strong commitment to our mission to seek the truth and help people understand the world. 

Our ideal candidate will be:

• Accomplished in international reporting and writing, preferably for a global news organization

• A curious learner who puts integrity and accuracy first

• An elegant and powerful writer and thinker

• Able to juggle breaking news, smart analysis and ambitious enterprise

• A collaborative colleague with proven leadership skills

• Proactive in identifying and solving problems

• Committed to The New York Times’s strategy, standards and mission

• Japanese language skills are not crucial, but would be an advantage

In order to be considered for this role, please submit links or a PDF of your top 4-7 clips alongside your resume and cover letter.

The New York Times is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce, one that reflects the varied global community we serve. Our journalism and the products we build in the service of that journalism greatly benefit from a range of perspectives, which can only come from diversity of all types, across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. Achieving true diversity and inclusion is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing for our business. So we strongly encourage women, veterans, people with disabilities, people of color and gender nonconforming candidates to apply.

The New York Times Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of an individual's sex, age, race, color, creed, national origin, alienage, religion, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation or affectional preference, gender identity and expression, disability, genetic trait or predisposition, carrier status, citizenship, veteran or military status and other personal characteristics protected by law. All applications will receive consideration for employment without regard to legally protected characteristics. The New York Times Company will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. Individuals seeking an accommodation for the application or interview process should email [email protected]. Emails sent for unrelated issues, such as following up on an application, will not receive a response.

The Company will further consider qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable "Fair Chance" laws.

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