METI promotes overseas advancement of an internationally appreciated "Cool Japan" brand, cultivation of creative industries, promotion of these industries in Japan and abroad, and other related initiatives from cross-industry and cross-government standpoints.

The policies and initiatives promoted here are based on the Proposal by the Cool Japan Advisory Council in May 2011.

Recent news, opinions and trends about Cool Japan can be seen here: "COOL JAPAN DAILY"

What's New

• Minister Edano and Minister Sharma, Indian Ministry of Commerce and industry signed and released the joint press statement to enhance cooperation on creative industries (April 30, 2012) (PDF:17KB)new!
• "Cool Japan Strategy Conference @ Niko Niko Cho Kaigi" (April 20, 2012 ) Press Release
• The second Cool Japan Conference (for Distribution Businesses, Developers and Commercial Facilities) (April 20, 2012 ) Press Release
• GINZA RUNWAY- From Ginza to the World - (March 15, 2012 ) Press Release
• Call for Entries of Child-friendly Products and Services (March 12, 2012 ) Press Release
• GINZA RUNWAY- From Ginza to the World - (March 2, 2012) Press Release
• Future Tradition WAO" is pleased to announce the installation in Paris from March 4th through March 6th, 2012(PDF:202KB)
• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will inaugurate TOKYO SPRING, a platform project designed to inform the rest of the world about the creative events which are taking place in Tokyo. (February 8, 2012) Press Release »reference material (PDF:2,555KB)
• "Future Tradition WAO" is pleased to announce the installation in NY from February 10th through February 12th, 2012 (PDF:123KB)
• Web portal to provide information on Cool Japan, “Cool Japan Daily,” launched on Monday, January 9, 2012! (January 10, 2012) Press Release
• "Cool Japan Open Mini Symposiums" started! Let's discuss together on how to create a energetic Japan with Cool Japan initiatives. This symposium will be webcast. Twitter hashtag is #creative_oms. (November 21, 2011)
• A report of "CREATIVE TOKYO Forum" (November 15, 2011) , and the Declaration "Moving towards CREATIVE TOKYO - Transforming Tokyo into a Creative Hub - (PDF:275KB) (in Japanese)
• Good Design Grand Award 2011 goes to “Traffic Information Archive Map,” Honda’s project based on its “internavi” system in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake (November 9, 2011) Press Release
• Launch of "Tsutagra" project: Infographics for Communication!
  - METI building a platform to provide statistical information more visually by means of "infographics"- (October 31, 2011) Press Release
• FY 2011 METI Minister Award to recognize contributions to traditional craft industries (October 13, 2011) Press Release
• The advancement of the CREATIVE TOKYO project (October 11, 2011) Press Release
• Cool Japan overseas expansion projects launched in Singapore (October 6, 2011) Press Release
• Talk event to mark the kickoff of the Creative TOKYO Lab (July 26, 2011) Press Release
• Creative Director appointed for Cool Japan Strategy Promotion Program to edit creativity throughout Japan for global expansion (July 20, 2011) Press Release
• Four ministries’ joint project for Japan Expo in Paris
  - “All Japan” approach to comprehensive advertisement of the attractiveness of Japan - (June 27, 2011) Press Release
• Proposal of the Public-Private Expert Panel on Creative Industries (May 12, 2011) Press Release
• New Test Marketing of Japanese Fashion Carried out in Shanghai - Japanese Fashion to the World; Starting “tokyoeye: girls/kids/tech” - (December 21, 2010)
• Good Design Grand Award 2010 Goes to the Dyson Air Multiplier (November 10, 2010)
• Call for Exhibitors at “MICAM SHOEVENT,” the world’s largest international footwear exhibition (October 29, 2010) Press Release
• Holding of Cool Japan Tokyo-Conference and Invitation of Ideas(October 1, 2010) Press Release
• Establishment of “Japan Booth” at “MICAM SHOEVENT,” the world’s largest international footwear exhibition (August 25, 2010) Press Release
• Establishment of the Creative Industries Promotion Office (June 8, 2010)

Overview of Policies

• Cool Japan Strategy (PDF:1,391KB) Updated on January 16, 2012
• Proposal by the Cool Japan Advisory Council (Summary) (PDF:268KB)
• What are Creative Industries?: FY 2010 Report of the Survey on Support for SMEs (Survey on Support for Lifestyle Industries) (PDF:2140KB) (in Japanese)

• ■Design Policies (Japanese website)
• ■Cool Japan Overseas Expansion Projects
• ■CREATIVE TOKYO
  • The advancement of the CREATIVE TOKYO project (October 11, 2011) Press Release
  • CREATIVE TOKYO
  • TOKYO AUTUMN
• ■INFOGRAPHICS
  • Launch of "Tsutagra" project: Infographics for Communication!
    - METI building a platform to provide statistical information more visually by means of "infographics"- (October 31, 2011) Press Release
  • INFOGRAPHICS
• ■Kansei Initiative

Creative Industries Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau
TEL: 81-3-3501-1511 (ext. 3651) or 81-3-3501-1750 (direct)