The COVID-19 pandemic is also hitting Japan’s photo publication industry with Asahi Camera magazine (アサヒカメラ) ceasing publication with its July 2020 issue (on sale on June 19 in Japan) after 94 years in business. It is (or was) Japan’s oldest camera publication since April 1926. (Including a hiatus during World War II in 1942–1949.)
Due to chronically low circulation (averaging 31,500 during spring 2020) and the pandemic drastically shrinking its advertising revenue, the magazine has decided to quit. The many cash-strapped companies in the camera industry no longer have generous advertising budgets. Japan also has many camera/photo magazines all competing for advertisers.
Asahi will continue to publish camera/photo articles in another corporate group publication called AERA dot. Also, the prestigious Kimura Ihei Photo Award (木村伊兵衛写真賞) will continue to be awarded by the magazine’s parent company, Asahi Shimbun newspaper.
Otsukaresama to Asahi Camera magazine. Hopefully Nippon Camera and other camera mags will survive these hard times.
