By HIROAKI KIMURA/ Staff Writer
November 29, 2024 at 16:35 JST
The Keidanren offices in Tokyo’s Otemachi district (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Japan’s largest business lobby called on the government to significantly expand budgets and establish a “Content Ministry” to strengthen the global competitiveness of the nation’s entertainment industries.
Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) proposed last year that entertainment media, such as anime and video games, should become a driving force for Japan’s economic growth.
However, international competition is fierce. For example, South Korea, which has produced global hits with K-pop and films, is promoting its content industry through nationwide efforts.
In its latest proposal, Keidanren expressed a sense of urgency, warning that Japan risks losing its global competitiveness in high-quality media to South Korea and other countries.
“We strongly urge the new Cabinet to make content promotion a top priority,” it said.
Specifically, the proposal suggests establishing a “Content Ministry” to serve as the central authority for content policy across multiple government ministries, and consolidating support measures and budgets.
It also calls for an early increase in the related budget to at least 200 billion yen ($1.3 billion), several times the current amount.
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