We did a double take when reading about a recent survey, conducted at this year’s Tokyo International Book Fair. It discovered “more seniors than young people are open to using electronic books” in Japan. According to “Publishingperspectives,” 70% of Japanese in their 20’s prefer print books, with less than 50% of 70-year-olds holding the same sentiment.
No one really knows for sure what has caused this unusual trend. Some say it has to do with the ebook’s lower cost which suits the fixed incomes of the elderly. Still others say the opposite, noting ebooks in Japan are priced close to print books, (about 70-80% of the print book price) and so lend no significant advantage to younger consumers with less disposable income. Others say the unexpected preference has to do with the convenience of being able to enlarge ebook print for older eyes, or the ease of shopping online as mobility decreases.
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Read the entire “Publishingperspectives” article.
