Chobunsha Publishing

Chobunsha Publishing (株式会社汐文社) is a Japanese book publisher founded in 1976 and headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It specializes in children's books, producing many set products aimed at schools and public libraries, and is best known as the publisher of Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen (はだしのゲン) series. Since December 2013 it has been a consolidated subsidiary of KADOKAWA, and is the only children's book publisher within the KADOKAWA Group. The company is a member of the Japan Children's Book Publishers Association. Its catalogue spans subjects such as Japanese language, social studies, mathematics, music, health and physical education, moral education, peace studies, science, foreign languages, arts and crafts, home economics, welfare, environment, and hobbies and play. Its stated mission is to publish books that convey the importance of life and peace to children, centered on the bestselling Barefoot Gen series.

Chobunsha was founded by Takanori Yoshimoto, who had been engaged in the peace movement and established the company in Kyoto. In November 1976 it was re-established with its head office in Tokyo and incorporated. Books published during the Kyoto period that remained in stock continued to be reprinted and sold. The company mainly handles children's educational books and novelizations of dramas and films. In 1975 it published the tankōbon edition of Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen (はだしのゲン) under its 'Home Comics' label; the series had been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump but Shueisha did not release a collected edition because of its subject matter, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Barefoot Gen became the company's flagship work, and Chobunsha subsequently took on nearly all of Nakazawa's works, including picture books and novelizations. Under the same label it also published works such as Fujiko F. Fujio's Perman and Fujio Akatsuka's Osomatsu-kun. The company has been described as a publisher affiliated with the Japanese Communist Party, and because it published books critical of the Buraku Liberation League, in October 1976 its publications, along with those of the Buraku Problem Research Institute, were removed from public facilities in Kitakyushu. It formerly published a series called Kaihō Shinsho. In 2007 Yoshimoto retired as president at age 60, and Kazuyoshi Mondo succeeded him. On December 26, 2013, KADOKAWA announced that it had acquired all outstanding shares, making Chobunsha part of the KADOKAWA Group; after joining the group, its head office moved from Hongō, Bunkyō-ku to Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku. On June 28, 2016, Mondo retired as president and Hiroyuki Koyasu became president. As of the company's own description, it was founded in 1976, mainly handles children's books, publishes many set products for schools and public libraries, and aims to publish books that appeal to children about the importance of life and peace, centered on the bestselling Barefoot Gen series. Since December 2013 it has been part of the KADOKAWA Group and is the group's only children's book publisher. It is a member of the Japan Children's Book Publishers Association.

• 2026

  Won the 28th School Library Publishing Award for a three-volume work on reasonable accommodation in schools.

• 2016

  On June 28, Mondo retired as president; Hiroyuki Koyasu became president.

• 2013

  On December 26, KADOKAWA announced acquisition of all outstanding shares; Chobunsha joined the KADOKAWA Group.

• 2007

  Yoshimoto retired as president at age 60; Kazuyoshi Mondo succeeded him.

• 1976

  Re-established and incorporated in Tokyo in November, with Takanori Yoshimoto as founder.

• 1976

  In October, its publications were removed from public facilities in Kitakyushu along with those of the Buraku Problem Research Institute.

• 1975

  Published the tankōbon edition of Barefoot Gen under the 'Home Comics' label.

A children's book publisher focused on educational and peace-themed titles for schools and libraries, operating as KADOKAWA's dedicated children's book imprint.

• Barefoot Gen (はだしのゲン)

• Perman (パーマン)

• Osomatsu-kun (おそ松くん)

• Himeyuri no Tō: Seitotachi ga Mita Okinawa-sen

• Nebuta

• Oishii Okome o Tsukuritai! Yūchan, Shōgakusei de Nōka ni Deshiiri Shimashita

1. 1株式会社汐文社（ちょうぶんしゃ）choubunsha.com
2. 2汐文社について | 株式会社汐文社（ちょうぶんしゃ）choubunsha.com
3. 3プライバシーポリシー | 株式会社汐文社（ちょうぶんしゃ）choubunsha.com
4. 4個人・書店様へのご案内 | 株式会社汐文社（ちょうぶんしゃ）choubunsha.com
5. 5Chobunsha Publishingwikidata.org
6. 6汐文社ja.wikipedia.org