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Japan Day Project – Connecting People, Driving Culture"A bold new business initiative for the Japanese entertainment industry,kicking off at Cannes with new promotional events and activities."(Photo from left: Mika Morishita, Kundo Koyama, Kiki Kirin, Yoko Narahashi)©Japan Day Project

Tokyo, May 7, 2015 – Entertainment industry leaders and the global press corps
gathered at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan on Thursday for the launch ofJapan Day Project (JDP), an ambitious new promotional initiative designed tostimulate global markets for Japanese film, TV, manga, anime, music, game and othercreative media.
In the program’s debut year of 2015, JDP events will take place at the world's mostprominent entertainment festivals, conventions and content markets. JDP will
promote Japanese culture at the Cannes Film Festival (May), Japan Expo (July),
Taiwan Comic Exhibition (August), MIPCOM (October), and Tokyo (October).
Japan Day Project
Press contact: Free Stone Productions /Miyuki Takamatsu: Miyuki.takamatsu@japanday.jp, Sanae Koyama: Sanae.koyama@japanday.jp
Email：JDP-PR@japanday.jp

The first Japan Day project will be held at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, May
13-24. With support from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI),
the Japanese presence and business participation at Cannes will be the country's
largest in over a decade.
"Our goals are two-fold," says Mika Morishita, Japan Day Project Brand Manager.
"First, we will create platforms for Japanese industry professionals to build
valuable business partnerships with international counterparts. Second, we willbring the best of Japanese culture and entertainment to influential audiences,establishing lasting personal connections between Japan and global
consumers."
The action will be centered at the Japan Pavilion in the Cannes International Village,
where a collection of hot new Japanese content will be on display – including manga,novels and anime. An inaugural seminar series, titled "New Gateways to theJapanese Industry," will be hosted by top figures from the Japanese and internationalfilm world, informing attendees about the best strategies for acquiring Japanese rights
and co-producing with Japan. Japan Day Project will also premiere a showreel of 47 of
the latest films from 25 Japanese companies, giving global buyers an invaluable
opportunity to preview a near-comprehensive cross-section of Japanese film today.
"I am very honored to be able to join this seminar series," said Yoko Narahashi,
who will speak at the seminar series in Cannes (Ms. Narahashi is best known as thecasting director who brought actors Ken Watanabe and Rinko Kikuchi to Hollywood;she is also an accomplished producer and director). "I would like to use myexperience of having cast and produced international films to explain how
Japan can become a much more accessible and film friendly country to the restof the world," she added.
Japan Day at Cannes will culminate with "KANPAI NIGHT," a special reception toasting
Japanese cinema produced by creative visionary Kundo Koyama (creator of TV series"Iron Chef," writer of Oscar-winning film "Departures," also an accomplishedrestaurateur). Mr. Koyama has brought his creative touch to France to create an
unforgettable evening of Japanese cultural experiences and surprises for the global
film industry. With over 800 industry guests expected, the party will serve as avaluable platform for Japanese professionals to build new business connections. TheJapanese exquisite cuisine and culture on display should also leave a lasting positive
impression in the minds of the world's film luminaries.

Japan Day Project
Press contact: Free Stone Productions /Miyuki Takamatsu: Miyuki.takamatsu@japanday.jp, Sanae Koyama: Sanae.koyama@japanday.jp
Email：JDP-PR@japanday.jp

"Through this project, I would like to convey to the rest of the world that Japanis a treasure chest of culture and entertainment content," Mr. Koyama said. Of hisvision for KANPAI NIGHT, he added: "I'm going to create the perfect environmentand opportunity for Japanese content creators to make a strong impression on
behalf of Japan and make it happen."At the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, an impressive total of seven Japanese films willscreen. The films are: Director Hirokazu Kore-eda's Our Little Sister (Competition),
Director Naomi Kawase's AN (Un Certain Regard’s Opening Film), Director Kiyoshi
Kurosawa's Journey to the Shore(Un Certain Regard), and Yakuza Apocalypse: The
Great War of the Underworld (Director’s Fortnight) from Director Takashi Miike. In thedistinguished Cannes Classics program, Japan's cinematic history will be represented
with screenings of The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums by Mizoguchi Kenji andBattles Without Honor and Humanity by Fukasaku Kinji. Akira Kurosawa's classic, Ran.
Further boosting Japan's profile at the festival, Japanese actor Ken Watanabe stars in
Hollywood director Gus Van Sant's hotly anticipated Sea of Tress (Competition), andSatoshi Tsumabuki will appear in Taiwanese auteur Hou Hsiao-Hsien's "The Assassin"(Competition).
Legendary Japanese actress, Kirin Kiki, who is starring in two films (Our Little Sister;AN), will attend Cannes this year also shared her enthusiasm for the project.
"I'm truly grateful that this effort is being made on behalf of Japanese actors inCannes," Ms. Kirin said. "I hope many people will take advantage of this amazing
opportunity."
About Japan Day Project:The Japan Day Project is a new creative initiative designed to open the gates between
Japan’s culture industries and the world. Through participation at major international
events, Japan Day Project will create forums and opportunities for international
industry players and consumers to tap into Japan’s rich storehouse of creative capitaland innovation. Japan’s unique approach to balancing its cultural history with therapid pace of innovation is celebrated around the world. Today’s creative sector iscommitted to streamlining its international connections, generating new growth andopportunity for all. This project is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade andIndustry (METI) of Japan.

Japan Day Project
Press contact: Free Stone Productions /Miyuki Takamatsu: Miyuki.takamatsu@japanday.jp, Sanae Koyama: Sanae.koyama@japanday.jp
Email：JDP-PR@japanday.jp