Japanese government wants to get involved in anime

The Japanese government has revealed a draft of the new “ Cool Japan Strategy ” that will be updated for the first time in five years. This new strategy seeks to position anime and video games as fundamental industries and strengthen their promotion abroad. Despite previous failures in government efforts, there is uncertainty about whether this new strategy will achieve successful results.

The final decision will be made soon at the government's Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters. The draft highlights the global expansion of video streaming services and the rise in popularity of Japanese anime , in addition to the increase in tourists following the COVID-19 pandemic, arguing that “the time has come to relaunch Cool Japan.”

With the national population decline in mind, the draft underlines the importance of international expansion of content such as anime and video games , as well as agricultural, forestry, fishery and food products, and the increase in international tourism as crucial sources of foreign currency earnings. foreigners.

The content industry is a special priority. In 2022, the scale of international expansion of this industry reached 4.7 trillion yen, comparable to sectors such as steel (5.1 trillion yen) and semiconductors (5.7 trillion yen). The new plan aims to quadruple this figure by 2033, reaching 20 trillion yen.

To achieve these objectives, measures will be implemented such as strengthening the fight against piracy, supporting young creators and improving research and analysis of local needs in foreign markets.

Why did “Cool Japan” fail the first time it was implemented?

The initial Cool Japan initiative was proposed by the Japanese government in 2010, under the administration of then Prime Minister Naoto Kan. The objective was to promote Japanese culture abroad, including anime, manga, video games, fashion and gastronomy, with the intention of improving the country's image and stimulating the economy through the export of its cultural products.

Reasons for Cool Japan's initial failure:

Lack of Coordination and Strategy: One of the main problems was the lack of a coherent and coordinated strategy. There were scattered and poorly organized efforts between the different government agencies and private companies involved.
Insufficient Knowledge of Foreign Markets: The initiative failed to adequately understand consumer preferences and demands in foreign markets. Market research was not carried out in sufficient detail to adapt products and marketing strategies to local tastes.
Bureaucracy and Rigidity: The government's excessive bureaucracy and lack of flexibility made it difficult to implement effective and rapid measures. Slow decisions and the inability to quickly adapt to changes in the global market negatively affected the initiative.
Lack of Support for Local Creators: Although the initiative aimed to promote Japanese culture, there was not enough support provided to local creators so that they could compete internationally. This included a lack of funding, training and resources for young talent.
Inefficient Investment: Funds allocated to the initiative were not always used efficiently. There were projects that did not generate the expected impact, and some funds were allocated to activities that did not significantly contribute to Cool Japan's goals.