Japan to use manga and anime for soft power diplomacy

Japan is seeking to strengthen its soft power diplomacy by leveraging popular culture, specifically manga and anime, to increase its influence in the international community. The Foreign Ministry has requested 1.83 billion yen ($11.6 million) for the 2027 fiscal year budget to fund projects promoting Japanese music, movies, and animation, as well as to train Japanese language professionals abroad.

Targeting emerging and developing nations in the Global South, the initiative aims to counter China’s growing presence in those regions. The government has already begun cultural exchange programs, such as an anime song concert in Ivory Coast featuring the band Flow. Following the success of such events, Tokyo is considering similar concerts in South America to boost interest in countries where Japanese culture is less established.

Additional efforts include fostering translators to help foreign nationals better understand Japan’s cultural background. Proposed initiatives include connecting translators with Japanese publishers and developing Japanese conversation applications that utilize manga characters.