The Tokyo-based Aflo Co. and Mainichi Newspapers Co. have signed an agreement in which Aflo will represent the historical archive and current production of
The Mainichi Shinbun.
One of the largest daily newspapers in Japan, The Mainichi Shinbun is the country's oldest, in print since 1872. The current circulation of its two daily editions is 6 million. The paper maintains over 300 offices, including 20 in overseas locations. The Mainichi Shinbun image collection contains 230,000 searchable digitized images; its historical archive covers over 100 years of domestic and foreign news.
Recently, the paper's publisher made news by ending its multiyear agreement with MSN Japan to launch independent online products that pay closer attention to social media such as blogs.
Aflo, one of Japan's largest stock-image agencies, was founded in 1980 by Koji Aoki. It employs over 100 people in its four offices. It produces its own imagery and represents third-party production in both creative and editorial market segments.