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Bookstore Kinokuniya buys 90% of new Murakami release

7 Comments
By ELAINE KURTENBACH

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7 Comments
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Although I love bookstores, I am no fan of Kinokuniya or Japan's English-language book distribution system — and this buy-up of the lions share of the Murakami books seems like a last ditch strategic effort for their survival.

Before the days of Amazon and the Internet, there was serious price gouging taking place with English language books in Japan, under a system where the distributor aggressively shut out competition. But, if we wanted an English book we had no choice but to pay the exorbitant prices.

I am glad to see these unscrupulous companies finally get their just deserts.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

In todays world of Amazon and the declining numbers of people actually going to book stores to buy books it's a smart move by the ownership to get people into their stores.

Wouldnt surprise me one bit if bidding wars start for popular new books prior to public release.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Kinokuniya has some excellent materials for studying Japanese

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"to ensure online booksellers don’t shut them out of the sales"

Nice idea but in the long run it will not work, the store based retail world is dying a slow death everywhere and places like book shops and travel agent will be the first to go i.m.o

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Just deserts sounds better than just desserts anyway Sensato.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I can wait.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The latter half of this article seems to be just pitching Murakami as a writer. An effort to padding the article? I suspect the whole thing is a plug for Kinokuniya.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

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