By JUNKO TAKAHASHI/ Staff Writer
November 28, 2023 at 18:28 JST
The Japanese liberal political magazine Sekai announced that it is being revamped for the first time in a quarter of a century to achieve greater gender parity and reach new audiences.
The newly revamped Sekai is set to go on sale on Dec. 8.
“Sekai,” which literally means “the world,” is published by Iwanami Shoten and renowned for its progressive political stance.
Despite this, the contributors have been predominantly men.
The magazine's new editor-in-chief, Yukiko Hori, thought it was high time for an update.
“I just couldn’t see it as ‘my magazine,’” explained Hori. She said this was her starting point as editor-in-chief.
Hori said that previously, there were few articles that resonated with everyday life and above all, the magazine’s serious “facade” often deterred casual browsing.
“I want people from all walks of life to pick up (the magazine),” she said.
The first prototype of the reimagined Sekai, created in collaboration with the new designer Anna Suda, transformed the magazine into something resembling a culture magazine. Even the title font was changed.
However, this elicited criticism from the staff who said that “the essence of Sekai had been lost.”
The criticism led Hori to reflect on what the essence of Sekai really was. After repeated discussions and self-questions, she concluded that the magazine represents seriousness and a fresh perspective.
“I will show how the readers’ immediate surroundings are connected to global events,” she said. “If you read it, you will feel that you are not powerless and that you want to strive to change society. That’s Sekai.”
One year after Hori assumed her role in October 2022, the magazine achieved a nearly equal number of male and female authors in the December issue.
Hori loves films, particularly action movies. She has studied at the University of Hong Kong.
After taking maternity and child care leaves, she worked at a book editorial department, where she specialized in cultural topics.
Hori enjoys listening to Black music when she’s feeling down.
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Yukiko Hori, editor-in-chief of Sekai, which is published by Iwanami Shoten (Junko Takahashi)
