Tsuneo Watanabe

Tsuneo Watanabe (渡邉 恒雄, Watanabe Tsuneo; May 30, 1926 – December 19, 2024) was a Japanese journalist, businessman, and newspaper editor and executive, who served as a Managing Editor of Yomiuri Shimbun from January 1985 until his death in December 2024. He also served as a Representative Director and Managing Editor of Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, which published a largest Japanese daily newspaper, Yomiuri Shimbun, and substantially controls the largest Japanese television commercial network Nippon Television Network, and as well as his owner, director, and chief advisor of Yomiuri Giants baseball team, his owner of Japanese amusement park Yomiuriland, and the chairman of Japan Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association. He was best known by his two nicknames Nabetane and Watatsune by those connected to Yomiuri Shimbun. Watanabe played a prominent role in Japanese political, cultural, and professional sports arenas. At the time of his death, his legacy was surrounded by many numerous Japanese politicians, celebrities, sport players including professional baseball players, such as Shigeo Nagashima, film and television directors, producers, and stars, video game developers, and among others.