Japan maps out support steps for key game, anime industries
The Japanese government is seeking to provide support for video game production costs and improve working conditions in the anime industry under a five-year plan to further boost the country's entertainment sector, a key source of exports.
The plan, announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, also includes anti-piracy measures such as stronger investigations and enforcement.
The ministry said Japan's overseas sales in the entertainment field reached 5.8 trillion yen in 2023, up from 1 trillion yen in 2010, making it the nation's second-largest export industry after automobiles, with shipments totaling over 21 trillion yen.
The government has set a target of increasing overseas sales in the entertainment industry to 20 trillion yen by 2033.
In the gaming sector -- a field generating over 2 trillion yen in sales abroad -- the government is considering production-cost support for companies aiming to expand internationally.
In the anime sector, which is facing a shortage of skilled workers, the government plans to introduce mechanisms to address stagnant wages and long working hours to prevent talent from leaving the industry.
Damage to the Japanese industry caused by pirated content worldwide, meanwhile, is estimated at around 2 trillion yen. To counter its spread, the government will strengthen cooperation with industry groups that include anime firms as members.
© KYODO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Nikkei Asia
28 minutes ago
- Nikkei Asia
Ishiba weighs up Trump's suggestion that Japan buys US oil
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks during an interview in Tokyo on June 30. (Photo by Uichiro Kasai) OSAMU SATO, RIEKO MIKI and MITSURU OBE TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is weighing up U.S. President Donald Trump's suggestion that Japan buy oil from the U.S. to reduce bilateral trade imbalances. "The U.S. is indeed the biggest producer of oil. But we have to think about the price and the type of oil they produce," Ishiba said in an interview with Nikkei.
Yomiuri Shimbun
29 minutes ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
General Shareholders Meetings: Discussions on Corporate Management Have Become More Lively
General shareholders meetings were once referred to as 'shan shan sokai,' which describes an assembly where company proposals are almost always approved. However, meetings have nowadays become established as opportunities for participants to seriously debate the performance of corporate management. Management must deepen dialogue with shareholders and present convincing mid- and long-term growth strategies. The peak period for listed companies to hold shareholders meetings has already passed this year. Sessions were concentrated on June 27, when about 560 companies, or about 25% of firms whose business year ends in March, held their meetings. Of them, 113 companies, an increase of 22, received proposals from shareholders, and the number of proposals increased to 398, up 62. Both figures have reached record highs. As many as 137 proposals were submitted by institutional investors, including activist shareholders who strongly press for reform. The trend of questioning how companies should be managed seems to be gaining further momentum. This year, too, disruption arose at shareholders meetings. At the shareholders meeting of chemical manufacturer Taiyo Holdings Co., a Hong Kong investment fund proposed the dismissal of its board directors, and the president's reappointment as a director was rejected, bringing about an unusual situation. Despite solid overall business results, shareholders raised questions over the future prospects of the company's medical and pharmaceutical businesses and the dysfunctional state of the board of directors. Meanwhile, at the shareholders meeting of surgical supplies company Hogy Medical Co., an executive of a U.S. investment fund proposed appointing himself as an outside director, which was approved by a majority vote of 52.1%. Companies are working to end cross-shareholding, which is seen as an indirect cause of inefficient management, and they can no longer rely on shareholders holding stocks over the long time. It is important to build dialogue with shareholders and leverage it to drive management reforms. On the other hand, activist shareholders continue to submit a number of proposals aimed at securing short-term profits, such as share buybacks, dividend increases and business unit sell-offs. Management should neither be swayed by nor preoccupied with such proposals. Additionally, it has been pointed out that companies nowadays tend to reduce the number of shares circulating in the market and engage in share buybacks, which can lead to short-term increases in stock prices. If companies are unable to allocate sufficient funds for wage increases and investment because of such behavior, they cannot be said to be fulfilling their social responsibilities. For the overall development of the Japanese economy, it is crucial that companies continue to achieve mid- to long-term growth. At the shareholders meeting of Nippon Steel Corp., three proposals were submitted by shareholders, including a demand for corrective measures regarding the negligent management of listed subsidiaries and a review of the remuneration for the president and others. However, all of the proposals were rejected. Now that the acquisition of United States Steel Corp. has been successfully completed, the company has been proceeding with its growth strategy, and this probably resulted in a greater understanding among shareholders. Companies should devise strategies that will allow them to break out of the current situation in which they settle for low profits. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, June 30, 2025)
Yomiuri Shimbun
29 minutes ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Akazawa Talks with Lutnick over Phone Ahead of July 9 Deadline for Tariff Deal
WASHINGTON — Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa, who has been in Washington, spoke by phone twice with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Saturday about the tariff measures of President Donald Trump's administration. The phone talks followed an in-person meeting between Akazawa and Lutnick the previous day. The two ministers are believed to have exchanged views on such matters as lowering tariffs on automobiles. 'Both sides reaffirmed their respective positions on the series of tariff measures … and engaged in a fruitful discussion on expanding trade between the two countries, non-tariff measures, and cooperation on economic security, among others,' the Japanese government said in a statement. According to government sources, Akazawa has wrapped up his seventh round of talks in the United States. As there is a July 9 deadline looming for countries to reach a deal with the United States, Japan sought to have Akazawa meet with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Washington's chief negotiator on the tariff issue, during Akazawa's latest stay in the United States, but the meeting was never realized.
