Culture branding offers food for thought

The power of culture is usually soft and intangible, but it can become hard and tangible when it integrates with industry. The Cool Japan Strategy shows how Japan is trying to realize better integration of its culture and industries.

The Cool Japan Strategy aims to boost domestic demand and improve the promotion and sales of cultural exports by promoting the nation's creativity-based industries both at home and overseas.

The strategy plans to increase Japanese creative industries' share of the world market from the present 2.3 trillion yen ($30 billion) to 8-11 trillion yen in 2020, when the size of the world market for culture industries will be an estimated 900 trillion yen. By promoting the overseas development of small and medium-sized businesses, attracting tourists to Japan and revitalizing local communities, the strategy intends to promote employment.