Asian Publishers Address “The Digital Question” and Forge Fellowship

In Global Trade Talk by Edward Nawotka

By Linda Tan Yesterday we offered the first half of our report on the inaugural Asian Publishers Fellowship conference. Today we look at what the publishers said about “the digital question.” A gathering of editors and publishers would not be complete today without a discussion on digital publishing and a forum entitled “The Digital Waves in Publishing: Challenges and Opportunities,” …

Hanvon Begins Publishing Japanese Ebooks in China

In Global Trade Talk by Edward Nawotka

By Ed Nawotka A report in the Daily Yomiuri reports that “Tokyo-based media firm Creek & River Co. has signed a contract to supply content to Hanvon Technology Co., the largest producer of e-book readers in China.” Creek & River plans to focus on Japanese titles from “small and mid-sized publishing firms and individuals, including comics, novels and magazine articles” starting …

Japanese E-book Moves: Multiple Collaborative Platforms Planned

In Global Trade Talk by Emily Williams

By Emily Williams Japan’s e-book market, which has been strong on the manga side and for user-created content but nearly non-existent when it comes to traditional prose books, looks like it’s preparing to expand. Last week saw the announcement of a new e-book platform under development from NTT DOCOMO, the country’s largest mobile operator, and Dai Nippon Printing, a large printing company …

Building the World’s Biggest Book Club

In Guest Contributors by Guest Contributor

By Kathy L. Patrick JEFFERSON, TEXAS: They say everything is bigger in Texas…and it’s true. When I opened Beauty and the Book in January 2000 — the ONLY hair salon/book store in the world — in January 2000, one of the first things I did was start my book club, The Pulpwood Queens of East Texas. We started with six complete strangers …

Global Trade Talk: Google Editions to Launch in Japan; No Sony E-book Store for Germany

In Global Trade Talk by Hannah Johnson

By Hannah Johnson and Siobhan O’Leary According Japanese business daily Nikkei (source: MarketWatch), Google has announced its plans to launch its e-book store service Google Edition in Japan in 2010. Prices will be determined by book publishers, and Google says it will keep 63% of the sales price. Google Edition is also scheduled to launch in the spring of 2010 …

The Strange World of Yakuza Fan Magazines

In Guest Contributors by Guest Contributor

By Jake Adelstein TOKYO: The Japanese mafia, better known as the yakuza, has been the subject of fan magazines for decades. These magazines serve as de-facto trade periodicals for a world of vicious, autocratic thugs, men who are handy with swords and guns, sport full-body tattoos, deal in illegal contraband and laundered money, and rip off the general public; all …

Bonus Material: Be Nice to the Yakuza, Or Else

In Discussion by Edward Nawotka

By Jake Adelstein So, you want to become a Gokudokisha 極道記者, or rather, a journalist who writes about the yakuza? Then you should now there are some unwritten rules you will be expected to follow. (Read more about yazuka fan magazines here.) 1) No writing about ongoing criminal ventures or front companies. 2) When writing about yakuza arrested for extortion, …