Sankei Shimbum logo (Credit: Sankei Shimbun)

Japanese newspaper the Sankei Shimbun has “disciplined” three staffers after the newspaper was accused of plagiarism, the Japan Times reported.

“There will be no excuse if the accusation is plagiarism,” the newspaper is quoted as saying.

The Sankei Shimbun’s Jan. 27 sports news article “purported to cite a sports news website in Italy,” the Japan Times reported “However, it was later found that part of the article was based on the Japanese translation of Italian articles by a Japanese blogger.”

So, the newspaper lifted work done by a Japanese blogger and didn’t credit the blogger but instead cited an Italian site.

The blogger soon complained to the newspaper, which unpublished the article, gave a “pay cut” to the writer and “reprimanded two of his supervisors,” the Japan Times reported.

iMediaEthics has written to the Sankei Shimbun for more information.

Hat Tip: Jeffrey Seglin