japanamerica

 

The truth was unavoidable here in Tokyo at last month's Tokyo International Film Festival and Marketing Fair TIFFCOM: Asian content is the future, and Japan is now "Asia's premier IP jewel," the epicenter of the region's Soft Power boom.   But what IS "soft power," exactly? Harvard prof Joseph S. Nye coined the phrase in 1979 to explain the superiority of US cultural appeal (Hollywood and rock 'n' roll) vs the USSR (vodka). But is it real and quantifiable, or a mere measure of pop whimsy? And whatever its strengths, can soft power survive today's hard surges in nativism?  I explore this tricky terrain in my latest presentation at Temple University, Japan Campus in Tokyo, just posted here : In less than 6 months Japan will be the "Country of Honour" at the 2026 Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes. Unless nativistic knots with China tighten, expect the global IP frenzy over Japan to crest into hysteria -- albeit checked as always by J...

Join USJETAA and Dr. Jolyon Thomas, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania for what promises to be an in depth look at anime. We will explore the cultural and emotional forces behind anime’s appeal, with a discussion that will be enthralling for both devoted fans and those who are curious or even puzzled by its widespread popularity. It will also shed light on the intense passion that anime inspires, sometimes described as a kind of “religious” following. *Register online here . Panelists include: Dr. Jolyon Thomas is an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania who explores how anime, manga, and pop culture connect with spirituality and everyday life in Japan. He’s the author of Drawing on Tradition: Manga, Anime, and Religion in Contemporary Japan and has a new book on the way, Animating Action: Changing the World with Anime, Rituals, and Robots. Roland Kelts (Osaka, 1998-1999) is an award-winning Japanese Americ...

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Please join me this December 11th at Town Hall New York City with author Haruki Murakami, jazz artist Jason Moran and friends, and scholar/translator Motoyuki Shibata for a very special one-night celebration hosted by Japan Society, The Town Hall, The Center for Fiction, All Nippon Airways and McNally Jackson Books. Tix on sale September 26.  https://japansociety.org/events/haruki-murakami/

Culture Rules: Japan Found its Cool in the 21st Century, But Can It Keep It?  In-Person / Online Register here. The branding of "Cool Japan" in the early aughts kickstarted Japan's 21st Century pop culture juggernaut. Global demand for Japan-produced anime, manga, games, fashion and food skyrocketed, and Japanese creatives scrambled to feed it through a rapid succession of media platforms--DVDs, Torrents, Cinemas and Streaming sites--as post-Covid inbound tourism stats exploded. Fiscal analysts now forecast a rosy CGR of 9.8% for Japan's pop culture products and a global market more than doubling to $72 billion in less than 10 years. But spotty government support, a shrinking labor and consumer pool, and rising costs amid a retreat from globalization mean that the sustained business of Cool Japan is hardly a sure bet. Where do we go from here? Pokemon's lucrative lightning might not strike twice. Speaker:  Roland Nozomu Kelts is an award-winning Japanese American ...