From Local Government Subsidies to Newcomer Startups... Japan Struggles to Revive Disappearing Neighborhood Bookstores

Oda City Revives Bookstore in Two Years with Subsidies

Newcomers Open "Cultural Hubs" Bookstores in Rural Areas

Number of Bookstore-less Municipalities in Japan Reaches 510

The number of "bookstore-less municipalities"—areas with not a single bookstore—is rapidly increasing in Japan, while efforts to revive bookstores are also underway in many places.

Photo of a bookstore to help understand the article. Pixabay

According to Yonhap News on June 25, citing the Asahi Shimbun, “In 2024, the only bookstore in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture, closed, turning the area into a bookstore-less region, but after two years, a new bookstore has opened.” The Imai Shoten Oda branch, which opened the previous day inside the large shopping mall “Aeon Town,” was bustling with citizens coming to buy books. The approximately 290-square-meter store is stocked with about 30,000 books, ranging from general titles to specialized publications.

Oda City decided to provide total support of 55 million yen (about 520 million won) over 10 years to attract the bookstore, under the pretext of assisting with initial investment and stable management. It is unusual for a local government to directly offer subsidies to bring in a bookstore. The city made this decision because of the significant risks for companies, such as the initial capital needed to open a store, the burden of purchasing inventory, and difficulties securing staff in areas far from the city center.

The inconvenience caused by the absence of a bookstore fell solely on local residents. A citizen who had to drive to neighboring Izumo City or Matsue City just to buy a book told the Asahi Shimbun, “It is difficult to order online, so I’m really grateful to be able to order books in person.” Hirokazu Kajino, Mayor of Oda City, said, “A bookstore is a cultural hub where people can gather in their daily lives,” adding, “The local community will work together to preserve and nurture it.”

Efforts to prevent the disappearance of bookstores are emerging across Japan. In Kutchan Town, Hokkaido, which became a “town without a bookstore” after several closures years ago, a unique bookstore run by a newcomer from outside the region has recently opened. Responding to local residents’ appeals lamenting the loss of bookstores, a store owner in their 50s who previously ran a bookstore in nearby Toyako Town has opened a new branch here. In places such as Toshimura, Yamanashi Prefecture, migrants are also opening distinctive bookstores that function as communal spaces amidst nature, creating new venues for interaction.

The disappearance of bookstores has become a structural phenomenon in Japanese society. According to a survey by the Japan Publication Culture Industry Promotion Foundation, as of March this year, 29.3%—or 510—of all basic municipalities had not a single bookstore. The number of bookstore-less municipalities has continued to rise from 456 (26.2%) in September 2022, when the survey was first conducted. By region, Okinawa Prefecture had the highest rate at 58.5%, followed by Nara Prefecture (56.4%), and other prefectures such as Kochi, Nagano, and Fukushima also exceeded 50%.

This issue is not unique to Japan. According to the “2024 Regional Bookstore Status Survey” by the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea, six basic municipalities in Korea—Imsil, Sunchang, Cheongsong, Bonghwa, Ulleung, and Uiryeong—had no local bookstores at all. There were also 21 municipalities with only one remaining bookstore, putting them at risk of disappearing. As population decline and the spread of online bookstores exert pressure, both countries are now facing the challenge of reviving neighborhood bookstores as hubs of local culture.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.