About the “Review Session for the Establishment of Hubs for Cool Japan”

Provisional- Launched in May 2016 to study into the establishment of Cool Japan hubs and the encouragement of inter-hub collaboration.
- Related projects carried out in fiscal 2016 include “Cool Japan Inter-hub Collaboration Field Surveys” and “Cool Japan Overseas Market Surveys”.
- Compiled final report in May 2017, to have policies and know-how on inter-hub collaboration resulting from discussions in the study group and theabovementioned related projects, be spread throughout Japan.

Launch (May 2016)
Established “Interim Report” (June 2016)
4th Meeting (Oct. 14) Discussions on the implementation of related projects and ways of inter-hub collaboration

Survey of 30 Cool Japan hubs in Japan (Jul. - Dec. 2016)
Selected 30 hubs from all over Japan and carried out a sampling-based survey concerning initiatives and issues for strengthening hub
functions, from aspects such as communication, industry creation and human resource development.

Cool Japan Inter-hub Collaboration Field Surveys (Nov. 2016 - Mar. 2017)
Carried out seven projects working on communication, human resource development, industry creation, etc. of Cool Japan
from new viewpoints and by new measures based on inter-hub collaboration, and conducted field surveys on the actual
effects of the inter-hub collaboration measures.

Cool Japan Overseas Expansion Country Surveys (Feb. - Mar. 2017)
Conducted surveys on consumer preferences and market characteristics for creative content and other products
and services in five Asian countries that are important as future destinations for business

Feedback of survey results“Final Report” (17 May 2017)-Communicate and roll out measures and know-how related to inter-hub communication-Strengthen the functions of Cool Japan hubs through collaboration and networking

List of projects in the Cool Japan Inter-hub Collaboration Field Survey
Project Name

Implementing
Organization

1

Animation tourism that vitalize regions byconnecting places of animation scenes and otherregional Cool Japan resources

Anime Tourism
Association2

Promotion of film induced tourism collaborated byregional governments of wide area throughaccommodating demands of overseas contents
producers

Field

Main Field

Main Purpose of
Collaboration

Hida area (Hida,
Takayama, Gero,

Anime, Manga

Communication

Journal Entertainment
Tribute Inc.

Tohoku area

Video contentsCommunication

3

Promotion of Japanese furniture and interiorindustry by communicating space design

Tokyo Design CenterTokyo, Kanazawa,
Takayama,
NagoyaInterior,
architecture,designCommunication
Industry creation

4

B2B tours to Sake-breweries to realize enhanced
values of Japanese Sake

Cyest Corporation

Tokyo, Ibaraki,
Nagano, etc.

Food culture

Communication
Industry creation

5

Establishing Gastronomy Manifesto throughcollaboration between food, local industries, etc.

Tsuji Cooking
Education ResearchInstitute K.K.

Osaka, Tokyo,
Kagoshima, Tottori,
etc.

Food culture

Communication
Human resource
development

6

Establishment of a cutting-edge design lab thatmarge technology with design

Institute of Industrial
Science, The
University of Tokyo

Tokyo

DesignHuman resource
development
Industry creation

7

Utilization of urban Cool Japan talent andregional Cool Japan resources for effective
promotion of rural area attractions

Food

Provision of
information
Human resource
development

The Ecozzeria
Association

Shirakawa), Tokyo

Tokyo (Otemachi,

Marunouchi, Yurakucho
areas), Niigata

[Field Project (1)] Animation tourism that vitalize regions by connecting places of animation scenes and other regional Cool Japan
resources<<Purpose>>
Promote the attractions of Japan in an integrated manner with a focus on Anime, to realize revitalization of regions andcreate a synergy effect on inbound business through collaboration among anime-related regions and through collaboration
among anime locations and regional attractions.

<<Project Outline>>[Inter-regional collaboration] Collaboration among Anime hubs all over Japan

Hida area

Monitor tours

Tokyo

Invited influencers and Anime fans from Taiwan,
Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Thailand andconducted monitor tours to various spots
appearing in the Anime movie “Kimi no Na wa.”
(English title: “Your Name.”), including the Hida
area in Gifu prefecture and Tokyo.
* Thailand: Jan. 24-28, Malaysia and Hong Kong: Feb.
14-18, China: Feb. 21-25, Taiwan: Feb. 28-Mar. 4© 2016 “Kimi no Na wa.” Production Committee© Hida City

Symposium (Mar. 3)
Organized a symposium for people involved in the industry, local
governments and the like.
Invited Taiwanese influencers and discussed tips of collaboration
among hubs for Anime tourism under participation of experts, local
governments and the like.

[Intra-regional collaboration] Collaboration amonghubs in a region with an Anime related locations
Traditional
culture hub

Hida

Design hub

Takayama, Gero, Shirakawa
Food hubAnime hubHigh-techhub

industry

Kimi no na wa* Study into measures contributing to collaboration among parties involved in hubs (local governments, right holders, local
industries, residents, etc.)* Analyze the communication effect of influencers

Revitalize local economies by promoting more foreign tourists to rural areas in Japan by disseminating and utilizing know-how acquiredin this study[Field Project (2)] Promotion of film induced tourism collaborated by regional governments of wide area throughaccommodating demands of overseas contents producers<<Purpose>>
Develop a database containing information on wide-area of the Tohoku-region filming locations in a format tailored to the needs ofoverseas contents producers, under the collaboration of film commissions with involved parties and hubs in the respective regions.
Utilize this to expand overseas sales channels for local products and vitalize for inbound business through showing and broadcasting
the produced films overseas.
<<Project Outline>>

Collaboration with overseas film production companies
in film-shootings

Aggregation of information on filming locations in the Tohoku
region, tailored to the needs of foreign producers(Website launched on Mar. 3).

Location A

Location B

Location C

Feedback of initiative results

Information on filming locations held by film commissions in the Tohoku
region was aggregated into a database sorted and categorized into aformat that facilitates the choice of a location.
Location D

Sendai, Miyagi
Film Commission

Aggregation and communication of
information through collaboration

Location a

Location b

Symposium with invited overseas producers

Tohoku region
film commission

Tohoku region
film commission

Location c

Location (1)Location (2)Organized film-shootings in the Tohoku region together with a film
production company from Thailand, and produced an information
program. After the program was broadcasted by the largest terrestrial
broadcasting station (Ch. 3) on Jan. 31, it was posted on the official
page on YouTube.

Location (3)Invite renowned producers from Thailand and discuss waysof invitation activities effective to filming locations in thepresence of experts and others.
(Held in Sendai on Feb. 2 and Tokyo on Feb. 3)

Establish know-hows of collaboration among filming locations and industries at filming locations that have a strong appeal to overseas

Promotion of tourism to filming locations and expansion of overseas sales channels for local products[Field Project (3)] Promotion of Japanese furniture and interior industry by communicating space design<<Purpose>>

Promote visits of foreign influencers in the fields of architecture and interior industry, to Japan, thus expanding exports suchas furniture and other elements of interior design by: (1) architecture and interior design organizations collaborating incommunicating the attractiveness of Japanese furniture and interior in the form of “space design”, and (2) deeper
collaboration among hubs related to space design all over Japan, in order to effectively promote business formation withoverseas buyers, etc.
<<Project Outline>>Communicated space design including Japanesefurniture and interior

Observation and business negotiation tour (Feb. 20-24)

Launched website (Japanese, English, Chinese)
aggregating space design of commercial facilities inJapan (hotels, restaurants, stores, etc.) (from Feb. 16)

Invited media and buyers from the US, the UK, China and Taiwan to
an observation and business negotiation tour to hubs related tospace design all over Japan.
NagoyaTokyo

Tokyo Design
Center Collaboration among

International Design
Center Nagoya

hubs in Japan

Kanazawa

Constructed a network of hubs in order to smoothly
promote the formation of business with overseas
buyers who show interest in Japanese furniture andother elements of interior design

Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of
Traditional Arts and Crafts

Takayama

Hida Earth Wisdom Center

Activities of influencers (information transmissions by media, commercial deals by buyers) after experiencing space design
with Japanese furniture and interior

Promote visits to Japan by foreigners interested in space design, and expand exports of furniture and interior, etc.

[Field Project (4)] B2B tours to Sake-breweries to realize enhanced values of Japanese Sake<<Purpose>>

Producers, distributors and retailers of sake, collaborate with each other to communicate, the attractions of sake andrelated Cool Japan resources to influencers having a strong impact on wealthy people overseas, to establish a “marketingmodel targeted at wealthy overseas customers” in order to expand sales channels and exports of sake, etc.
<<Project Outline>>

Observation and business negotiation tour, symposium (Feb. 5-9)

(Invited influencers)
Rob Sinskey

Maria Sinskey

Owner
of
a
renowned winery in
the US

Involved
inthemanagementofawinery and also famous
as a cooking expert

Dana Cowin

Jack Tse

Creative Director at
the NY restaurant“Chef’s Club”

General Manager of theJapanese restaurant “Imasa”
at The Pensinsula HotelHong Kong

Propose spaces for enjoying sake

- Invited influencers having a strong impact on wealthy people in the US andHong Kong, where the consumption of sake is high and potential for future
market development is expected, tour of “spaces for enjoying Japanese sake”.
- At the occasion of the tour, a symposium was held in Nagano prefecture forparties involved in sake breweries in the prefecture. The invited influencers
appeared as panelists on this symposium.

Sake brewery in
IbarakiInformation
centerSudohonke

Japan Sake andShochu Information
CenterCollaboration amonghubs in JapanSake brewery in

MatsubayahontenNaganoRetail store

Hasegawa Saketen
Masuichi-Ichimura
Sake Brewery

OkazakiBrewery

Analyze the activities of influencers (information transmissions by media, commercial deals by buyers)

Expand exports of sake, etc. through networking of domestic hubs such as sake breweries having astrong appeal on wealthy overseas customers

[Field Project (5)] Establishing Gastronomy Manifesto

through collaboration between food and local industries, etc.

<<Purpose>>
Chefs, agriculture, tourism, education, local governments and other parties and hubs collaborate to strengthen the international
communication and expansion power of Japan in the field of food by: (1) establishing a “gastronomy manifesto”* to serve as a future
vision (code of conduct) for Japanese food, and (2) spread attractions of Japanese food to overseas based on the manifesto.
*A declaration regarding the ways and methods of a food culture industry. Mainly in Europe, activities to communicate a concept (reflecting seasons indishes, search for new value in traditional ingredients, etc.) put up as a manifesto to consumers all over the world have been on the increase.

<<Project Outline>>

Involve parties from various fields to establish agastronomy manifesto and set up methods for aneffective utilization of that manifesto.

Symposiums with invited overseas experts•

Input from regional
viewpoints

Input from international
viewpoints

Invited to Yamagata prefecture was Gabriella Morini, Assistant Professor
at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy.

•

To Tokyo, Greg Drescher, Vice President of The Culinary Institute ofAmerica, in addition to Gabriella Morini, was invited.

Survey for strengthening collaboration
between industry and rural areas

Universities
Chefs

Institute for Sustainable
Agro-ecosystem Services,
The University of Tokyo
etc.

Farmers

Ryori Masters, etc.

Tourism
Persons involved in the
hotel industry,
tourism operators, etc.

Collaboration on theestablishment andutilization of a
Gastronomy Manifesto

Distribution,
retailers
Distribution operators,
etc.

Cookingschools
Tsuji Group

Local
governments

Journalists,
etc.

Kagoshima prefecture,
Tottori prefecture, etc.

JFJ, etc.

….

Carry out an interview survey in order to strengthen the collaboration
between tourism operators and educational institutions with regard to
the establishment and utilization of the manifesto.

Input from industry
viewpoints

Meeting of Manifesto
Establishment Work Group- Discussed the effectiveness of a gastronomy manifesto
in rural areas in a meeting by local governments, experts(Japan Gibier Promotion Association), educational
institutes and the like (Jan. 21)- Invited overseas experts* with deep knowledge on
gastronomy to symposiums in Yamagata prefecture (Feb.
20) and Tokyo (Feb. 23).
Discussed the strengths ofJapanese food culture.

On the establishment process of the manifesto, validate the ways of effective collaboration to strengthen andpromote Japanese food culture by chefs, farmers and schools inside and outside of Japan

Strengthen the basis for international communication and expansion of Japan in the field of foodOverseas
viewpoint

[Field Project (6)] Establishment of a cutting-edge design lab that marge technology with design<<Purpose>>
Accelerate the development of creative talent in Japan by establishing a design lab based on collaboration between world-leading
educational institutions for design and Japanese cutting-edge technology research institutes and : (1) invite excellent talent fromJapan and overseas to this design lab to work on the production of prototypes of products and the like with superior design andfunctionality, and (2) intensify collaboration between Japanese companies, educational institutions and the like to communicate anddisseminate the obtained results and methods on a wide basis.
<<Project Outline>>

Design projects in micro-labs
Carry out design projects in small teams consisting of members from theRoyal College of Art*1 and the Institute of Industrial Science, The University ofTokyo*2, to have designers and engineers collaborate in developing proposals
on ways to solve problems such as the ageing society and energy.
*1) The only graduate school for art and design in the world, allowing students to acquire an master’s ordoctor’s degree. Located in London.
*2) A research institute of The University of Tokyo covering a broad scope of fields in engineering science.

Institute of Industrial
Science, The
University of Tokyo(Technology hub)Design projects in micro-labs

Royal College ofArt (UK)(Design hub)Tokyo Design Lab

Construction of an industry-government-academia network by conferences
Organized a conference for presenting the results of the micro-labs (Feb.
28), and built a network of industry, government and academia.

Spread of design engineering through workshops
Organized workshops for the public to spread design engineering to society(Feb. 17).

Promote collaboration among
Japanese companies, educational
institutions, etc. through exhibitions
and conferences
Group of companies,
Educational institutions
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・
including creative industry

・・・・・・・・・* Study into human resource development methods allowing to obtain synergy effects from design and engineering based oncollaboration among advanced educational institutions in Japan and overseas

Accelerate the development of human resources capable of creating products and services incorporating both design and technology

[Field Project (7)] Utilization of urban Cool Japan talent and regional Cool Japan resources for effective promotion ofrural area attractions<<Purpose>>(1) Educate urban talent in Tokyo with proficiency in a foreign language, as Cool Japan talent capable of introducing theattractiveness of rural areas to people from overseas in great depth.
(2) Promote the construction of a network of urban hubs performing human resource development and communication,and the rural area hubs, to create a system in which urban ralent effectively introduces the attractions of rural areas topeople from overseas.
<<Project Outline>>Sake
breweries

Establish regional navigator schools

Use navigators

Carried out training programs for people proficient inforeign languages in the Otemachi, Marunouchi and
Yurakucho area*, to enable them to communicate
the Cool Japan regional resources to people inoverseas, with depth (program including four
sessions from Feb. 1 to Mar. 1).
* Eligible participants include Tokyo residents having experience of studying
or living abroad, and foreigners having lived in Japan for a long time.
Considerations on registering and listing the participants as “Nippon
Navigators” in the future are currently under way

Tours utilizing navigators
As part of the navigator school, tours of Marunouchi (Feb. 15.-16.)
and Niigata (Feb. 25.-26.) were organized under the theme of sake.

Cutting tools

Miso
producers

Regional inter-hub
collaboration under
the theme of sake
Restaurants

Sake cups

NigataOtemachiMarunouchi
Yurakucho

3x3 Lab Future
Human resource development
hub where regional navigatorschool is established

Study into measures for constructing a system utilizing human resources of urban areas to effectively introduce the attractions of rural areas topeople from overseas

Communicate the attractions of rural areas utilizing urban Cool Japan talent and regional Cool Japan resourcesReference: Members of the Review Session for the Establishment of Hubs for Cool Japan[Chairperson] Minister of State for "Cool Japan" Strategy
Kazuko Ishikawa

President, The Association of Japanese Animations

Takaaki Umezawa

Partner and Japan Chairman, A.T. Kearney

Shujiro Kusumoto

President & CEO, Cafe Company Co., Ltd.

Masami Shiraishi

Representative Director, SCAI THE BATHHOUSE

Tomoyuki Sugiyama

President, Digital Hollywood University

Yasuhiro Ttsuboi

Director, JTB Corp., Manager, Inbound Business Promotion Division

Takashi Toyama

Managing Executive Officer, Panasonic Corp.

Yusuke Nakagawa

President, ASOBISYSTEM Co., Ltd.

Yoshinobu Noma

Representative Director and President, Kodansha Ltd.

Yuko Hasegawa

Advisor, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo / Professor, Department of Arts Studies
and Curatorial Practices, Graduate School of Global Arts, Tokyo University of Arts

Yoshitaka Hori

President & CEO, Horipro Inc.

Takuya Matsuo

Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer, General Manager of Domestic
Subsidiaries & Affiliates Headquarters and Real Estate Development Headquarters,
Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.

Nobuyuki Ota

CEO, Cool Japan Fund

[Deputy Chairperson] Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, Cabinet Office
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication (in charge of the Information and Communications
Bureau)Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Agency for Cultural Affairs,
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (in charge of the Commerce and Information Policy
Bureau)Japan Tourism Agency