Japan's Pop Culture Soft Power

抄録

This study examines Japan’s evolving soft-power strategy through its pop-culture exports (anime, manga, J-pop, fashion, cuisine) in the digital era. Drawing on a mixed-methods design — document and policy analysis, comparative case studies, and digital ethnography of global fandom communities — the research traces a shift from organic, fan-driven cultural diffusion toward state attempts to systematize cultural exports (the “Cool Japan” effort). The analysis shows that while state initiatives (including the Cool Japan Fund) injected significant public resources into cultural promotion, major gains in global reach and economic value were driven primarily by digital platforms and decentralized fan networks. Key empirical findings include: (a) the Cool Japan Fund’s formalization of cultural promotion and its contested financial performance; (b) the central role of streaming and social platforms in scaling consumption and fandom; and (c) distinct regional reception patterns that mediate soft-power effects. The paper contributes theoretically by extending soft-power frameworks to account for platform mediation and decentralized cultural production, and empirically by presenting updated market and reception data through 2024–2025. Policy recommendations urge a recalibration from top-down branding toward enabling frameworks for creators, digitally-oriented incentives, and co-creative international partnerships.