The best selling Japanese books of 2010

The top 20 selling Japanese books in 2010 are just revealed. The most selling book of Japan happened to be an economics with a baseball twist and anime cover.

TOHAN, the biggest book distributor in Japan, released the top 20 ranking earlier today.

#1 - If a high school manager has read Drucker's Management

The economy book became the best selling book of the year for the first time. This long title "もし高校野球の女子マネージャーがドラッカーの『マネジメント』を読んだら" means "If a high school manager has read Drucker's 'Management'".

Official Promotional Video

This book takes place at the high school baseball team. A manager of the baseball team, Minami-chan, was worrying about her baseball team. And she happaned to find "Management" by Peter Drucker.

Although it was the book about managing a company, she applied the methods into managing a baseball team for the high school championship tournament.

For many people, economics seems to be "difficult", "complicated" or "nerdy". The author and editor decided to take the paradoxical approach to create anime character, and use the baseball team as an example. This application made very easy to understand and familiarize the world of economics.

Moreover, for 30-40 something Japanese men, it was a brave step to take the anime cover and bring it to the cashier. And they actually learned and enjoy the economics that could easily apply to their companies. The whole steps, from buying a book to the reading it, enhanced the experience of Japanese readers.

In addition, the cute cover also caught many Japanese women and students at the same time.

Japanese people are very good at making boring topics very intersting and enjoyable.

They are currently working on Chinese and English version of this book, and planning to expand to other languages. It has been sold over 1.72 million copies in Japan.

FYI: if you are dead serious about economics, or has already read the Drucker before, I would not recommend to read the book. This book is pretty much for the entry-level begginner guide of what economics is.

Health and diet trends are forever universal

Many health, food and excercise books made it into the rnking this year. No matter how old, and where you do, people want to be healthy and lose weight.

No.2, "バンド1本でやせる! 巻くだけダイエット", is the diet book with actual diet band. Once you wrap the band to the part of the body, you can slim down the part of the weight.

The previous diet books only talked about the methods. However this book actually comes with the tool to lose weight. You really have to buy your own copy to lose weight for the book, not e-book or borrowing from friends.

No.3 is the very unique cook book. The recipe book of company's cafeteria has been sold 1.16 millions copies so far.

Tanita is health products manufacture and the pioneer of "fat scale". In addidion to the body weight, you can major how much fat you have in your body.

Because they are very aware of healthcare, they want to take care of their employees. They decided to convert the company's cafeteria menu into very healthy and 500 kcal or less. Because a Japanese TV show featured the cafeteria, they ended up publishing their receipe into the book.

In addition to introducing the recipes, the book also features how their employee lost weight and became healthy.

According to NHK's News Watch 9, Tanita is currently renovating the company's building. Some employees had gained their weight back, and hoping that the cafeteria's re-opening.

The Pick's of 2010 for YokosoNews

Among the top 20, this is the recommended pick of Japanese book in 2010 for YokosoNews readers - "くじけないで" (Kujikenaide) by Toyo Shibata.

Toyo Shibata is born in 1911, 99 year-old obaasan from Tochigi, Japan. She started writing the series of poem since 90 years old.

Her son encouraged her to seld-publish the collection of the poem. Later, the current publisher bought the rights and re-published it this year.

She still continues to write her poem and encourage many people.

In addition, many of her poems are written mostly in Hiragana. it could be easy to read for Japanese learners, and heart-warming.

This is my recommendation of Japanese books in 2010 from this ranking.

You can purchase this book from Amazon Japan, and it ships worldwide.

The top 20 books of Japan

The ranking is provided by TOHAN, Co, LTD
from Dec, 2009 through Nov, 2010

トーハン調べ

Cover	Title in Japanese	Romaji & English translation
	1. もし高校野球の女子マネージャーがドラッカーの『マネジメント』を読んだら [ Amazon ]	Moshi Kohkohyakyu no Joshi Manager ga Drucker no Management wo yondara What if a high school baseball manager read "Management" by Drucker
	2. バンド1本でやせる! 巻くだけダイエット [ Amazon ]	Band Ippon de yaseru Makudake Diet Lose weight with just one band. Wrap it and diet.
	3. 体脂肪計タニタの社員食堂 ~500kcalのまんぷく定食~ [ Amazon ]	Taihishibo kei Tanita no Shain Shokudoh ~ 500 kcal no Manpuku Teishoku Watching the cafeteria of Tanita, the manufacture of digital fat & weight scales. Fulfilling 500-kcal lunch
	4. ポケットモンスターブラック・ホワイト 公式完全ぼうけんクリアガイド [ Amazon ]	Pocket Monster Black White Koshiki Kanzen Bouken Clear Guide Official adventure goal guide of Pocket Monster White
	5. 1Q84 BOOK 3 [ Amazon ]	1Q84 BOOK 3

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