Kodansha ends export strategy
Firm to focus on publishing, selling books in North America
Japan Times | March 5, 2011
Publishing giant Kodansha Ltd.'s recent decision to close down its subsidiary, Kodansha International Ltd., by the end of April reflects the firm's change in its business strategy from shipping its English-language books made in Japan to publishing and distributing them in its largest market, North America....
"Kodansha International began in 1963 with the mission to introduce Japanese culture to people overseas, and we've edited, printed and exported the books, but this was a business model established from the time when (the exchange rate) was 360 yen to the dollar," said Nobuyuki Suzuki, head of the public relations department of Kodansha, pointing out the influence of the change in the currency rates...
..."We're not just going to introduce great Japanese books and comics, but we're going to sell them," Suzuki said. "To do so, it was decided that we base our operations in North America."
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Taro Toporific wrote:It's all just off-shoring scam.