MIPCOM today announces a rich two-day conference programme illustrating the very best of the Japanese TV industry as part of Japan Country of Honour showcase.
The world’s leading B2B entertainment content market, MIPCOM takes place in Cannes, France from 17-20 October 2016.
Proceedings will open with the Japan Market Overview on Monday 17 October at 9.30am, a session presented by Yosuke Ito, consultant at the Mitsubishi Research Institute, who will provide insights into the vibrant Japanese content market, current domestic trends and international opportunities. This will be followed by the discovery session Treasure Box Japan: World Premiere – Brand New Formats, at 10.10am. A must-attend event at MIPFormats last spring, Treasure Box Japan returns this October at MIPCOM, when the nation’s key industry players will introduce and discuss their latest format gems, including content from TV Tokyo, TBS, ABC, YTV, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, Nippon TV, and NEP/NHK. The session will be moderated by Virginia Mouseler, CEO of content observatory The Wit, France.
Then Kazuo Hirai, President and CEO, Sony Corporation will deliver the first in a series of media mastermind keynotes on Monday 17 October at 11.30am in the Grand Auditorium. Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, Sony is a rare global corporation that covers the whole value chain, and which continues to provide compelling entertainment experiences to audiences around the world. Hirai has been head of Sony Corporation since 2012, and will give MIPCOM delegates his vision of how a vertically integrated global corporation can continue to deliver in the multichannel age.
Tuesday 18 October features the Japanese Documentary Showcase at 2.00pm, presented by Tokyo Docs, a pitching forum for outstanding documentary projects from Asia, which has carefully curated some of Japan’s most fascinating new documentaries to screen. Speakers include Ken-ichi Imamura, Executive Producer, NHK Enterprises, and Ann Julienne, Managing Director, Doc Spinners, and the works showcased include documentary programs by broadcasters, production companies, and independent filmmakers.
With 2017 marking the 100th anniversary of Japanese animation, the MIPCOM focus will include a look back at the history of the genre in Japan, and will introduce the latest shows on the international marketplace through the Japanimation Out Of The Box session on Tuesday at 2.45pm, an exploration of how the industry’s creativity continually attracts massive audiences worldwide. The speakers will be Rodrigo Mazon, Director, Content Acquisition for Netflix, and Taito Okiura, co-founder and President of David Production.
This will be followed Japanese Drama Beyond Borders on Tuesday at 3.30pm, during which two experts in Japanese drama will showcase some of the programmes that have succeeded on the international stage, along with some brand-new international launches. French industry expert Mathieu Bejot, Executive Director, TV France International, will talk with Noriko Toishi, Producer with HJ Holdings, one of Japan’s most innovative producers.
“It is a great honour for Japan to be selected as the Country of Honour at MIPCOM 2016. Under the theme of the Spirit of Japanese Imagination, we will introduce the latest entertainment content from Japan, including cutting-edge technologies, through the conferences, receptions and exhibitions. We hope that our programs and events will help deepen MIPCOM delegates’ understanding of Japanese content and culture,” said Yoshiaki Yamada, General Producer of MIPCOM 2016 Country of Honour Japan.
The Country of Honour programme is organized in partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), and will also feature presentations on Japanese tourism and cuisine.