Japanese Lawmakers Share Sense of Crisis Over Decrease of Bookstores; Yomiuri, Kodansha Joint Proposal Hopes to Revitalize Bookstores

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:12 JST, April 25, 2025

Groups of nonpartisan lawmakers shared a sense of crisis over the decline in reading and in the number of bookstores numbers at a meeting on Thursday, confirming their commitment to create a strategy against the trend.

The parliamentary groups for print culture and school libraries held a joint general meeting in Tokyo on the day. They discussed the issue in response to the joint proposal for revitalizing bookstores released by The Yomiuri Shimbun and Kodansha Ltd. in February.

At the general meeting, Toshikazu Yamaguchi, president of The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings, and Kodansha President Yoshinobu Noma reported on their proposal, which called for improving bookstores’ management environment. Yamaguchi said that there is growing understanding among central and local governments regarding the support of bookstores.

“This is a unique opportunity, or perhaps the last chance, to take action to revitalize bookstores,” he said.

Noma noted the decline in Japan’s book distribution value is larger than other countries and expressed concern.

“This could lead to a decline in Japan’s competitiveness and national strength,” he said.

In response to the reports from the two companies, Yoko Kamikawa, former foreign minister and chairperson of the parliamentary group for print culture, said, “We must end this trend at all costs.”

“We must stop the decline of bookstore customers and in reading books,” she added.