Review of the book The Development of Japanese journalism by Kanesada Nanazono. Observes the remarkable circulations figures of Japanese newspaper and the comparatively low rate of illetaracy in Japan (only 2%). Yet as the Japanese language is unifitted to modern methods of typewriting in the modern press. Therefore, European and American readers cannot read Japanese newspapers and this might hamper Japan's current position as a great power amongst the nations of the world. Compared various models of typewriting machines produced by the Linotype Company, describing what they can do. Examines the case of Chinese language, arguing that the slow development of Chinese typewriters is less a technical issue, but rather due to the political instability in China and the high costs it would entail.