July 2, 2026
TOKYO – Japan Post Co. has decided to begin the trial sale of children’s books at select post offices starting July 22. Amid a nationwide decline in local bookstores, the company will leverage the strength of its extensive network of post offices to provide local residents with a space to discover books.
The trial will first be implemented at four post offices along the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, an area that suffered severe damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake. Depending on customer response, the company will consider expanding sales areas and the range of book genres.
One-quarter of municipalities in Japan have no bookstores. Since there are post offices in every city, town and village, they have the potential to supplement the role of bookstores in areas where none exist. The decision to pursue the sale of picture books and other children’s books was driven by their steady sales amid an overall slump in publishing.
The four post offices participating in this trial are Shinchi Post Office in Shinchi, Kashima Post Office and Odaka Post Office both in Minami-Soma, and Namie Post Office in Namie. In these areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, places to purchase books had been lost.
In collaboration with Poplar Publishing Co., a long-established publisher of children’s books, the post offices will offer about 100 titles, including picture books published by the company. The books will be displayed on small, portable shelves placed inside the post offices. Customers will be able to pick up and select books in person. The initiative also anticipates demand from grandparents, for whom children’s books are a popular gift for grandchildren who live far away.
By fostering a sense of familiarity with the post office as a cultural hub, the initiative aims to increase visitor numbers and contribute to the maintenance of the nationwide post office network. “The trend in recent years has been for facilities in different industries, such as post offices, to sell books alongside other products,” said Yashio Uemura, a former professor at Senshu University specialized in publishing studies. “Books have the power to attract customers, which also helps enhance the appeal of post offices.”