China's stationery industry has been hit by a severe downturn over the past two years. In March the long-established stationery manufacturer Nancheng International Stationery — which at its peak had a global market share of over 60% of document files — declared bankruptcy, with other industry leaders also struggling with declining performance and stock prices.

Japanese stationery sales in China, however, are booming. In July 2022, when the outbreak of the coronavirus was wreaking havoc across most brick-and-mortar stores, Japanese stationery company Kokuyo opened its first Chinese store in Shanghai.

Compared to stationery made in China, Japanese-made products are more expensive. A typical Chinese-made pen costs 1-3 yuan, while Japanese brand Pilot's basic gel ink ballpoint pen costs about 11 yuan.

Despite the high prices, more and more Chinese consumers are turning to Japanese stationery, especially among younger generations, where using Japanese stationery in school has become a mark of prestige.

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Source : https://36kr.jp/216918/

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