Japan wants to export manga, anime and video games as if they were steel

Japan has announced an ambitious goal of quadrupling its overseas trade in manga, anime and video games, with the aim of reaching a volume of 130 billion dollars within a decade.

The country, known worldwide as the birthplace of such iconic manga and anime as “Dragon Ball” and “One Piece” and iconic video games as “Super Mario” and “Final Fantasy,” considers its creative industry to be on a par with traditional sectors such as steel and semiconductors.

In a strategy released Tuesday, the Japanese government said it intends to boost exports of cultural products to 20 trillion yen ($130 billion) a year by 2033. By comparison, in 2022, overseas sales of these products reached about 4.7 trillion yen (about $30 billion).

Comparison with other sectors

This export figure is close to the 5.7 trillion yen generated by Japanese exports of electronic chips. The growing popularity of anime and manga has been crucial in attracting a young and diverse audience globally, acting as a “gateway” to Japan, according to the government.

By combining these sectors with industries such as fashion, cosmetics and tourism, Japan aims to generate economic benefit of 50 trillion yen (about 320 billion dollars) until 2033.

Fight against piracy

Tokyo’s new strategy also includes stepping up the fight against internet portals that illegally distribute anime and manga translated into other languages. “Strengthening measures against pirate sites is essential for the expansion of the global market,” the government said, stressing the need for rapid intergovernmental action to address this crisis.

Japan is thus positioning itself as a leader in the global creative industry, with ambitious plans to expand its reach and ensure significant economic growth in the coming years.

Japan wants to export manga, anime and video games as if they were steel