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Special Focus: Creative Industries

This month in the “Special Focus” section, Creative Industries sector in Japan is highlighted on our website.
Information on the various related sub-sectors, the latest reports as well as the registration for upcoming webinar on this topic are available on the following links.

 

Sectors: 

There is no precise definition of creative industries in Japan. Instead, they relate to industries linked to lifestyle and culture such as design, artisan products, fashion, art, tourism, advertising and food. Creative Industries are an important part of the Japanese economy and as a result, the government is highly involved in a process of marketing these overseas. For more information about Japan’s creative industries, please see below:

About Creative Industries

Since the 1990s and the end of Japan’s bubble economy, Tokyo’s architectural trends followed the new “low-growth” economic paradigm, drifting away from postmodernism towards a different perception of modernity. At the same time, globalisation started to have an impact on architectural restructuring, leading to huge construction projects, such as Roppongi Hills and the Dentsu Building, in stark contrast with the low-growth model. For more information, please click on the link below:

Architecture

Japanese design is often rooted in its context, reflecting current societal issues, such as environmental awareness. The result is intricate designs that give equal consideration to consumers and the environment. To read more, please see below:

Design

Japan has traditionally been a major hub of the global video games industry, embracing 8% of worldwide console sales in 2012. Japan’s domestic video games market is largely controlled by indigenous giants such as Nintendo and Sony, which together accounted for 98% of console sales in 2012. For more information on video games market in Japan, please click on the link below:

Electronic Games

Japan remains the world’s third-largest fashion apparel importer after the EU and the US. As one of the leading fashion markets in the world, Japan is also a trendsetter for other countries in Asia. Although spending on clothing has decreased in recent years, consumers do still want to buy quality products, as long as they are offered at good prices. Although high-end European fashion is extremely popular in Japan, Japanese consumer buying habits differ significantly to those of consumers in Europe, and it is important to be aware of how conceptions of what is fashionable or trendy differ in Japan. To read more, please see below:

Fashion & Clothing

Manga and Anime are perhaps the most recognizable aspects of Japanese culture, and the huge global popularity of both these art forms underline Japan’s status as a hugely influential cultural superpower. Whereas manga and anime have a large cult following around the world, the domestic appeal of manga and anime in Japan is much more mainstream: People of both genders and all ages read manga and watch anime. The page below provides with more information on Japan’s domestic and international manga and anime industries:

Manga & Anime

 Publications:

This report examines the Japanese video games industry. Specifically, this report looks at the traditional dominance of the global software & video games market by Japanese companies, as well as the broad cultural attention enjoyed by Japanese video games all over the world. To read the report, please click on the link below:

Software & Video Games

To access other reports in the creative industries sector, please click on the links below:

 Webinar:

The webinar on Japan’s Arts Sector: Market Overview, Perceptions and Practical Market Entry will take place on June 21. This webinar acts as a guide for those in the arts industry wishing to do new businesses with Japan or who are keen to expand their current offerings. If you wish to register for the upcoming webinar, please click on the link below:

Japan's Arts Sector: Market Overview, Perceptions and Practical Market Entry

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