[frivoal]

I'd speculate differently. Americans commute by car, audiobooks are convenient to read while driving. Japanese commute by train, which is much more suitable to looking at a book (paper or electronic).

Also, Manga is massively popular, and that form doesn't covert well (or at all) to audiobook.

[tkgally]

> I'd speculate differently. Americans commute by car...

Actually, I mentioned that possibility to the editor, too, as I have often read about Americans listening to audiobooks in the car. His response was that where he is from, in Saitama Prefecture, most people commute by car, too, but while they listen to the radio they don’t listen to audiobooks. That was his impression, anyhow.

You’re right about manga, of course.

[Danieru]

I live in Saitama, I used to live in Canada. Thus I think the editor is blind to the differences.

In Canada you commute by driving fast along large roads, what would be highways in Japan. While in Saitama, and most of Japan car commutes, you drive on much smaller roads. You often need to stop for lights. At any time a moped might drive next to you in your own lane. Over all the experience leaves little attention to spare and the drive is never monotonous.

Meanwhile in Canada the driving was longer overall, and always with large stretchs at high speeds with no stopping once on the highway. Mopeds and motorbikes are not allowed to sneak by you. When the highway backs up you've find yourself driving for 30+ minutes without turning.

Saitama backs up too, but more because many intersections have no dedicated turning lanes. Thus a driving turning left will block everyone behind. When traffic is bad a couple intersections near my house often let no more than 3 cars per cycle through.

Personally I expect the audiobook market to be about the differences in commuting. On trains it is easier to read a book than to wear headphones. In cars your attention is constantly demanded.

In exchange commuting by car implies a shorter commute. I can commute into the core of Tokyo from Saitama in only 30 minutes. Parking costs 30 dollars for the day, and highway tolls cost 14 dollars in total, but it saves me otherwise unbillable time and thus makes sense for my situation.