By Carlo Carrenho, Contributing Editor
Among the headlines this week: two major Japanese wholesalers report weaker 2025 results; a new study looks at government-sponsored reading programs in Ibero-America; the U.K.’s speakies expands with new podcast categories; and a new report explores reading behavior in Uruguay.Japan’s Distribution Giants Feel the Squeeze
According to Shinbunka, Japan’s leading book wholesalers, Nippan Group Holdings and Tohan, reported weaker fiscal 2025 results, with wholesale operations driving losses. Nippan posted sales of ¥342.7 billion ($2.15 billion), down 10.5%, while Tohan’s consolidated sales rose 3.8% to ¥410.076 billion ($2.6 billion), but the company reported a net loss of ¥1.191 billion ($7.5 million).
The figures come as Japan’s book market continues to adjust to changing consumer habits and a shrinking retail footprint. According to the Research Institute for Publications, the number of bookstores in the country fell from about 20,880 in 2003 to 10,468 in 2024. Meanwhile, growing digital consumption of manga and other content has accelerated the shift away from traditional print sales, creating a difficult operating environment for Japan’s two largest book wholesalers.
A Study on Election-Proof Reading Policies
UNESCO’s Cerlalc released
a regional study on public policies and national plans for reading, writing, orality, and books in Ibero-America. Conducted by a team of reading policy experts, the study examines 23 national initiatives across 20 countries led by ministries of education and culture. It finds a shift from isolated programs toward more structured policy frameworks, including the recognition of reading as a fundamental right, while highlighting ongoing challenges related to funding, continuity, impact evaluation, and the inclusion of older adults, migrants, and LGBTIQ+ communities.
National reading plans are an important mechanism for securing long-term government attention and investment in reading and books, and essential to ensuring that programs, funding, and strategic priorities survive electoral cycles. This study is particularly valuable because it showcases national initiatives from across Latin America that offer practical lessons for countries seeking to build sustainable reading ecosystems.
Brazil Gives Schoolbooks a Digital Upgrade
Brazil’s Ministry of Education (MEC) has launched a new platform for its PNLD Digital program, allowing students to access digital books distributed through the National Textbook and Teaching Material Program, one of the world’s largest public textbook procurement initiatives. The platform offers online and offline reading, downloads, personal libraries, virtual bookshelves, and a range of accessibility features, including audio description, narrated content, captioned video, and screen-reader compatibility. The service currently hosts 982 educational titles, alongside literary works, creating a single national environment for digital learning content.
As Publishing Perspectives previously reported, the initiative is another example of the Brazilian federal government’s efforts to expand access to books and reading through digital channels in a country marked by vast geographic distances and uneven access to educational resources. Notably, the platform is built on technologies developed by the European Digital Reading Lab (EDRLab), including Readium mobile toolkits, a customized version of Thorium Reader, and Readium LCP. “We’ve had quite a few national projects for public libraries based on our work,” Hadrien Gardeur, EDRLab’s deputy director, told this column, “but this is the first time that we have an education project of this scale.”
After Spotify, Kobo Plus Lands in Luxembourg
Rakuten Kobo has launched Kobo Plus has extended its unlimited ebook and audiobook subscription service to six additional markets: the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, the Philippines, Poland, and Romania. Readers can choose ebook-only, audiobook-only, or combined plans, with pricing tailored to each territory. Monthly rates range from 349 PHP ($5.64) in the Philippines to €11.99 ($13.93) in Luxembourg for standalone plans, while the service is available through the Kobo Books app and Kobo e-readers.
The rollout highlights Kobo’s continued confidence in the viability of an unlimited subscription model, which the company has long argued can coexist with the broader book ecosystem when carefully managed. The differing price points suggest a deliberate market-by-market strategy, with lower pricing in territories such as the Philippines and premium positioning in Luxembourg, where subscription rates exceed Greece’s €9.99 ($11.60) despite the two countries sharing the same currency. The launch also makes Luxembourg home to one of the world’s smallest audiobook subscription disputes, as its roughly 700,000 residents can now choose between local subscription offers from Spotify and Kobo.
A Polish Report Worth Listening To
According to Rynek Książki, Polityka Insight’s new report on Poland’s book market says 30,662 new titles were published in 2024, with retail book sales at about 4.5 billion złoty ($1.23 billion). Some 41% of Poles reported reading at least one book, while digital products made up around 16% of publishers’ revenue. Online channels accounted for 52% of book distribution, bookstores for 23%, and Poland had 1,592 physical bookstores in March 2026, including 921 independents.
While the report does not yet provide 2025 figures, a closer look reveals several notable trends. Retail book sales remained stable in 2024, while publishers’ revenues increased 1.3% to 3.13 billion złoty ($858 million). The report also highlights the continued growth of the audiobook segment, which now represents roughly 8% of the market. Revenue grew by 57% at Audioteka and 17% at Storytel, with the category reaching several million users. Survey data suggests audiobook subscriptions complement rather than replace print reading: 89% of subscribers still buy printed books, while 42% they read more after joining a subscription service.
A Podcast Walks Into the Speakies
According to The Bookseller, the British Audio Awards (the Speakies) will return in 2026 with an expanded remit that reflects the growing breadth of audio storytelling. Three new categories have been added—Best Podcast: Arts & Entertainment; Best Podcast: Narrative; and Best Production and Sound Design, bringing the total number of categories to 19 across audiobooks and audio drama. Organized by The Bookseller and The Stage, the awards will announce shortlists on September 18, with the winners announced at a ceremony in London in November. Audible, Bolinda, WF Howes, Bookwire and Libro are among the sponsors.
The addition of podcasts is a significant, symbolic step, highlighting the growing overlap between audiobooks and podcasts despite the publishing industry’s tendency to treat them as distinct formats. The reality is that listeners may increasingly care less about whether content is labeled a podcast or an audiobook and more about the listening experience itself. If episodic nonfiction publishing becomes more common, that trend is likely to accelerate. The larger challenge may lie in monetization: audiobooks benefit from established business models, while podcasts often come with audience expectations that content should be available at a lower cost—or free.
Books Hold Their Ground Down Under
Citing Creative Australia’s 2025 National Arts Participation Survey, Australia Reads reports that 69% of Australians aged 15 and older—14.4 million people—read at least one print book, ebook, or audiobook in the past year, steady with 2022 levels. Print remains the most popular format, while audiobook listening rose to 37% (from 34 percent in 2022). Book discovery is led by word of mouth, libraries, and bookshops, while social media is the top discovery channel for Australians aged 15 to 24.
While reading participation has not increased since 2022, maintaining these levels is an encouraging result for the Australian market. The rise in audiobook listening is particularly notable, reflecting the continued development of Australia’s audiobook sector.
From Johannesburg to Accra—No Northern Detour Required
Snapplify reports that its Book Buddy Retail Store has launched in Ghana through partnerships with Red Oak, Mountype Publishing, Calculus Publishers, Stevebrob Publishers, NNF Esquire, Education Logistics Ghana, and Adaex. The South African edtech company says the platform provides AI-powered learning support linked to educational books learners already own, in print or digital formats. Subscription features include subject-specific question answering, personalized quizzes and flashcards, mother-tongue learning support, summaries, and 24/7 access for learners, teachers, and parents.
Rather than relying on imports from Europe or North America, the launch highlights the growing capacity of African publishing and educational technology markets. It is also a reminder that significant publishing and technology developments can emerge from within the Global South, creating new opportunities for local solutions to scale across regional markets.
To Fix or Not to Fix? That Is Uruguay’s Question
Citing the study Diagnóstico del mercado del libro en Uruguay (Uruguay’s Book Market Diagnosis) from the Cámara Uruguaya del Libro (Uruguayan Book Chamber), PublishNews Spain reports that Uruguay’s book market is facing structural pressures in 2026. The report finds that 51.2% of the population read at least one book in the past year, with active readers concentrated among women, young adults, Montevideo residents, and those with higher education levels. Print remains dominant, preferred exclusively by 50.4% of readers, while 6.2% read digital only. The study also finds that 30% of readers buy books abroad and another 30% buy used books. A proposed fixed price law for books has support from 54% of bookstores, with nearly 20% opposed and 25.8% undecided.
The report focuses largely on the economic sustainability of Uruguay’s bookstores amid growing competition from online retail and shifting consumer behavior, and the study it cites arrives amid debate over fixed book price regulation—although the study stops short of endorsing any particular policy approach. Instead, it presents evidence to inform discussions about competition, market structure, and regulation in the book sector, while outlining arguments both for and against a fixed book price system.
What Else Caught My Eye
A manga drink. The long-running manga Wakakozake has inspired a limited-edition seven-year-aged shochu for fans who want to drink along with the series. Produced by Kurand.
A forgotten prompt. Norwegian publisher Cappelen Damm has withdrawn a book after readers found what appeared to be AI-generated instructions and unfinished research prompts left in the final manuscript. According to NRK.
A German first. German publisher Hoffmann und Campe released a new book by Francis Fukuyama ahead of its English-language edition, highlighting the growing pressure to publish translations simultaneously with original editions. According to BuchMarkt.
A book hunt. Polish publisher Zielona Sowa hid more than 1,500 books across 134 cities, inviting children and families to find them through clues shared on social media. According to Rynek Książki.
An Italian in Madrid. Italian publisher Morellini Editore has launched Morellini Ediciones in Spain, starting with Femenino Singular, a narrative biography series dedicated to women who left a significant legacy. According to Giornale della Libreria.
A BookScan legend. Jeremy Neate is retiring after 52 years in the industry, having helped build Nielsen BookScan and expand book sales tracking to multiple international markets. According to The Bookseller.
The writer of this column just loves that Luxembourg is receiving so much audiobook attention these days and cannot wait to see other platforms arrive in Liechtenstein and Monaco, where Spotify has already planted its flag. Looking ahead, San Marino, Andorra, and perhaps even the Vatican seem like the obvious next audio frontiers in Europe. The writer of this column has also shared far too many laughs with Jeremy Neate over the years and has no intention of missing him. In fact, he fully expects this Nielsen legend to keep turning up at book events around the world, as though retirement were merely a publishing industry rumor. A Wakakozake shochu will be in order when they meet next.