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Survey finds low ebook take-up among Japanese readers

A new poll on reading preferences in Japan has found 94% of readers prefer paper books over ebooks, reports the Bookseller. The Cross Marketing poll surveyed 1200 men and women aged 15 to 69 years, with results showing that just six percent of respondents who identified as regular readers bought ebooks on a regular basis. Eighty-seven percent of regular readers said they bought books from bricks-and-mortar bookshops, while 45% said they buy from online retailers and 37% from secondhand bookstores. A Japanese publishing industry source told the Bookseller that he thought the preference for print was due to the quality of print book design. ‘I personally think ebook can’t compete in this design aspect,’ he said, adding that ‘the only bright light for ebooks in Japan is that the number of readers of e-comic books has been steadily increasing’.

 

Category: International news