Japan's government has outlined a plan to revitalize bookstores in an effort to counter their decline. The Japan News reported that the government "will promote bookstores making widespread use of IC [aka RFID] tags and bringing in related digital equipment to allow for more efficient inventory management and overall improved business operations and distribution, which they hope will position neighborhood bookstores as cultural hubs for their communities."
The number of bookstores in Japan has fallen to about 10,400 in a little more than 20 years, half of what it had been, according to the Japan Publishing Organization for Information Infrastructure Development.
In March 2024, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry formed a team to promote bookstores, and last February the Yomiuri Shimbun and Kodansha announced their own joint proposal for revitalizing bookstores, the Japan News noted, adding that the "latest government plan incorporates elements from that proposal, including measures to reduce the burden of cashless payments for bookstores and collaboration between bookstores and libraries, as well as the use of picture book specialists."
Regarding returns, the ministry will serve as an office for a study group involving publishers, distributors and bookstores to explore measures to discuss ways to reduce the rate of returns and increase profits for bookstores by using IC tag data and other strategies to determine appropriate shipment volumes.
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Spain's Ministry of Culture and the state-owned postal service Correos recently announced a new agreement to support local bookshops affiliated with the Spanish Booksellers Association (CEGAL) through improved shipping logistics. The European & International Booksellers Federation's Newsflash reported that, "among other advantages, bookshops will benefit from discounted rates, varied packaging options, and enhanced tracking."
CEGAL director Sara Sánchez said, "This agreement will allow local bookshops to be visible in the domain of online commerce." Culture minister Ernest Urtasun added: "This is not only a logistical agreement but also a defense of the book and culture."
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More bad news has been released regarding kids' reading habits in the U.K. The Guardian reported that reading enjoyment among children and young people has fallen to its lowest level in two decades, with the decline particularly pronounced in teenage boys, according to the National Literacy Trust's numbers culled from its Annual Literacy Survey. For the past year, boys' reading enjoyment fell across most age groups--particularly among those 11 to 16 years old--while girls' enjoyment remained relatively stable or slightly improved. Among girls eight to 18, 39.1% said they enjoyed reading in their free time, compared to 25.7% of boys. Just 32.7% of eight- to 18-year-olds said they enjoyed reading "very much" or "quite a lot" this year.
"The 20 years since the survey began have seen a 36% fall in the number of children and young people who say they enjoy reading in their spare time," the Guardian noted, adding that the number of eight- to 18-year-olds who report reading something daily in their free time has dropped from 38.1% to 18.7%.
To help counter this trend, the Reading Agency has received a grant of £1.5 million (about $2.1 million) from the Julia Rausing Trust to expand the reach and impact of the Summer Reading Challenge. The funding will allow organization to "reach an additional 375,000 children and families living with disadvantage by 2027, helping to break down systemic barriers to reading and extend the proven benefits of the Challenge to those who need it most," the Reading Agency said. --Robert Gray