According to Yomiuri Shimbun on June 23, the Japanese government is laying the groundwork for a support organization aimed at bolstering the country’s content industry on the global stage. The administration intends to allocate a combined 34 trillion yen from both public and private funds by the close of 2033, with the goal of establishing the content sector as a cornerstone of its 17 strategic priorities.
Japanese anime, manga, and video games have experienced a surge in international acclaim in recent years, with overseas revenue for domestic content hitting 6.1 trillion yen during fiscal year 2024. The government regards this industry as vital to Japan’s economic prosperity, setting a target to amplify the overseas market for homegrown content to 20 trillion yen by 2033. Various governmental entities and associated groups, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), have been taking separate steps toward this objective. For instance, last October, the METI introduced fresh policies to back local creators and broaden their intellectual properties’ reach in Western markets.
Nevertheless, as reported by Yomiuri Shimbun, METI and the Agency for Cultural Affairs have faced criticism within Japan for their perceived inefficiencies, prompting the government to explore the creation of a unified body to champion Japanese content abroad.
The proposed organization is expected to emulate the structure of Korea’s KOCCA (Korea Creative Content Agency), which functions as the primary coordinating entity for the nation’s content sector and has been instrumental in the global triumph of K-pop. Its objectives will include fortifying international market tactics, establishing distribution networks for overseas ventures, investing in talent development, and aiding the production of large-scale projects.
Despite Japan doubling its financial backing for the content industry year-over-year, reaching around 58.9 billion yen, Yomiuri Shimbun notes that these figures still lag behind investments from competitors such as South Korea and China. In 2023, South Korea channeled approximately 76.2 billion yen into its content industry, whereas China allocated 128.3 billion yen in 2024.
The Japanese government is set to unveil an extensive series of medium-to-long-term investments, particularly targeting the private sector. The forthcoming strategy, slated for determination this summer, will encompass public and private investments projected to total about 24.5 trillion yen for the video game sector, 3.3 trillion yen for anime, 1.6 trillion yen for manga, and 3 trillion yen for the music industry by fiscal year 2033. Concurrently, the government anticipates that the economic benefits stemming from Japan’s content industry will accumulate to 326 trillion yen by the end of the same period.