New eBook Reader Officially Lands In Japan On Nintendo 3DS This Fall

Earlier reports had suggested that over 300 eBooks would be made available for the Japanese Nintendo 3DS, which looked set to release this fall. Now, it has been officially confirmed that eBooks will be turning over a new digital page on the 3DS in Japan, which is specifically targeted to primary school children. The reveal was made during the Tokyo International Book Fair – which took place over the weekend – and saw the major Japanese printing company Dai Nippon Printing present the new, free eReader named Honto.

The application is set to feature an easy-to-use navigational system and a vibrant main page design, perfect for children. Honto will categorise various study reading materials, picture books and novels for the child based on their age and their Kanji reading level. Plus, It will come with fully adjustable font size options, and will utilise both 3DS screens so it can be turned horizontally to read exactly like a book.

Since the 3DS has seen an increase in the amount of children using its software, Dai Nippon Printing thought the free application would be ideal for both parents and children to use as an educational tool, as well as entertainment. Prices will retail at a much cheaper rate than their printed editions, and will vary between 700 and 2,000 yen, when the application is released this Fall. Again, it is not yet known whether this will be utilised for the West – do you think it’s a good idea? Let us know in the comments.