One of the biggest foreign rights stories in book publishing this year is the resurgence in popularity of Japanese fiction, from ‘cozy lit’ to feminist crime. Its unique qualities are not just the result of cultural differences, but of the distinct structure of the publishing market, which often subverts the expectations of foreign observers. Here is a brief guide to get you oriented.

Entertainment vs. pure literature

The Japanese fiction market is divided between the literary ‘pure literature’ (junbungaku) and genre ‘entertainment novels’ (entame shosetsu). The latter are part of a wider entertainment category encompassing also manga and ‘light novels’ (closest equivalent to YA, but classified as adult writing). Entertainment publishing departments, especially those heavy on manga, are the money-makers for all publishers. Translated titles are marginal, accounting for only 5.7% of books published in Japan, according to Shunichiro Nagashima, head of the translation department at Bungeishunju.

Furthermore, blockbuster foreign titles, including recent romantasy, thriller, and erotica, have all underperformed. Why? Japan has its own generation of local writers working in these genres able to add the local cultural dimension. The latest bestsellers from Japan—from Asako Yuzuki’s Butter, to feel-good fiction featuring cats, bookshops, and cafes, are examples of entertainment novels that until recently have been largely under-represented in translation.

Pure literature writers exist in an entirely different ecosystem, one organized around five literary journals published by mainstream publishers. All of them run literary prizes and are able to place submissions to Japan’s most prestigious award, the Akutagawa Prize. Since the magazines will only commission short stories or novellas from new authors (they tend to be less than 100,000 signs—around 40,000 words), this is the format all aspiring writers have to adopt. If successful, they might be commissioned to write a serialized or full-length novel or have a collection of stories published by the journal’s parent company.

This system has produced a full range of writers, from Sayaka Murata and Mieko Kawakami to Haruki Murakami. Japanese literary authors’ skill with the short story form is not just personal preference—it’s a prerequisite for a literary career in Japan.

Tanto vs. agent

Writers continue to work simultaneously with multiple publishers throughout their careers. If creative differences occur, a writer can offer the text to another publisher without severing connection with the first editor, a system that ensures harmonious relationships—highly prized in Japan. Their designated editor—known as a ‘tanto’—is expected to help with any request, be available 24/7, and prepare the author’s tax statements. In case of a writing block she or he administers a ‘kanzume’ (canning) period, when authors stay writing in a hotel or publisher’s office for weeks or even months.

Advances are uncommon and most authors, irrespectively of their stature, receive 10% royalties from all copies printed, which removes the need for a shrewd negotiator. Simultaneous publishing with multiple houses makes strategic placement of a title less crucial. All this causes Japanese authors to struggle to see the added value of a Western-style literary agent.

However, this author-centric system can also become an obstacle. Japanese publishers invest less in marketing their authors, since the benefit ends up spreading to their competition. Culturally, pure literature authors are not obliged to partake in PR—such expectations surprise Japanese writers published abroad. “With each author’s titles being divided between multiple publishers who all choose different rights agents, foreign publishers are discouraged from optioning multiple titles by Japanese authors,” Michiko Urata, head of international sales at Japan Uni Agency, explained.

Distributors vs. corporations

Observers often marvel at how Japanese publishers manage to publish extremely niche titles. This is due not to different reading tastes, but distribution patterns. The two main distributors Tohan and Nippan control more than 80% of retail sales. Even Amazon agreed to buy all printed books through them. Both must accept any book published and ensure it can be ordered anywhere in Japan and sold at the same price.

Booksellers receive books on a consignment basis, but distributors accept new releases as payment for returns, effectively acting as a publishers’ bank. “This system has helped the survival of smaller, family-owned publishers, whose Western equivalents have long been bought by corporations,” Hiroshi Arai, head of foreign rights at Bungeishunju, said.

Tips for selling rights to Japanese publishers

Japan’s publishing industry has a distinct structure which can feel opaque to those who are not familiar with it. With the growing popularity of Japanese books abroad, relationships between the global industry and Japan are growing. Here are some tips on how to handle potential rights sales.

  • Japanese editors are much more interested in non-fiction. Since most Western rights catalogs start with fiction, it is best to go through your catalog back to front, Miko Yamanouchi, president of Japan Uni Agency, advises.
  • Mention sales numbers, reprint, foreign-language sales, prizes—even if relatively minor (“it is number one in its genre in Iceland”)—as they are crucial in helping the editor pitch the book internally. Western academic credentials count for a lot and tend to impress editors more than their equivalents from Japan, so mention them in your pitch as well.
  • Japanese publishers almost never buy titles on proposal and an editorial board will not consider the same title twice. You stand a much higher chance of success if you take time and wait until you have more, rather than less, material, Izumi Yoshioka, senior agent at Japan Uni, says.
  • While Japanese co-agents are much less bullish about exclusivity agreements than their counterparts from other countries, they still prefer to work on a title exclusively. Having the same title pitched by several agencies will not result in a higher number of deals, but instead it will result in all agencies assigning it lower priority, likely reducing its chance of finding a Japanese publisher, warns Michiko Urata, head of international rights at Japan Uni.
  • For foreign agents pitching the books without knowing the needs of the Japanese market, establishing a relationship with the editor is key. Spend the meeting getting to know their taste, chat about what movies they like, and understand what makes them tick. Pitch three to four titles maximum—everything else can be sent by email later, says Akira Yamaguchi, the editor-in-chief of Hayakawa Publishing.
  • Many editors travelling to book fairs have their schedules organized by co-agents and there is a high likelihood they are not familiar with the list of your publishing house or sometimes the concept of imprints—spending some time outlining the profile of your list/imprint will be very helpful in establishing a dialogue.
  • When it comes to non-fiction, Japanese editors are always interested in popular science titles, especially ones involving current-edge topics, like AI, in a multidisciplinary narrative style, less commonplace in Japan. Business and psychology titles on productivity and achieving work-life balance are also popular.
  • A fiction title most likely to impress Japanese readers combines a recognizable genre with an unexpected language or structural experiment. A perfect example would be the success of Stuart Turton’s The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, an Agatha Christie-inspired country house murder mystery with post-modern time loops, explains Shunichiro Nagashima, the head of the translation department at Bungeishunju.
  • Japanese-themed fiction titles by foreign authors, even thoroughly researched, will not impress Japanese readers. The exception are books that get Japan spectacularly wrong, such as novels that feature Ninjas running around Shinjuku or salarymen committing ‘seppuku’ at work. The Japanese public does not view those as cultural appropriation, instead they find them entertaining, says Nagashima.
  • There is a common order in which Asian territories acquire new titles stemming from the regional international markets: Chinese publishers tend to make offers first, Korean ones shortly afterwards, followed by Taiwan. Japanese publishers tend to make their decision a few months later. This is not due to a lack of effort or chasing on the co-agents’ or editors’ part, but simply the result of an extended in-house decision-making process which slows things down. It’s best to factor this in when setting your expectations for a Japanese offer.

Kaya Murawska is a publishing professional based in London. A version of this story previously ran in the 2024 PW Frankfurt Show Daily.