Thread: Japan getting Kindle
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Old 09-26-2012, 04:03 AM   #21
Canuck_in_Japan
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Location: Tokyo, Japan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stitchawl View Post
Something is amiss... I see bookstores closing all over the world. Japanese book stores are cutting back on stocks. 'Kinokuniya,' Japan's #1 book store chain has reduced stock by 50% and is discounting books left and right. Only one row of English Language books now instead of three! I see Japanese convenience stores devoting 1/4 the space previously used for manga. More and more people are using e-readers, and today two models of Sonys can be found in EVERY electrical department store all over Japan. Amazon.co.jp is coming out with their Kindle.

But... 'Maruzen,' Japan's second largest book seller just opened a brand new seven-floor book store in one of the highest rent areas in Osaka! And one entire floor is devoted to English language books! Huh?


Stitchawl
Anectdotal but I've only ever seen two ebook readers out in the wild in Tokyo and one of them was my private student's whom I recommended to get one in the first place. I have no doubt that books are suffering in Japan but I don't think it's e-readers that's doing it. I suspect that smartphones hi-speed internet is what is really killing books.
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