Highlighting JAPAN

PDF(584KB)

Anime, manga, fashion, and other aspects of Japan's pop culture are winning fans in countries around the world. What accounts for their growing international appeal?

Japanese animation has been highly acclaimed by foreign audiences in recent years. Interviews with members of a leading animation studio offer hints on the secret behind its popularity.

Tatsuya Egawa
Japan is home to a bright galaxy of manga artists, each of them the creator of a unique world.

MANGA'S UNIVERSAL APPEAL
Tomofusa Kure

Hidemi Fukuhara
A pioneer in the field of manga translation, Viz Media is today the world's largest publisher of translated manga.

FIGHTING ONLINE PIRACY
Masakazu Kubo

Shuichi Miyawaki
With its dedicated team of "master" designers, Kaiyodo has elevated plastic figures into works of art that have earned it a broad following and worldwide fame.

Japanese companies have been a driving force in the global video game industry and are ever on the lookout for new challenges.

Japan's pop culture has been eagerly embraced in many foreign countries, being featured regularly on television shows and at special events around the world.

The annual Tokyo Contents Market is a comprehensive trade fair showcasing Japan's creative talent in a wide range of fields.

Yutaka Shigenobu
Why has Japanese pop culture become a focus of attention around the world? And what issues will face the content industry as it seeks to achieve further growth?