Japanese Drama Co-productions Accelerate as Global Demand for Japanese IP Grows

Japanese drama co-productions are on the rise as the world’s fascination with Japanese entertainment grows. From manga and anime to high-quality TV dramas, global audiences are clamoring for more Japanese stories and intellectual property. This surge in demand is creating exciting new opportunities for international collaboration in the television industry.

To highlight this trend, Series Mania 2026, Europe’s premier television series event, will feature a special industry session called “Coming Next from Japan.” Set to take place on March 24, 2026, (14:00–15:00) at the Series Mania Forum in Lille, France, the session will shine a spotlight on four recent international co-production projects led by Japanese and overseas companies and broadcasters. The aim is to explore how these collaborations are being crafted to appeal to global audiences, while discussing the challenges, opportunities, and future prospects for working together. The panel discussion will be moderated by Janine Stein, Editorial Director of ContentAsia.

The event is organized by the Broadcast Program Export Association of Japan (BEAJ) and Empire of Arkadia (EOA), with sponsorship from Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).

Highlighted Projects and Speakers:
1. BLOOD & SWEAT (Japan–Finland Co-Production)
– Speakers: Tomomi Takashima (WOWOW) and Daniel Toivonen (AX-ON)
– International sales by Boat Rocker Studios and broadcast in Japan on WOWOW, and in Finland by Nelonen Media

2. Lost & Found (Singapore-Japan Co-Production)
– Speakers: Fotini Paraskakis (Empire of Arkadia) and Tomoko Matsuda (NHK)
– Supported by IMDA (Singapore)

3. How to Be a Sensei (Japan–UK Co-Production)
– Speakers: Yoko Takashima (Nippon TV) and Cassie Smyth (Anyway Content)

4. Drops of God (France-Japan-US Co-Production)
– Speaker: Klaus Zimmermann (Dynamic Television)
– Streaming globally on Apple TV+ and in Japan on Hulu Japan, with later release on FTV

According to Makito Sugiyama, Executive Director of BEAJ, “International collaboration is opening a new chapter for Japanese drama. Working with global partners allows Japanese creators to merge unique storytelling with international production know-how and distribution channels, ensuring that Japanese narratives can reach broader audiences worldwide.”

Shigeko Cindy Chino, Producer and Co-Founder of Empire of Arkadia, emphasized that there is a growing interest from international collaborators. “Producers are eager to partner with Japanese creators. Stories that delve into Japanese culture have immense global appeal, and international co-productions enable us to share these narratives with audiences across the globe.”