Book Market
The Book Market of Japan
Breakfast Meeting October, 11, Frankfurt am Main
Seiichi Higuchi Japan Book Publishers Association
JAPAN
Population 120,000,000 Area 370,000km2
Population is not so small, compared to European countries. For example, Germany has 80 million people, France has 65 million etc. As the same situation of European countries, a trend of ageing is advanced. The percentage of people more than 65 years old is 20.8% in 2006. On the other hand, young generation has been decreasing. This is the serious problem for the society and publishing world as well.
Outline of the Book Market of Japan
Retail Market Sales of Books and Magazines
3,000.00 2,500.00 2,000.00 1,500.00 1,000.00 500.00 0.00
97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06
Magazines Books
Total Sales of Publications in 2006
Books 932.6 billion yen (US$ 7.8 billion) Magazines 1,220,0 (US$10.2 billion)
Japanese book market is not necessarily small, but it has become declined since mid 1990s. The total sales of publishing industry in 2006 were nearly same as those of 1990. Japanese publishing industries lost 500 billion yen per year for these ten years. This means the size of the publishing industry became small by 20% of the maximum. Ten years ago, parents always said to their children, do not read manga but study hard. However, nowadays children do not read even manga. Their only concern seems to communicate their friends through mobile phones.
１. Most medium-sized and large publishers in Japan produce both books and magazines, and both are distributed through the same channel.
In the trade market, a wholesale distributor will usually act as an intermediary between the publisher and the bookstore. Generally, publishers do business with distributors on a consignment basis, with the distributor then selling to the retail market on returnable basis. Distributors promptly and efficiently deliver books to bookstores and other retailers nationwide after receiving stock from
Breakfast Meeting October, 11, Frankfurt am Main
Seiichi Higuchi Japan Book Publishers Association
JAPAN
Population 120,000,000 Area 370,000km2
Population is not so small, compared to European countries. For example, Germany has 80 million people, France has 65 million etc. As the same situation of European countries, a trend of ageing is advanced. The percentage of people more than 65 years old is 20.8% in 2006. On the other hand, young generation has been decreasing. This is the serious problem for the society and publishing world as well.
Outline of the Book Market of Japan
Retail Market Sales of Books and Magazines
3,000.00 2,500.00 2,000.00 1,500.00 1,000.00 500.00 0.00
97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06
Magazines Books
Total Sales of Publications in 2006
Books 932.6 billion yen (US$ 7.8 billion) Magazines 1,220,0 (US$10.2 billion)
Japanese book market is not necessarily small, but it has become declined since mid 1990s. The total sales of publishing industry in 2006 were nearly same as those of 1990. Japanese publishing industries lost 500 billion yen per year for these ten years. This means the size of the publishing industry became small by 20% of the maximum. Ten years ago, parents always said to their children, do not read manga but study hard. However, nowadays children do not read even manga. Their only concern seems to communicate their friends through mobile phones.
１. Most medium-sized and large publishers in Japan produce both books and magazines, and both are distributed through the same channel.
In the trade market, a wholesale distributor will usually act as an intermediary between the publisher and the bookstore. Generally, publishers do business with distributors on a consignment basis, with the distributor then selling to the retail market on returnable basis. Distributors promptly and efficiently deliver books to bookstores and other retailers nationwide after receiving stock from