I often suggest people donate unwanted books to the local library, and they say "oh it's not library material". Just to be clear, libraries don't put books that you donate on the shelves - they sell them and use the money to fund their programs. So (at least in the US) they're just as happy to take your "low-brow" stuff. Perhaps things are different in Japan (where the up-thread poster is)
Neither will take books in English. The best option I have is giving them away to friends, and I can't do that fast enough to keep pace with my buying.
(I only ask because I was having the exact same conversation with my girlfriend yesterday)