Reflecting last year's weak recovery, the market for books and magazines barely inched up during the period from January through November 2004.

According to the Research Institute for Publications, the research arm of the All Japan Magazine and Book Publisher's and Editor's Association, the market expanded by a razor-thin 0.6 percent during the period.

The institute claims that sales of books and magazines for calendar 2004 are very likely to increase over the previous year, rising for the first time in eight years.

But the increase does not guarantee a rosy future. Statistically speaking, the 0.6-percent rise falls within the margin of error. Furthermore, the market for calendar 2003 sharply declined by 4.6 percent. Thus, though the market last year did not greatly expand, it exceeded the previous year's sluggish result.

The market for books, bolstered by megahits like ``Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and ``Crying out for love at the center of the world,'' showed an upward trend. The January-to-November period saw a 4.1-percent rise over the previous year. The institute says that sales of five books exceeded one million copies, and two others topped two million.

The institute believes the biggest factor for the rise was the influence of mass media, especially TV, which distributes book-related information and attracts young people. The print media remained useful for targeting the middle and elderly generations.

A downside was magazine sales, which put the skids on the entire market's growth. That market declined by 1.8 percent from January through November, the seventh consecutive yearly decline. Worst hit were weekly journals, whose sales declined by 4.8 percent.

The rate of returned magazines, 31.8 percent, signified the market slump. The rate of returned weekly magazines, 25.5 percent, was the worst in 10 years.

Japanese love to read comics, but sales figure for last year are expected to drop by 4 percent. Sales of monthly comics remained steady but those for weekly comics plunged 8 percent.

Though the market for magazines was in the doldrums, inaugural issues numbered 216. Meanwhile, more than 170 publications were suspended, likely the largest number ever.

Distribution networks also face tough times. While about 350 bookstores opened, probably around 1,100 stores closed. Although 12 huge bookstores with a combined floor space of 500 tatami mats opened in big cities, the total number of bookstores fell below 18,000.

Online books offer hope. According to the institute, the number of digital bookstores offering Internet shopping rose by 30 percent over the previous year, producing sales of 42 billion yen. Those stores pose a greater threat to conventional bookstores. To counter the Internet book business, major bookstores are distributing information over the Internet and by cellular phone.(IHT/Asahi: January 22,2005)