Innovating in Decline: How Rights Publishing Transformed a Dwindling Market into Success

The Shrinking Japanese Publishing Market

As the digital age advances, the global publishing industry, including Japan, has witnessed a consistent decline in both the number of publishers and overall market size. According to the Japan Book Publishers Association, the market has been contracting since 2015, with sales plummeting to 1.54 trillion yen by 2018. Concurrently, the number of publishing houses has also decreased, totaling only 2,907 by 2021. Amid these challenging conditions, Rights Publishing in Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture, emerges as a beacon of success, defying trends with innovative strategies that have led to a series of bestsellers.

Strategic Foundations: The Beginnings of Rights Publishing

The founder of Rights Publishing, Keishiro Otsuka, leveraged his previous success in travel book publishing to create a business model that transcends traditional publishing practices. Recognizing the importance of distribution, Otsuka secured essential contracts with major wholesalers, ensuring wide market coverage. Financial backing obtained through local connections, including a significant loan facilitated by his father’s reputation in the engineering industry, provided the…