Japan is making a big move to expand its global entertainment industry. The government is setting a goal to significantly grow the popular three sectors: anime, manga, and gaming exports by 2033.
The plan, announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as reported by Animation Business, targets a combined 18 trillion yen (around $113 billion) from anime and games alone as part of their broader 20 trillion yen ($125 billion) content export goal.
For anime, the aim is to increase the overseas market size to 6 trillion yen (approx. $37 billion) by 2033. This is nearly three times its current level, which is valued at 2.1 trillion yen ($13 billion).
In fact, anime’s global demand has already been rising over the years, driven by leading streaming platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll. Major hits like Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man have been driving these numbers, where the former stands at number 1 at the box office for its 2025 release.
To reach this goal, Japan plans to focus on producing more large-scale “blockbuster” anime projects, while also improving how content is distributed globally. There’s also a push to improve working conditions by introducing better performance-based pay for creators, something that has been echoed in the industry, especially by several freelance animators.
On the gaming side, the ambitions are even bigger. The government wants to grow the game industry’s overseas market from 3.4 trillion yen to 12 trillion yen ($75 billion). The strategy here includes helping Japanese studios expand into mobile and PC markets, supporting large-scale game development, and offering incentives for research and innovation.
Manga is also part of this expansion plan, with Japan aiming to grow its overseas market from 300 billion yen (around $1.89 billion) to 1 trillion yen ($6.3 billion) by 2033. Amid the AI squeeze and the piracy concerns, the interest and numbers across anime and manga remain impressive.
It is known in detail how much importance Japan places on manga, anime, and games. But the numbers are even stronger, as together, these two industries are expected to make up around 90% of the total export target.
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