One drops by a bookstore and picks up a good book by chance. Such an encounter should be treasured.
Oct. 27 is written characters and printed culture day. It also marks the start of this year's Book Week period. This year's slogan is, "Relax for a while, relax with a book." This is a golden opportunity to reassess the value of printed media.
The publishing industry continues to face a tough situation. Turnover of books and magazines, excluding those published electronically, continues to shrink. Among these publications, the drop in sales of magazines has been especially striking.
The number of bookstores, which are one such place where people can "relax with a book," is also declining. In 2000, Japan had more than 20,000 bookstores. Now, there are about 12,000.
Printed media are the foundation supporting the knowledge and education of the people. Bookstores play a role as a community's cultural hub.
While book purchases through online shopping are increasing and more people are reading e-books, bookstores have the advantage of allowing customers to browse through books of a diverse range of genres. Book connoisseurs work in these stores, which offer a wide selection of good books. These bookstores are an important presence in society.
The city of Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, operates a municipal bookstore funded by taxes. "Good books that are not hot sellers," on subjects including art and philosophy, line the shelves.
Some bookstores have started to distinguish themselves by opening an adjoining cafe or providing a space for various events. More bookstores should offer attractions so that people want to make spur-of-the-moment visits.
Publishers must act responsibly
Of course, publishing companies also must strive to create good-quality publications. In this regard, it is unfortunate that certain publishers have taken a stance that seemingly shows contempt for the value of printed culture.
Shincho 45, a monthly magazine published by Shinchosha Publishing Co., printed an article by Mio Sugita, a House of Representatives lawmaker from the Liberal Democratic Party, on sexual minorities. Sugita's article said lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are "unproductive" because "these men and women do not bear children."
After receiving widespread criticism over the article, Shincho 45 compiled a special feature titled, "Is Mio Sugita's article so unacceptable?" This feature contained comments that were construed as if they encourage criminal behavior. This sparked another public outcry.
An approach that tries to boost sales by drawing attention through printing extreme arguments is intolerable. Expressions that lack consideration for human rights and content that appears to condone illegal behavior will only hurt trust in the magazine. Taking up various, commonsense opinions is surely fundamental to any opinion magazine.
Shinchosha's handling of this matter -- it hastily halted production of the magazine -- also raises questions. The publisher should have responded to the criticism through articles on its magazine pages.
Titles in fields that are selling well, such as children's books and paperbacks on liberal arts, are a saving grace for the industry. Author Eiko Kadono won the 2018 Hans Christian Andersen Award, which is considered the Nobel Prize for children's literature.
Schools in Japan should make greater use of newspapers and morning reading activities to help children develop an affinity for printed matter and to ensure excellent literary works are spread widely.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 26, 2018)
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