経済｜クールジャパン機構廃止の方針 / Economy | Policy to Abolish the Cool Japan Organization

Summary

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has revealed that it is considering the abolishment of the “Cool Japan Fund,” which is burdened with massive cumulative deficits.

The decision to forgo budget requests for the next fiscal year may impact the overseas expansion of Japanese culture and content. Areas such as anime, food culture, and entertainment, which have been particularly emphasized, are now facing concerns that future support may become difficult due to this decision.

Dialogue

This dialogue is fictional and based on the article.

Chako: Hey Log, what does it mean that the Cool Japan Initiative is being abolished?
Log: To put it simply, the Cool Japan Initiative was an organization aimed at spreading Japanese culture overseas, but it was running a huge deficit and couldn’t continue.
Chako: A deficit, like not having enough money?
Log: Exactly. Basically, they invested money but weren’t able to recover it, and their debts kept piling up.
Navi: The Cool Japan Initiative was expected to promote Japan’s appeal, like anime and food culture, abroad, but since they couldn’t resolve their financial issues, it seems they’re heading toward abolition.
Chako: I see! I hope Japanese culture spreads even more. I wonder what will happen next?

Admin’s Note

The dissolution of the Cool Japan Organization means the disappearance of an institution that played a crucial role in promoting Japanese culture abroad, which is very disappointing. In particular, the lack of funding to showcase Japan’s appeal, such as through anime and food culture, may impact future international exchanges. As more effective support measures are needed, I look forward to seeing how Japan will preserve its culture moving forward.