Creative Industries

There is no precise definition of creative industries in Japan. Instead, they relate to industries linked to lifestyle and culture such as design, artisan products, fashion, art, tourism, advertising and food.

Japan has traditionally been a major hub of the global video games industry, embracing 8% of worldwide console sales in 2012.

Japan remains the world’s third-largest fashion apparel importer after the EU and the US. As one of the leading fashion markets in the world, Japan is also a trendsetter for other countries in Asia.

Japanese design is often rooted in its context, reflecting current societal issues, such as environmental awareness. The result is intricate designs that give equal consideration to consumers and the environment.

Manga and Anime are perhaps the most recognizable aspects of Japanese culture, and the huge global popularity of both these art forms underline Japan’s status as a hugely influential cultural superpower.

Since the 1990s and the end of Japan’s bubble economy, Tokyo’s architectural trends followed the new “low-growth” economic paradigm, drifting away from postmodernism towards a different perception of modernity.