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Navigating the Waters of International Publication

Compass Rose Editions is one of the few visual book packagers in Japan. We specialize in international co-editions in the subject areas of art, graphic design, traditional crafts, architecture, interior design, illustration, sub-culture, and children’s literature. At the helm is Rico Komanoya, who has been in book production for over 30 years. Rico has worked on over 500 titles, from pitching concepts and negotiating deals to overseeing the production process.

Latest Works

Your compass for international publishing

The company’s name, Compass Rose Editions, comes from Rico’s mission to pilot publishers, authors, and creators of all sorts through unknown stretches of the sea of international publishing sales and production. She is determined to spread the wonder of books and stationery throughout Japan and the world.

WHAT WE DO

1.Package original Japanese titles as editions in multiple languages

We work as a rights agent and production packager to transform Japanese titles into international co-edition projects. By coordinating rights, production, and sales under one roof, the packaged projects retain the quality of the original works.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We select titles that will appeal to international readers.
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We contact the copyright holders and/or publishers of the original editions to see if the English rights are available.
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We create a title information sheet for each project.
STEP
We begin marketing the original titles, along with the title information sheets, often taking materials to international book fairs and visiting publishing houses in the US and the UK.
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We draft contracts in both Japanese and English and negotiate deals for copyright holders.
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We sign contracts with the client publishers and pay royalty advances to the copyright holders.
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For each title, we organize a production team, launch the initial kick-off meeting, and run the project.
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We select the printer, send them the print-ready materials, and give delivery instructions to ship (in most cases, via ocean cargo).
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We give the printer approval to print and conduct the delivery to the publisher’s appointed venues.
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After getting paid by the publisher, we settle payments to the copyright holder (balance of the royalty amount), the printer, and the production team members.
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The books are on the market through the publisher’s distribution channels!


*The above milestone steps are representative of standard deals, and procedures may vary by project.

2.Coordinate the publication of original (unpublished) works in English and other languages 

We coordinate international co-edition projects by serving as rights agent for the original copyright holder and as production packager. We handle rights, production, and sales under one roof to ensure the packaged projects remain true to the author’s vision.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We are always interested in content that is likely to succeed in the international market. We consider proposals from authors, and we sometimes take the initiative to reach out to individual parties.
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We ensure that the proposed content does not breach the rights of other parties.
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We create a title information sheet for each project.
STEP
We begin marketing the manuscript along with the title information sheet, often taking materials to international book fairs and visiting publishing houses in the US and the UK.
STEP
We draft contracts in both Japanese and English and negotiate deals for the proprietors.
STEP
We sign the contracts with the client publishers and pay royalty advances to the proprietors.
STEP
We organize the production team for each project, launch the initial kick-off meeting, and run the project.
STEP
We select the printer, send them the print-ready materials, and give delivery instructions to ship (in most cases, via ocean cargo).
STEP
We give the printer approval to print and conduct the delivery to the publisher’s appointed venues.
STEP
After getting paid by the publisher, we settle payments to the proprietor (balance of the royalty amount), the printer, and the production team members.
STEP
The books are on the market through the publisher’s distribution channels!


*The above milestone steps are representative of standard deals, and procedures may vary by project.

3.Introduce non-Japanese works to Japanese publishers

We work as a rights agent to coordinate license agreements. In many cases, we look after translation into Japanese and the book design process simultaneously.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We have meetings with non-Japanese publishers to review the manuscripts or finished sample books.
STEP
We create the title information sheets.
STEP
We have meetings with Japanese publishers and show the material to the persons in charge.
STEP
We draft contracts in both Japanese and English and negotiate the deal for the proprietors.
STEP
We sign the contracts with the client publishers and pay royalty advances to the proprietors.
STEP
For titles translated into Japanese, we conduct the entire production process.

4.Niche publishing

We publish works that are hard to place with large publishing houses, such as niche books that may have a small audience. We do this by partnering with authors who are willing to finance the production costs for the first edition (100 copies) of their books.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We consult with authors to ensure we understand their vision for their books.
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For each title, we draft a contract with the author.
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After all parties have signed the contract, we register for an ISBN.
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We organize a production team, launch the initial kick-off meeting, and run the project.
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We send proofs to the author for approval.
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We select the printer, send them the print-ready materials, and give delivery instructions to ship (in most cases, via ocean cargo).
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We give the printer approval to print and conduct the delivery to the appointed venues.
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The books are on the market through Amazon and our own website!

5.Translation

We offer translation services from Japanese to English and vice versa. Our subject areas are art, graphic design, traditional crafts, architecture, interior design, illustration, sub-culture, and children’s books.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We receive manuscripts or sample books from the parties who wish to have them translated.
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We submit a quotation of the translation cost and production schedule, then initiate a discussion of the translation policies and styles.
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After receiving the purchase order from the client, we start the translation. 
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We submit the first draft and receive comments from the client.
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After a few rounds of editing and proofing, we submit the final translation.

6.Writing

We offer writing services in Japanese and English, from magazine articles to ghostwriting. Our subject areas of expertise are art, graphic design, traditional crafts, architecture, interior design, illustration, sub-culture, and children’s books.

See the project milestones:
STEP
We kick off the project with a team meeting, either face-to-face or via Zoom.
STEP
We receive interview questions from the project editors. We prepare the questions in English or in Japanese, depending on the situation.
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We interview the target person(s) in English or Japanese.
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We write up the interview article using voice recordings of the interviews. If necessary, we can submit an English or Japanese translation of the article.

Any questions?
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Profile

Photograph by Yunosuke Kawabe

RICO KOMANOYA
Principal
Compass Rose Editions LLC

Rico was born in 1958 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, and graduated from Meiji Gakuin University with a major in American literature (BA). She started her first career in the export and import department of Japan’s second-largest book distributor. Then, she worked in international sales and production for several book publishers. In 1994, she started as a freelance book packager, writer, and translator. She established Compass Rose Editions in the winter of 2020. Working as a visual book packager for over 30 years, she has coordinated more than 500 local and international books and stationery projects, connecting publishers and authors around the globe. She is the author of two books, Mini House Style and Gothic Lolita Punk (English editions published by Harper Design).

Special Thanks

Yunosuke Kawabe

The structure and design of this website were handled by Yunosuke Kawabe, who runs Japan Style System. Kawabe is based in Kyoto and actively works across genres as both a Yuzen craftsman and a designer, transcending boundaries.
https://jss-kyoto.jp

Minamata Haguregumo Studio

The background for this website is silk paper produced by Junpei Kanazashi, an artist from the Minamata Haguregumo Studio. Kanazashi operates a workshop for handcrafted washi (traditional Japanese paper) and handwoven fabrics in Minamata City, Kumamoto Prefecture. In 2006, he was dispatched to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to revive the art of silk paper making using local traditional techniques that had been lost due to modernization. Silk paper has a smooth, resilient surface that is well suited to fine lines and vibrant artwork.

It was the paper of choice for transcribing the Qur’an with a pen. 
http://haguregumo-kobo.com/
http://www.hagure.org

Lisa Wilcut

Lisa Wilcut proofread the English text for this website. Lisa is a writer, editor, translator, and the founder of Goku Atelier (Word Workshop). She has been responsible for translating and proofreading my projects since the establishment of Compass Rose Editions. She is proficient in Japanese and is a reliable presence in my international business.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisawilcut/?originalSubdomain=jp

Yoga C-22, BIZcomfort
Astage Yoga B1 floor
4-9-12 Yoga
Setagaya-ku, Tokyo
158-0097, Japan

Compass Rose Bookshop
https://compassrose.base.ec