Beyond Anime and Games: Japan’s Creative Industries as a U.S. Strategic Asset

Beyond Entertainment: Creative Sectors as Strategic Assets

Japan’s anime, video games, film, music and design industries have long been global exports. They are now being viewed as something more: strategic sectors that shape economic competitiveness, innovation, and geopolitical alignment. For Washington and Tokyo, that means creative collaboration may be as important as traditional trade and security cooperation.

A recent policy analysis argues that creative industries should be treated as a pillar of the U.S.-Japan partnership, not simply a cultural export story. That framing reflects a broader shift in how governments think about cultural production.

Why creative industries matter beyond soft power

Creative industries influence exports, jobs, innovation and national branding. A hit anime franchise or video game can drive merchandise, tourism, streaming subscriptions, licensing deals and technology investment. That commercial reach creates durable international perceptions, often more powerful than official messaging. It also generates demand for related products and services far beyond the original content.

Japan’s ecosystem is globally recognized. Its anime, gaming and pop culture output shapes how millions of consumers engage with Japanese language, design and storytelling. This cultural footprint extends Japanese influence into markets where traditional diplomacy has less direct reach, building familiarity and affinity that can persist across generations.

Strategic opportunities for U.S.-Japan cooperation

The two countries can use creative-sector collaboration to support economic resilience, innovation ecosystems, and people-to-people ties. Joint productions, co-development of digital content, and talent exchanges can link studios, publishers and educational institutions. This deepens networks that go beyond a traditional U.S.-Japan bilateral relationship.

Policy support could include:

• Trade provisions that protect creative exports and simplify cross-border licensing
• Education and workforce exchange programs for animation, game development, and immersive media
• Public-private partnerships that fund co-productions and distribution
• Joint efforts to support independent studios and creators entering global markets

Technology, AI and intellectual property

The sector intersects directly with digital platforms, artificial intelligence, licensing, distribution and intellectual property protection. As AI tools change how content is produced, translated and localized, questions about rights, ownership and fair use are becoming more urgent. Bilateral dialogues on digital trade and IP can help set rules that protect creators while encouraging innovation.

Cooperation on distribution platforms can also widen the global audience for both countries’ creative output, reducing reliance on any single market or platform. That can strengthen the resilience of the creative supply chain and open new revenue streams for small and mid-sized producers.

Geopolitics of cultural influence

Competition with other global powers makes cultural and creative influence more significant. Countries that dominate narrative environments, platforms and entertainment formats can shape tastes, norms and allegiances. In that context, market success alone may not be enough; policy support for creative sectors may matter as much as box office numbers or streaming rankings.

For the U.S. and Japan, aligning on creative industries can reinforce broader strategic goals. It can support supply chain diversification in media production, create alternative distribution corridors, and promote a positive vision of open societies. It can also counter narratives pushed by competitors that use state-backed entertainment and digital platforms to expand their reach.

Should governments do more?

The central question is whether governments should go further to support creative-sector cooperation. That could mean trade policy that treats cultural exports as strategic goods, education and talent exchange programs, and public-private partnerships that lower barriers for independent studios and creators.

Without coordinated action, the partnership may underperform despite strong private-sector ties. With targeted support, anime, games, film, music and design could become a more intentional pillar of U.S.-Japan alignment — not just a cultural phenomenon, but a shared economic and strategic asset.