Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group is betting on Japan’s entertainment ambitions with a new film financing fund, committing ¥6.6 billion ($44 million) to a venture established by manga publisher Kodansha Ltd.
The bank plans to invite external institutional investors to join the fund, though it declined to disclose the total target size. The partnership represents MUFG’s latest foray into sector-specific investing, following similar funds for Indian and Indonesian startups.
Japan’s content industry generated ¥13.1 trillion in 2022, ranking third globally behind the US and China, according to government data. Tokyo’s “New Cool Japan Strategy” envisions expanding the content sector to ¥20 trillion by 2033, banking on international appetite for anime, manga, and films.
However, the timing raises questions about market saturation. Japan’s startup funding declined in 2024, with investors becoming more selective about entertainment investments. The global content market reached 135.6 trillion yen in 2022, but competition has intensified as streaming platforms reduce content budgets.
Kodansha, Japan’s largest publisher with titles including “Attack on Titan,” has been expanding beyond traditional publishing. The company recently acquired smaller publishers and struck content deals with Disney for streaming exclusives.
MUFG’s entry signals growing institutional interest in Japanese content production, yet questions remain about whether domestic films can compete with established global franchises for international audiences.
