Japanese manga publisher set to enter Indian market
Kodansha Ltd., the publisher of popular Japanese manga titles including "Attack on Titan" and "Blue Lock," plans to tap the Indian market, which has a population of 1.4 billion, Jiji Press reports.
While Japanese content has become increasingly popular in India since the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapidly growing South Asian economy now imports English versions of manga products, including the Attack on Titan series, from the United States, according to Yae Sahashi of Kodansha's global business management department.
However, these imported manga books are relatively expensive, costing around 1,800 yen per volume, and are also not widely available. This, in turn, leads to the spread of pirated versions.
"We will release official products at lower prices," Sahashi said. "If we deliver proper products, they will contribute to further spreading (manga) and eliminating pirated versions."
Kodansha will launch a local joint venture with partners including Dai Nippon Printing Co. as early as this month and begin operations around this autumn. It plans to annually publish about 200 manga titles in English and Hindi, aiming for billions of yen in annual sales.
As previously written, Japan’s Finance Ministry is considering issuing commemorative coins that showcase anime and manga characters alongside national treasures, in a bid to promote Japanese culture and diversify revenue sources.
