Nippon Brief
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Editorial Policy

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This document defines how Nippon Brief produces, reviews, updates, and corrects its editorial content. It is the foundation for our credibility — and we expect to be held to it.

1. Sourcing Standards

Every published brief on Nippon Brief is built from a minimum of three primary sources, with the following hierarchy:

Primary sources (always required)

  • Japanese government data (ministries, agencies, public databases like e-Stat, JNTO, JMA, METI)
  • Official corporate press releases (PR TIMES, company IR pages)
  • Peer-reviewed research and academic publications
  • Operator-issued data (JR companies, telecom operators, airport authorities)

Secondary sources (used with attribution)

  • Established industry media (Nikkei xTECH, ITmedia, Robot Watch — with proper citation and excerpt limits)
  • Government statistical reports and white papers
  • Verified expert interviews

Sources we do not use

  • Anonymous blogs, social media posts, or unverified content
  • Wikipedia (as a primary source — only for orientation)
  • Aggregator sites that themselves do not link to primary sources

Every published brief includes a Sources section listing the primary references used.

2. AI-Assisted Editorial Process

Nippon Brief uses AI tools (large language models, including Anthropic Claude) to:

  • Synthesize information from multiple sources
  • Translate Japanese content for international readers
  • Generate first drafts of structured briefs
  • Identify inconsistencies between sources

Every AI-generated draft is reviewed, edited, and approved by a human editor before publication. No content is published on Nippon Brief without human editorial review.

We disclose AI usage because we believe readers deserve to know how content is produced. We do not believe AI assistance disqualifies content from being credible — but we do believe lack of disclosure does.

3. Multi-Source Synthesis Standard

Nippon Brief specifically aims to avoid what Google calls “scaled content abuse” — the mass production of low-effort content for SEO purposes.

For every brief, we require:

  • Three or more primary sources (verified before publication)
  • Independent editorial structure (not a translation or rewrite of any single existing article)
  • Original synthesis (the insight emerges from combining sources, not from any single source)
  • Named editor attribution (no anonymous authorship)
  • Last-verified date (so readers know how fresh the information is)

We do not produce content where any of these standards cannot be met.

4. Corrections and Updates

When we correct

  • A reader reports a factual error
  • A source updates underlying data (e.g., JR Pass price changes)
  • Our editor discovers an error during routine verification

How we correct

  1. The article is updated with corrected information
  2. The “Last verified” date is updated to the current date
  3. A Correction Log entry is added at the bottom of the article, describing what was corrected and when
  4. For significant corrections, we may send an update to newsletter subscribers

What we don’t do

  • Silently edit articles without acknowledgment
  • Remove articles when corrections are needed (we correct, not delete)
  • Backdate corrections

5. Conflict of Interest

Nippon Brief carries:

  • Affiliate links (Airalo eSIM, Klook, GetYourGuide, Booking.com, Amazon Associates, others)

We disclose affiliate relationships in every article where affiliate links appear. We choose products and services based on editorial merit — not because we receive commission. We will recommend a free or non-affiliated alternative when it serves readers better.

We do not accept:

  • Sponsored content disguised as editorial
  • Payment in exchange for favorable coverage
  • Free products or services in exchange for review (unless disclosed)

6. Editorial Independence

The editorial direction of Nippon Brief is determined by the editor alone. No external party — including affiliate partners, advertisers, or tourism boards — has influence over what we cover or how we cover it.

We will decline coverage requests, sponsored placements, or partnership opportunities if they conflict with this policy.

7. Translation Standards

For multi-market publication (English, Korean, Traditional Chinese):

  • Translations are localized, not literal — cultural context is added where needed for international readers
  • Technical terminology is verified against domain-specific glossaries (e.g., for AI / robotics articles)
  • Translated articles carry the same Last-verified date as the source article
  • If source data changes after translation, translated versions are updated within 14 days

8. Content We Do Not Cover

Out of respect for source restrictions and ethical limits, Nippon Brief does not cover:

  • Specific individual restaurants, shops, or businesses where we cannot legally obtain images (e.g., Tabelog-listed venues)
  • Speculative financial advice (we provide system explanations, not investment recommendations)
  • Personal medical advice (we may discuss healthcare systems, not treatments)
  • Real-time political opinion or campaign content

9. Reader Rights

Readers of Nippon Brief have the right to:

  • Request a correction (see Contact)
  • Know what data we collect (see Privacy Policy)
  • Request removal of personal data (where applicable)
  • Receive a response to editorial inquiries within 14 days

10. Updates to This Policy

This policy was last updated on 2026-05-16. Material changes will be announced via newsletter and dated in the revision history below.

Revision history

  • 2026-05-16: Initial publication

For questions about this policy, please contact us.