1 in 2 read less than a book every 6 months

Why Japanese are sentimental about bookshops

A “psychic” bookseller in Osaka

Lamenting over shuttered shops: Too late?

Intervention?

Walter’s favourite bookshops in Japan

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry wants to take action to get people to return to brick-and-mortar stores.

Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.

The Japanese are sentimental about bookstores, viewing them as precious communal spaces that do more than just sell books.  

And yet, fewer and fewer are going to these stores, in line with global trends.

What is more surprising is how the Japanese government has decided to seize the problem by its horns, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry setting up a taskforce to look into the matter, even as the bookshops themselves are striving to find fresh ways to appeal to customers. 

In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with Japan Correspondent Walter Sim on why the Japanese government has decided to be so interventionist.

Highlights (click/tap above):
1:59 One in two Japanese read “less than one book” every six months

3:26 Why the Japanese are sentimental about bookshops

6:15 A “psychic” bookseller in Osaka

10:06 Laments at shuttered shops but it’s too late

12:15 Taking action

17:12 Walter’s favourite bookshops in Japan

Read Walter Sim’s article here: https://str.sg/AWsW

Produced by: Li Xueying (xueying@sph.com.sg) and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here:

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Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR

Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x

Read Walter Sim's articles: https://str.sg/wHY2

Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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#STAsianInsider

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry wants to take action to get people to return to brick-and-mortar stores.
Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises.
The Japanese are sentimental about bookstores, viewing them as precious communal spaces that do more than just sell books.  
And yet, fewer and fewer are going to these stores, in line with global trends.
What is more surprising is how the Japanese government has decided to seize the problem by its horns, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry setting up a taskforce to look into the matter, even as the bookshops themselves are striving to find fresh ways to appeal to customers. 
In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with Japan Correspondent Walter Sim on why the Japanese government has decided to be so interventionist.
Highlights (click/tap above): 1:59 One in two Japanese read “less than one book” every six months
3:26 Why the Japanese are sentimental about bookshops
6:15 A “psychic” bookseller in Osaka
10:06 Laments at shuttered shops but it’s too late
12:15 Taking action
17:12 Walter’s favourite bookshops in Japan
Read Walter Sim’s article here: <a href="https://str.sg/AWsW">https://str.sg/AWsW</a>
Produced by: Li Xueying (<a href="mailto:xueying@sph.com.sg">xueying@sph.com.sg</a>) and Fa’izah Sani
Edited by: Fa’izah Sani
Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here:
Channel:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa7"> https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Apple Podcasts:<a href="https://str.sg/JWa8"> https://str.sg/JWa8</a>
Spotify:<a href="https://str.sg/JWaX"> https://str.sg/JWaX</a>
SPH Awedio app:<a href="https://www.awedio.sg/"> https://www.awedio.sg/</a>
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
Read Li Xueying’s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iqmR">https://str.sg/iqmR</a> 
Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn:<a href="https://str.sg/ip4x"> https://str.sg/ip4x</a>
Read Walter Sim's articles: <a href="https://str.sg/wHY2">https://str.sg/wHY2</a> 
Read ST's Letters From The Bureau:<a href="https://str.sg/3xRd"> https://str.sg/3xRd</a>
Register for Asian Insider newsletter:<a href="https://str.sg/stnewsletters"> https://str.sg/stnewsletters</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a> 
The Usual Place: <a href="https://str.sg/wEr7u">https://str.sg/wEr7u</a> 
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a> 
COE Watch: <a href="https://str.sg/iTtE">https://str.sg/iTtE</a> 
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a> 
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a> 
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a> 
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a> 
Hard Tackle: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a> 
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a> 
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a> 
---
ST Podcast website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a> 
ST Podcasts YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/4Vwsa">https://str.sg/4Vwsa</a> 
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a> 
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a> 
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a> 
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a> 
---
Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB">https://str.sg/icyB</a> 
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a> 
#STAsianInsider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Asian Insider

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every week, get our distinct take on global issues with an Asian perspective, with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe.
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis, The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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