TIFFCOM targets 4,600 attendees as Japanese IP demand surges

Tokyo International Film Festival’s content market, TIFFCOM, is poised to match or surpass its 2025 attendance record of 4,600 visitors and 300 exhibitors. The market opens on October 28 and runs through October 30 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho-kan.

Three primary factors are driving the growth in interest for Japanese intellectual property. First, international tourism to Japan reached nearly 43 million visitors last year. Second, the popularity of anime, manga, and gameshow IP continues to rise. Third, successful global productions based on Japanese stories, such as the series Shogun, have increased demand for local content.

Kaori Ikeda, the managing director of TIFFCOM, stated that the cultural boom in Tokyo supports the market’s activities. She noted that Tokyo is one of the most fascinating cities in the world and that Japan is currently enjoying a major surge in interest. Ikeda has held the role for three years after working with Japanese indie distributor Asmik Ace, where she acquired films including Trainspotting and Dead Man Walking. She also spent five years at Japanese cable major J:COM and worked on a project with DreamWorks.

The market is expanding its programming to reflect these shifts. Last year, the Tokyo Story Market relaunched as the Tokyo IP Market: Adaptation & Remake. This year, the event includes remake rights holders such as film companies Toei and Shochiku, as well as toy company Takara Tomy. Ikeda highlighted a recent collaboration with the Cannes Marché du Film, where Japan served as the Country of Honour. The TIFFCOM team took the Tokyo IP Market to Cannes to introduce Japanese IP to international producers. Ikeda described the venture as a success and plans to repeat it, with a goal of including smaller publishers that have limited global experience.

New sessions address the changing technology landscape. A keynote titled Technology and Storytelling features Chris Brearton and Dominic Hughes from AGBO. This addition marks the first time AI has been included as a keynote topic at the market. Other sessions include Unlocking the Global Potential of Japanese IP, featuring producer Shinzo Matsuhashi, Steven Maeda from Netflix’s One Piece, and Amazon MGM Studios Japan head Buddy Marini.

The Association of Japanese Animations will release its annual industry data during a TIFFCOM session. Television stations are also scheduled to present case studies on overseas format sales. These elements aim to help the industry adapt to current trends, such as the rise of short dramas and budget cuts among streamers.

The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market, now in its seventh year, connects partially funded projects with production partners. Two productions completed from last year’s event will screen in the festival’s Crosscut Asia+ section. The Violinist, an animation that found an Italian partner at the 2023 event, won the top award at the Annecy festival this year.

Ikeda acknowledged that viewing habits and the industry structure are shifting. She stated that the market is working to become a better place for business meetings and networking. The event takes place amid a period of disruption, with streamers adjusting budgets and artificial intelligence influencing production methods.

The market operates alongside the Tokyo International Film Festival, which has increased its profile in recent years. TIFFCOM focuses on the business side of the industry, providing a platform for deal-making and strategic partnerships. The event concludes on October 30, following a schedule filled with seminars and one-on-one meetings.