BOOKOFF leads reuse revolution

By Daniel de Bomford

Stepping into a BOOKOFF store is akin to entering a gallery of the lives of friends you have never met. On the shelves of Japan’s leading reuse retailer, you’ll find books that changed lives, a dress worn on a first date and figurines from someone’s favorite anime. It’s intimate, exciting and a profoundly insightful look into the lives of the people you pass on the street each day.

This connection to the community is intentional and woven into the fabric of the business. President and CEO Yasutaka Horiuchi says each BOOKOFF store’s operations are rooted in the local community, and goods bought within the local community are sold in that same place. “Local customers bring in items to sell, and other members of the same community purchase them, so the benefits stay within that area,” he states.

The group strives to nurture this local focus in its international stores, which can be found in the United States, France, Malaysia and Kazakhstan. Initially targeting Japanese expatriates in overseas cities like New York, the group experienced a surge in international interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Japanese culture gained popularity as people began watching Japanese programs through social media and streaming services like Netflix.

The group isn’t targeting specific cities in the United States; instead, it aims to open anchor stores in major metropolitan areas and establish specialized satellite stores in their vicinity. “Ideally, we would open an anchor store in each large city—stocked with books, figurines, video games, and the full range of items we buy and sell,” Horiuchi explains.

BOOKOFF launched Jalan Jalan Japan (JJJ) in Malaysia in 2016. What started as an effort to manage surplus inventory in Japan has evolved into a thriving business, now operating over 23 stores in Malaysia and Kazakhstan, including franchised locations, as of the end of fiscal year 2025. Items that would have otherwise been discarded find new life in bright displays. The group meets demand created between these two countries by selling winter clothing for Kazakhstan’s cold climate and summer clothing for Malaysia’s warm climate.

Where possible, the group repurposes items, such as CDs and DVDs, into new products like trays. But for more difficult items, BOOKOFF is developing a method of recycling plastics into new materials. “The idea is to repurpose old plastic into new plastic products, and we’re actively working on that initiative now,” Horiuchi says.

Through BOOKOFF and JJJ stores, the group is aiming to contribute to a society where nothing is discarded. By finding a second life for people’s beloved possessions, BOOKOFF will close the loop and help realize a greener, better society.

Figures in a showcase at BOOKOFF USA

To hear more from President Yasutaka Horiuchi of BOOKOFF GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED, check out this interview with him.