Journalist, Line Producer & Filmmaker

Sonja Blaschke (Journalist, Line Producer & Filmmaker)

Sonja Blaschke is a multilingual freelance journalist, magazine editor, news desk editor, author and line producer from Germany. She has lived and worked in Japan for 20 years and speaks Japanese fluently. Her reporting focuses primarily on social issues, politics and current developments in East Asia, particularly in Japan and Taiwan. This also includes major events such as natural disasters. In 2013, she spent several months living in Taiwan, and between 2016 and 2018 she also spent extended periods in Australia and New Zealand. After many years working as a line producer, she directed her first television documentary in 2022. “Rice Fields Instead of Tokyo” follows young people who leave Tokyo and move to a remote mountain village to take up rice farming. In her spare time, she is most likely to be found at rock and metal concerts around the world. Sonja attends around 70 concerts and festivals a year and writes about them online.

WritingWriting and editing in German and English for print, digital and corporate publications

Multilingual freelance journalist with 20 years of experience in Japan, Taiwan and Australia. Writing and editing in German and English, with research, interviews and communication also conducted in Japanese. Reporting from East Asia on politics, society, business, natural disasters and culture, with a particular interest in live music. Editor-in-chief of a German-language business magazine on Japan, long-time online editor and newsletter writer for European news media, and author of several travel guides to Tokyo and Japan.

Related Posts

Producing Documentary filmmaker and line producer for
TV and film productions in Japan

Unearthing compelling visual stories. Amplifying voices. Advising on contents and intercultural differences. Finding protagonists and locations. Liaising with local partners. Organizing schedules and logistics. Getting permissions. Interpreting and interviews. Problem-solving on all fronts.

Related Posts

ConnectingMusic, media and Japan adviser, speaker and content creator

Building bridges between Japan and Europe, with a growing focus on music and live culture. Cross-cultural insight, market research, localisation, partner identification and international project coordination. Inbound tourism adviser. Japan commentator, public speaker and event moderator. International live music and travel content, with a focus on rock and metal.

Related Posts

般若 (Hannya mask)

Clients

My clients include daily newspapers, magazines, online media, TV stations and publishing houses – mainly from German, but also from English-speaking countries. Some are interested in my expertise in the East Asia & Oceania region, others need a reliable journalist who also has many years of online and TV experience and speaks several languages fluently.
  • ARD_logo
  • Arte-Logo
  • AHK Japan
  • aerztezeitung.de
  • Deutsche_Welle_Logo
  • Emma
  • geo-magazine
  • gruppe-5
  • NZZ_am_Sonntag
  • nzz_format
  • Neue_Zürcher_Zeitung
  • Stuttgarter_Zeitung_Logo
  • WELT_Logo_2016
  • ZDF_logo
  • Financial Times Deutschland
  • MairDumont-Logo

News

Kreator beim Konzert in Osaka Ende Januar 2024 © Sonja Blaschke„KREATOR – Hate & Hope“ (2025)
Dragonfruit from Tokunoshima © Sonja BlaschkeDocumentary: How would a potential Taiwan crisis affect the region? (2024)
Wajima destroyed houses 4 Jan 2024 _Sonja BlaschkeWie ist es, aus einem Katastrophengebiet zu berichten? (2024)
Regisseurin Claudia Ruby (re.) im Einsatz beim Dreh eines Hoya-Züchters – leider aus Zeitgründen nicht im Film © Sonja BlaschkeRegie-Preis für „Thunfisch – der bedrohte Jäger“ (2025)
The „Terra X“ team during a shoot on Japan’s northernmost island Rebun © Sonja Blaschke | The "Terra X" team during a shoot on Japan's northernmost island Rebun © Sonja BlaschkeZDF flagship show – „Terra X: Fascination water“ (2023)
Tour shirts of Kreator and In Flames from their „Klash of the Titans“ tour in Japan 2024 and my access pass © Sonja BlaschkeOn tour with Kreator during the „Klash of the Titans“ in Japan (2024)
Japanese soldiers observing the military exercise in Tokunoshima © Sonja Blaschke„Old Enmities, New Friendships“ – DW documentary (2025)
Bamboo and firelight animation at teamlab’s „Borderless“ exhibition in Tokyo © Sonja Blaschke | Bamboo and firefly animation at teamlab's "Borderless" exhibition in Tokyo © Sonja BlaschkeBamboo and firefly animation at teamlab's "Borderless" exhibition in Tokyo
„Hüpfen verboten!“ – Schild an einer Konzerthalle in Osaka vor einem Metal-Gig © Sonja Blaschke | "Hüpfen verboten!" - Schild an einer Konzerthalle in Osaka vor einem Metal-Gig © Sonja BlaschkeMusk, Metal und ein Marketingdisaster (2023)
Modern life between ones and zeros – teamlab „Borderless“ exhibition in Tokyo © Sonja Blaschke | Modern life between ones and zeros - teamlab "Borderless" exhibition in Tokyo © Sonja BlaschkeInterview mit Taiwans Digitalministerin Audrey Tang (2020)
Endured a 14-hour time difference to see Imminence in Canada twice, flying over from Tokyo – my longest trip for metal so far © Imminence / Sonja Blaschke | Endured a 14-hour time difference to see Imminence in Canada twice, flying over from Tokyo - my longest trip for metal so far © Imminence / Sonja BlaschkeMy independent live music project: I Travel for Metal (2023)
„Plane Spotting“ am Flughafen Haneda – beliebter Zeitvertreib in Tokio © Sonja Blaschke | "Plane Spotting" am Flughafen Haneda - beliebter Zeitvertreib in Tokio © Sonja BlaschkeFlugzeugbäuche fotografieren – „Plane Spotting“ in Tokio (2014)

Locations

Portfolio

Topics

© Sonja Blaschke

Profile

Sonja Blaschke Freelance East Asia correspondent

Sonja Blaschke is a multilingual freelance journalist, magazine editor, news desk editor, author and line producer from Germany. She has lived and worked in Japan for 20 years and speaks Japanese fluently.

Her reporting focuses primarily on social issues, politics and current developments in East Asia, particularly in Japan and Taiwan. This also includes major events such as natural disasters. In 2013, she spent several months living in Taiwan, and between 2016 and 2018 she also spent extended periods in Australia and New Zealand.

After many years working as a line producer, she directed her first television documentary in 2022. “Rice Fields Instead of Tokyo” follows young people who leave Tokyo and move to a remote mountain village to take up rice farming.

In her spare time, she is most likely to be found at rock and metal concerts around the world. Sonja attends around 70 concerts and festivals a year and writes about them online.

E-Mail info@sonjablaschke.com
Phone Japan +81-90-1103-8299
Phone Germany +49 178-89-95-180