London Book Fair 2027 Names Japan as Its Market Focus Country

The London Book Fair has named Japan as its Market Focus country for 2027, highlighting Japanese publishing, literature, translation, and global rights trade.
on Jul 01, 2026

The London Book Fair (LBF) has officially announced Japan as its Market Focus country for the 2027 edition, marking the return of the fair's flagship Market Focus programme after a four-year hiatus. The initiative, unveiled by London Book Fair Director Emma Lowe, is expected to strengthen international publishing partnerships while celebrating the depth, diversity, and global influence of Japan's publishing industry.

The Market Focus programme is one of the London Book Fair's most significant international initiatives, designed to highlight a country's publishing ecosystem through business networking, rights trading, author events, cultural programmes, and translation opportunities. By selecting Japan, the fair aims to provide publishers, literary agents, translators, booksellers, and readers with greater access to one of the world's most dynamic and innovative book markets.

Japan's selection reflects its growing international literary presence, particularly in the United Kingdom and other English-language markets. In recent years, Japanese fiction, translated literature, manga, children's books, and contemporary storytelling have witnessed remarkable global success. The increasing popularity of Japanese authors, coupled with the worldwide demand for manga and graphic narratives, has positioned the country as one of the most influential forces in modern publishing.

The programme will be delivered in collaboration with the Japanese Book Publishers Association (JBPA), which plans to showcase a wide range of publishers, authors, literary works, and publishing professionals. According to the association, the initiative will not only promote Japanese books internationally but also encourage stronger professional relationships between Japanese publishers and the global publishing community. The programme is expected to generate new opportunities for translation rights, co-publishing agreements, and international licensing deals.

The announcement comes as the London Book Fair prepares for a new chapter in its own history. Beginning in March 2027, the fair will be hosted at Excel London, following its relocation from Olympia. Organisers believe the new venue will offer improved exhibition space, enhanced visitor facilities, better connectivity, and expanded infrastructure to accommodate the growing scale of one of the publishing industry's premier global events.

In addition to the exhibition, the 2027 edition will feature the return of the Writers' Summit, alongside specialised conferences focused on book production, publishing innovation, rights, translation, and professional development. These programmes are intended to create additional learning and networking opportunities for publishers, authors, editors, literary agents, and emerging professionals attending the fair.

With Japan taking centre stage, the 2027 London Book Fair is expected to become a significant platform for celebrating Japanese literature while expanding cultural exchange across the international publishing industry. The initiative underscores the growing importance of translated literature and cross-border collaboration, reinforcing the fair's role as one of the world's leading destinations for global publishing, rights negotiations, and literary innovation.