Japan reveals $130 billion plan to spread their anime and games worldwide

Japan is gearing up for a major push to make anime and games even bigger worldwide, unveiling a strategy to supercharge exports and turn its pop-culture output into a global economic engine.

The government has set an ambitious target: expand Japan’s entertainment market overseas to 20 trillion yen by 2033 (around $130 billion USD). The plan includes major support for anime studios, game developers, and creators looking to scale internationally, marking one of the most aggressive cultural investment strategies Japan has ever announced.

As reported by Automaton, the initiative focuses on long-term funding, backing bold creative projects, and delivering support directly to studios rather than filtering it through middleman networks.

Japan reveals $130 billion plan to boost exports

With competitors like South Korea rapidly growing their global entertainment footprint, Japan is aiming to boost cultural momentum on the world stage and build the next wave of internationally dominant franchises.

Alongside the funding and export drive, Japan also pledged “no interference in the content of creative works”, telling creators they can take government backing without sacrificing creative control.

The commitment arrives as censorship debates in gaming intensify, from region-specific edits to global platform and payment restrictions. In July 2025, Steam updated its rules to comply with banking network standards, leading to content removals, while platforms like Itch.io also pulled thousands of titles under similar pressure.

Japan’s message is clear: Build worldwide audiences while preserving the style, tone, and creativity that made anime and Japanese games cultural forces in the first place.

For fans and developers, it signals a future of larger productions, bolder exports, and fewer compromises, putting Japan at the forefront of the entertainment industry.

This momentum is already building at the box office as Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle quickly became the highest-grossing Japanese film ever after its global release on September 12, 2025, pulling in more than $660 million worldwide.